Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2025 i Faces People, Places, and World Culture for Kids and Children

Achieving and maintaining peace have been some of the greatest challenges of humankind. What political leaders say and do impacts issues of war and peace. But 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 destructive device. He donated much of his wealth to establish a prize to honor the people who bettered the world. Since 1901, the Nobel Prize has been 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…

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. To the Chinese people, on the other hand, peace is a feeling of contentment that is 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 Roman leader and scholar Cicero defined peace…

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 and cultures…

Terraces of gold marigolds and bright yellow blossoms of mustard seed line the countryside of Kafleni, a small village nestled in the middle Himalayas. The trip begins with an hour’s drive from Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal—a country in South Asia between India and the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. The drive is followed by a four-hour walk through fields dotted with mud-walled houses, Buddhist stupas, Hindu temples, goats, chickens, and farmers working the fields. Festival Season It’s festival season in the fall in Nepal, and for many Hindus, the hardy gold flower symbolizes trust in the divine and a will to overcome obstacles. The marigold decorates homes and shops. It is placed inside small roadside temples and draped over Hindu statues, like Ganesh, the elephant god. Worshipers offer flower…

As sirens blared, Mary Sharmat took her baby son, Jimmy, and stood outside on the street in New York City. It was 1959, and the government had ordered citizens to pretend that the country was under attack from nuclear bombs, but Sharmat refused to go along. She was ready to be arrested. “It was clear to me,” she said later, “that New York City would become a desert in the event of nuclear war. . . . I felt that nuclear air-raid drills taught fear and hate. . . . I would disobey a bad law.” No one else joined her. Little Jimmy cried, but police officers decided not to arrest Sharmat. A year later, on April 1, 1960, Sharmat and other women organized 500 protestors outside. This time, the…

You Need » Collected collage items» Large canvas » Acrylic paint » Plastic tablecloth » White glue » Paper cups» Popsicle sticks » Old paintbrushes, artist’s pallet knives, and other items to apply the paint and collage material Our world needs people to work for peace. Mahatma Gandhi worked for peace by trying to bring change to India through nonviolent protests. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. used his words for peace while speaking up for change and justice in the United States. Mother Theresa worked for peace by finding ways to be helpful to people who were impoverished and outcast. Artists have also worked for peace. Groups such as Artists for Peace and Justice, Arts for PEACE, and the Global Art Project for Peace are all examples of artists coming…

What does peace mean to you? Does it just mean no fighting, or do you think it has a deeper meaning? 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., Mahatma Gandhi, and Malala Yousafzai are all famous the world over. Their actions and words continue to affect millions of people around the world. You don’t need to be famous to make our world a better place,…

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. Mahatma Gandhi’s name has become synonymous with pacifism. Born in India in 1868, Gandhi moved to South Africa to practice law when he was in his early twenties. While he was living there, he was asked to move from the first-class compartment of a train because of the color of his skin. After he refused, he was forcibly removed from the train. The experience set him on a path to fight against the “deep disease of color prejudice.” During his 21 years in South Africa, he…

Signs of Peace Signs and symbols of peace can be found throughout the world. The dove is one (see pages 6 to 7), but there are several others. Here are some of them.…

When asked to describe the meaning of his work, ceramic artist Ehren Tool says, “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 that he handcrafts from clay. “They are just cups,” he says. Still, they have meaning. “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 disrespect the men and women who…

Help promote peace by coloring in this peace symbol and writing what peace means to you. We’ll share the versions that most move us. Email your design to FACES Peace Sign at faces@cricketmedia.com. Please include your name, age, and address, and a note from a parent or guardian that states the work is your original effort and that Cricket Media has permission to publish it in print and online. Your artwork could appear in an upcoming issue of FACES. Check out this great art submitted by our readers! Thanks for sending in your creations.…

Born in 13th-century Italy, Francis of Assisi was a wealthy 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. He showed much compassion to animals and was beloved by impoverished people everywhere. Characters Narrator 1Narrator 2Narrator 3 Anna Marco Alessandro Angelo Francis Giuseppe Brother Luca Maria 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 to go outside the town walls. I haven’t been to the…