AVICRES

Education for Peace

A Talk by João /Johannes, the founder of AVICRES

​

“Do not let us fall into resignation (in the face of all the violence), but deliver us from evil!”

​

Here in Baixada Fluminense violence has already become a plague and so today we are experiencing different ways, different types of resignation:

 

Almost everyone complains non-stop, or “have fun” even, complaining in everyday conversations, describing, painting brutal scenes on the wall. This is something that may, in a medium or long term, tire us out, it encourages us to give up. And, along with that, there’s also the habit we all have of accusing the “public authorities” of not doing anything - they actually never have done - in order to create circumstances or proper structures that may help to avoid the increasing violence. And the truth is: “Justice leads to Peace!” And poverty leads to hunger, living on the streets, lack of jobs. In the same way that corruption, practiced by public authorities, leads to fights, wars and... violence.

​

Nowadays, specially, we have been experiencing this. But if we just keep on complaining, accusing the other, making the powerful people responsible for all that is happening, this will only make us feel more incompetent, and think of ourselves incapabe of doing anything about it, of never being able to do anything about this plague which bestows upon us like an anonymous tragedy.

​

We believe in that popular saying:

​

“Kindness generates Kindness!”

 

And now we go into the realm of our private lives and of our everyday work:

​

EDUCATION: EDUCATION FOR PEACE

​

I wish to bring to light principles that are fundamental for an Education for Peace:

 

1) Only “Peace generates Peace”

Peace and the belief of working for Peace. Nobody can give what they do not have.

​

2) The example of the educator that Works for Peace.

This presupposes a peaceful behaviour/a struggle for an atmosphere of Peace:

• In your own private life, outside of work

• In your interaction/cooperation with fellow workers in the different projects (e.g. in the meetings)

​​

3) “A NON-VIOLENT COMMUNICATION”

• An interest to understand the children’s reality (facts, events, emotions...)

• Have empathy for the child’s situation, put yourself in the child’s place

• Understand/respect the child’s action... and not judge!

• Affection/disposition in assisting and finding solutions

• Accept, cherish your own emotions, don’t hide them, be transparent (!) in respect to your own feelings, of kindness, of love... LOVE – LOVE – LOVE

​​

4) Listen – be gentle – act gradually – consider the child’s life events – take with you happiness and disposition

​

5) Learn with NATURE:

• To take care

• To preserve

• To live LIFE

​​

6) Always work in accordance to the values of AVICRES

​

7) AN ENVIRONMENT OF PEACE

• The most effective education against VIOLENCE, more effective than all our words, is an atmosphere of CREATIVE SILENCE (e.g. eliminating the noise and the stupidity of television).

​