Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2018 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

Achieving and maintaining peace have been the great challenge of humankind. People from all walks of life can contribute to peace. Here are five facts to get you started. 1. Swedish scientist Alfred Nobel, who invented dynamite, wanted to leave a better legacy than the creation of a weapon. He donated much of his wealth to establish a prize to honor the people who bettered the world. This prize, the Nobel Prize, is awarded annually for achievements in physics, chemistry, medicine, literature, and peace. 2. The word “pacifism” was first used in 1901 at an international peace conference in Scotland. The word itself may have been new, but the concept certainly wasn’t. Pacifism—the opposition to war or violence as a means of settling disputes—has been documented since ancient times. 3.…

Shalom, Salaam, Aloha: Peace is the ultimate challenge of our time. But what does peace mean? The English word “peace” derives from the Latin pax and means “freedom from civil disorder.” To the Romans, peace signified absence of war. On the contrary, to the Chinese, peace is a feeling of contentment not necessarily connected to a peaceful society. The Hebrew shalom and the Arabic salaam give the term peace a deeper value. They mean not only safety, but also friendliness and wellness. In Japanese, peace is heiwa, in French paix, in Italian, pace, in Spanish, paz, and in German, frieden. Many peoples use the word peace as a greeting. Ethiopians say “Selam,” Iranians “As-Salamu ‘Alaykum,” and Hawaiians “Aloha.” The Latin philosopher Cicero defined peace as “freedom in tranquility.” He believed…

Have you ever tasted a cookie called ma’amoul (ma-a-mool)? It is a holiday dessert enjoyed by Christian, Muslim, and Jewish families in North Africa and the Middle East. The word ma’amoul means “stuffed” in Arabic. The cookie is made of shortbread dough that is filled with crushed dates, figs, or nuts. If you talk about ma’amoul to anyone in the know, the response will be a delighted and respectful smile. The respect is for the work that it takes to make the time-honored dessert. The delight is inspired by the aroma and taste of the crumbly (but not sweet) dough and its rich and fruity fillings. What is most impressive about ma’amoul? Perhaps that it is one of the oldest known pastries still being baked. People from different religious communities…

Signs and symbols of peace can be found throughout the world. The dove and olive branch are symbols of peace from the story of Noah and the flood in the Old Testament of the Bible. The story ends with a dove bringing an olive branch, marking the end of the flood. The commonly known peace sign is a combination of the letters N and D. It was worn to show support for British Nuclear Disarmament. The crane is well known as a symbol of luck and peace in Japan. It is said that if one makes 1,000 origami cranes, one’s wish will come true. Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes is the story of young Japanese girl who is dying from the effects of an atomic bomb explosion in 1945.…

Born in 13 th  century Italy, Francis of Assisi was a rich young man who gave away everything he owned to follow a simple life dedicated to God, the sick, and the poor. This story is one of many legends about gentle St. Francis, who was loved by poor people everywhere, and had the unusual gift of being able to talk with animals. CHARACTERS: Narrator 1, Narrator 2, Narrator 3, Maria, Anna, Alessandro, Giuseppe, Marco, Angelo, Brother Luca, Francis Narrator 1: Once, in the town of Gubbio, Italy, there lived a huge, ever-so-ferocious wolf that roamed the hills. Everyone was terrified because the wolf killed and ate animals and humans alike. Anna: Father, may I play with Maria in the fields today? Marco: Not today, Anna. It’s too dangerous…

What does peace mean to you? Does it just mean no fighting or does it have a deeper meaning to you? Do you get overwhelmed thinking about world peace? Maybe you worry there is nothing you can do. The world’s conflicts are so large and you are just one person. How can you make a difference? We highlight several inspirational people in this issue. Like you, they are “just one person.” But their courage and desire for peace has changed the world. Many of them you may already know. Martin Luther King, Jr., Mohandas Gandhi, Malala Yousafzai are all names you might recognize. Their actions and words continue to affect millions of people around the world. But you don’t need to be famous to make our world a better place.…

