Bridges
of Peace & Hope
What are
the Goals of Bridges of Peace & Hope?
The goals of Bridges of Peace & Hope are to
enable young people and teachers to make
connections with others around the world in ways
that will allow them to:
- Expand
their awareness and understanding of each
other.
- Express
their thoughts and feelings through
writing and other forms of creative
artistic expression.
- Participate
in projects that will include cultural
exchanges, build relationships, and
provide assistance to individuals and
groups in need.
What is a
“Bridge of Peace & Hope”?
A bridge of peace & hope is a means of
expressing a feeling or idea, or changing a
situation in a way that connects people and
increases harmony and goodwill. A bridge of peace
can also be an act or expression that lessens
hardship, or troubling thoughts and feelings for
others.
Another way to think of this is -- Bridges of
peace & hope are ideas, artistic expressions,
words and actions that allow individuals or
groups to “cross over” gaps or barriers
that have kept them separated in some way from
other individuals or groups. This crossing over
may me mental, emotional or physical. Bridges of
peace may lead to new and deeper understandings
of other people and cultures.
What are Some Examples of Bridges of Peace &
Hope?
A bridge of peace & hope can take many
different forms. It can be a simple spontaneous
act, a willingness to listen thoughtfully, a well
planned project, or any other attempt to make a
connection that will produce understanding and
goodwill. The following are examples of bridges
of peace & hope:
- Writing
a letter to a “pen pal” in
another country.
- Participating
in a food or clothing drive to help
disaster victims or homeless people.
- Learning
to say some words and phrases in another
language.
- Learning
a song in another language, or a dance
from another culture
- Creating
a song or work of art that expresses your
feelings and concerns
- Reading
about people and places that are
unfamiliar to you
- Welcoming
a newcomer to your school or neighborhood
- Visiting
another country to learn about its
culture
- Defending
someone who is being treated unfairly
- Writing
a story or essay that tells about things
we can do to help others
- Starting
a “Peacemakers” club
- Having
a Bridges of Peace art festival or poetry
reading
- Visiting
a nursing home or assisted living
residence
- Submitting
your writing, poetry, art, or music to
the Bridges of Peace web site
- Studying
the ideas, writings, and actions of
peacemakers like Ghandi, Dorothy Day,
Mother Theresa, Martin Luther King Jr.,
and Nelson Mandela
What is
the Structure of Bridges of Peace & Hope?
Bridges of Peace & Hope will include three
components or elements that will overlap and
intersect. Included here are brief descriptions
of each of these components.
1. THE WEB SITE
The website will be an interactive, state of the
art platform that will enable young people to
express themselves, and gain a deeper
understanding of others whose cultures or living
conditions may be misunderstood by, or unfamiliar
to them. Students and teachers can visit the
website to post and view poetry, stories, songs
and other forms of artistic expression. The
content featured will offer a portal into the
respective backgrounds, traditions, and
experiences of the contributors. The website will
also be a forum for young people to communicate
their feelings, hopes, dreams, concerns, and
ideas regarding what we can do to work together
to create a more peaceful, healthy and just
future.
2. THE RESOURCE COMPONENT
“Bridges of Peace & Hope” will
produce materials, strategies, and lesson plans
that will enable teachers and students to explore
topics relevant to pursuing the goals of
expanding awareness and understanding,
encouraging expression, and promoting actions
that reach out to others to create
“bridges” of peace and goodwill.
Materials may include recorded music and video,
thought provoking photographs and artwork, and
written and artistic expressions created by
students, artists and or teachers. Recommended
books, magazines, and websites will be included
when appropriate. We will also offer suggestions
for activities that can be done with students,
and provide topics and questions for starting
discussions and encouraging students to respond
creatively.
3. SERVICE PROJECTS
Working together young people, teachers, and the
advisory group will design, develop, and
participate in projects that will make a tangible
difference in the lives of children in need of
assistance. To enhance the global aspect of the
initiative our first projects will focus on
helping needy children in Africa.
Whenever a project is undertaken the groups
involved will document the process they go
through to implement their plan. Project
conception, development, implementation, and
outcomes will be reported about on the web site
through journal entries, photographs and stories
created by students, teachers and project
coordinators.
With the metaphor of a “Bridge” in mind
one of the goals of the projects will be to build
relationships that permit individuals and groups
on both sides of the bridge to cross over and
learn from and help each other. This key element
of exchange is fundamental to the Bridges of
Peace & Hope mission. The human exchange of
ideas, artistic expression and services will be
at the heart of all our efforts.
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