Ark of Peace

"Ark of Peace" is a project whose main goal is to propose a resolution to the U.N. in order that the "Hour of Peace" could enter in the schools by a formative program of each student as an open space where talking, studying and thinking over important elements for the growth of new citizens, conscious that they could be possible "peace makers".
"Hour of Peace" should become a permanent subject of student’s syllabus.
We thought to send the proposal through the Italian National Commission of UNESCO, the conference which will be held in Paris next October 2007. Afterwards the same proposal will be sent to the U.N. for next General Conference.
Schools that participate in the project are strongly working with associations that are building PEACE by initiatives such as theatre, handicraft laboratories, "Olympics of Peace", realization of books, and much more. These activities are the way we are experimenting the "Hour of Peace" in different countries by starting a friendship and exchanging our experiences and ideas. The project involves school from Italy, Nepal, Kosovo, Bosnia Herzegovina, Palestine, Cuba, Saharawi, Iraq, Kenya, Israel and Bolivia.
By the "Hour of Peace" we want to develop in the student the desire to build a peaceful coexistence, refusing racism, and increasing sentiments as respect, integration, friendship among countries, freedom, peace, charity and the wish to eliminate poverty, hunger and sickness.
The project "Ark of Peace" wants to underline the importance of the schools, considered as a place where young students could develop the active citizens dimension and the sense of belonging to a community, through activities which promote the participation and the social task.
To make this project a strong reality we though about courses for the teachers.

The schools twinned and actually involved in this project are:

Scuola Rolando Valdivia- S.Cruz del Norte-Cuba
3° CIRCOLO DIDATTICO “E. DE FILIPPO”-VILLANOVA DI GUIDONIA (Rm)

Primary and Secondary School-Qabatia-Palestina
Istituto Comprensivo Tivoli Terme (RM)

School of Dunai-District of Dolpo-Nepal
Istituto Comprensivo Statale of Arsoli (Roma)

Istituto Comprensivo Statale of Vicovaro (Roma)
Scuola Divino Niño of Cochabamba-Bolivia  
S.Teresia Secondary School-Ithanga-Kenia

Handinhand-Gerusalemme-Israele
Istituto comprensivo "E. Q. VISCONTI" - S. E. "E. Gianturco" (Roma)

Scuola Primaria of Artemisa-Cuba
ICS E.Majorana-Lanuvio (Roma)

The activity will focus on a “cultural program” based on themes of international politics, on human rights, on global matters with the purpose to develop among young students a conscience and a desire of pacific coexistence among people, against inequality and marginalization,  stimulating and consolidating values such as mutual respect, tolerance and integration among people.
The cultural programme is conceived and realized by a Table of Coordination constituted by different corporations , institutions and associations among which: Italian National Commission of Unesco, Unicef, University of Roma III, and it foresees the collaboration of different other corporations and institutions, among which the Center of Documentation of the Arabic League and the CDEC-Project Memory.
The project wants to underline the importance of increasing the educational role of the school as a place where young people can develop the dimension of active citizens and their sense of belonging to the community, through initiatives that promote their share and their social engagement.
The programme will be supported by a team of psychologists and social experts of the G4 Sanitary District and by University of the Studies “Roma III”, that will offer to teachers peace education  courses within the International Master of II level in Sciences of the Culture and Religion, edited by the prof. Carlo Felice Casula and by dr. Liliosa Azara.

Besides this programme, the schools will be provide each one with a “Library of Peace” composed by a books for young readers in conformity with their own language, coming from authors of different nationalities.