Unite for Peace
Purpose:
Create civic engagement and leadership opportunities for youth to support peace initiatives at the grassroots level, and advocate for policies which support peace and unity among all youth.
Mission Statement:
To promote scholarship, development of leadership and service, cultivate political awareness, environmental awareness, human rights and bring about a more peaceful world for future generations.
Background
A Decade of Peace: 2001-2010
Under the broad umbrella of the United Nations, an International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence for the Children of the World was launched to include 200 countries around the world (UNESCO, 2000). The Peace Club was one of many models suggested as appropriate for a whole school, a classroom, or family. Many resources are available for a teacher and children launching a Peace Club (see Online Resources).
Guiding Principals
The goal of the UNITE FOR PEACE CLUB is to bring about a change in awareness and patterns of thought which will lead to a change in the behavior of young people. This will result in a way of
living in which the values of mutual respect and tolerance for others and an equal and just society will become a reality. It will be a society that regards peace as a state of mind, a chosen value, a norm and a way of life.
Goals
This project has been designed to achieve the following specific goals:
- To promote interaction between young people from a variety of backgrounds to build bridges for the future and to help strengthen a peaceful society
- To help Peace Club members develop increased leadership, cooperative problem solving, and cross- cultural skills that they can use to promote friendship and improve understanding between their peers from diverse backgrounds.
Objectives
- To improve young people’s leadership, cooperative problem solving and critical thinking skills that will aid their ability to become future leaders.
- To improve young people’s understanding of cultural differences and similarities and increase their respect and appreciation of diversity.
- To help young people develop trusting relationships and begin friendships across / beyond their ethnicity.
- To help young people develop a new civil awareness in order to utilize and share their skills and experiences in their sphere of contacts.
- To help young people explore their role in fostering positive change in their communities
Strategies:
- Participate in Community Peace Activities
- Create Positive Media Campaigns
- Show Videos and Films
- Hold Discussion Sessions and Forums
- Network with Other Peace Groups
- Promote Conflict Resolution and Mediation
- Provide Opportunities to Learn Non-Violent Communications Skills
Possible Club Sponsors
- School Resource Officer
- Lead School Security Officer
- Teacher
- Miami Dade Public Schools School Liaison
- After School Program
- Community Based Organizations
Steps in Forming a Unite for Peace Club
- Register your Club
- Obtain consent from School Principal, Adult Sponsor, Agency Sponsor
- Announce the Club
- Outreach and Recruit Members and Group participation
- Launch Club Activities
Club Positions
Some of the positions you should consider are:
- President: Leads meetings
- Vice president: Plans events
- Secretary: Records and reads minutes
- Treasurer: Handles funds
- Historian: Keeps a picture book and notes
- Publicity Officer: Makes and distributes flyers, posters
- Web master: Maintains web site
General Order of a Meeting
You can use these steps as a guideline for your meetings. Your specific style can be less formal, or even more formal, according to your goals and tastes.
- Call to order by the president or chairman
- Reading and approval of the minutes from the previous meeting
- Discussion of old business
- Discussion of new business
- Program
- Adjournment
Current Initiative
- Sign up school clubs, after school programs, bands, youth groups , arts groups, youth performers to participate in the 1st Annual Youth Unite for Peace Festival!
- Create a Peace Pledge Wall at your school, after school program, church, etc…
- Work on receiving a Proclamation from the County and City Mayor to declare May 2, 2009 Youth Unite for Peace Day in Miami-Dade County
Register Your Club Here
Youth Unite for Peace Community