When asked to describe the meaning of his work, ceramic artist Ehren Tool borrows from the words inscribed in stone on the Indiana War Memorial. “I would like my work to vindicate the principles of peace and justice in the world.” He realizes that is a lot to ask from the simple cups he handcrafts from clay. “They are just cups,” he says. “I decorate cups with images of war and violence,” says Tool, a former U.S. Marine. “Many of these images are things taken from daily life of civilian and military culture.” They include military insignias, weapons, skulls, bombs, gas masks, and pictures of soldiers. Some of the images on his cups are disturbing and violent in nature—just like war itself. The cups are in no way intended to…

Useless “You’re useless,” shouted Tegla’s father. That was his name for her, Useless. “You don’t need school. You’re only good for babysitting.” Throughout nearly all of Tegla Chepkite Loroupe’s early life, people ignored her, treated her like a servant, and tried to make her feel worthless. But she knew she could run—run her life, run for recognition, run for peace and freedom, and run to help others. She ran to the highest global sports achievements and used her achievements for good will, activism, and peace building in her own country of Kenya and the world. Creating Her Own Running Path Tegla was born in the small, poor village of Kapsait in the Lelan division of West Pokot District, Kenya, near the border of Uganda. Kapsait is in the Rift Valley…

Our world needs people to work for peace. Mohandas Gandhi worked for peace by trying to bring change to his world through nonviolent protests. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., used his words for peace speaking up for change and justice. Mother Theresa worked for peace by finding ways to be helpful to others. Artists have also worked for peace. Groups such as Artists for Peace, Arts for Peace, and The Global Art Project are all examples of artists coming together to promote peace. Children from war-torn areas of the world have drawn and painted art to express their deep desires for peace. You can be an artist for peace, too. Materials: Collected collage items Large canvas Acrylic paint Plastic tablecloth White glue Paper cups Popsicle sticks Old paintbrushes, artist’s pallet…

The white dove is one famous bird. It has appeared at the Olympic games, weddings, and peace protests. It is a messenger and symbol of hope in Judaism and Christianity. It stands for wholesome goodness on ice cream bars and soap. Why all the DOVE-otion? Read on. CLASSIFICATION: DOVES VERSUS PIGEONS Are doves the same as pigeons that carried messages in war and have excellent homing instincts? Not exactly, but both belong to the same family. Generally, doves are smaller. They do not fly straight for long distances but flutter, and do not have highly developed homing instincts. That is why people looking to release white birds at ceremonies for good luck should use white homing pigeons, not white doves. The white dove will often fly a short distance and…

Blogger at 11 Malala didn’t plan on being an anonymous blogger. But when the Taliban threatened her right to learn, the safety of her friends and family, and her school, everything changed. Her family encouraged her, a girl, to learn and speak freely about the importance of education. When she was 10, the Pakistani Taliban took over the Swat Valley, and her city, Mingora, in northwest Pakistan. The Taliban bombed girls’ schools, threatened people, forbad women from going outside, banned TV, cinema, and DVDs, and murdered those who didn’t follow their edicts. In December 2008, the Taliban issued a demand—no girls shall go to school. Many students and teachers in Malala’s school stayed home out of fear. Her father, Ziauddin, ran a chain of public schools and was a leading…

Up with People (UWP) cast members arrive in towns and cities around the world as strangers. They learn and serve together with the community. At the end of the week, the international cast departs for their next destination knowing the host families and the kids for whom they performed a little better. Many who’ve sat in the audience of UWP performances report they are inspired to be more positive and serve their communities. J. Blanton Belk started UWP in 1965 because he believed that it was young people who could best build bridges of understanding during that time of unrest. Beyah Rasool agrees that UWP is just as powerful a tool today. When he was a cast member, he saw how participating in community action projects connected cast members with…