NOVEMBER 20 - 24, 2003, McMASTER UNIVERSITY, HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA

November 15, 2003                                                   please print a copy of the Agenda and bring it

Prospective Conference Participants,                           CLICK HERE FOR POSTER 

                                                                           BROCHURE 

                                                      HAMILTON SPECTATOR ARTICLE

Finally, I am very pleased to announce that all Registrants at our Conference will get a copy of the highly recommended book "Peace, Conflict, and Violence: Peace Psychology for the 21st Century" ( http://www.peace.ca/peacepsychology.htm ) as part of the Registration Package.  This is a $63.95 value, and 'must reading' for all peace educators.

CONFERENCE SUMMARY (Draft December _,2003) click here - this is the important page: it has our proposed Vision and Action Plan for Peace Education in Canada that came out of the Conference.

Final Participants List (click here) 

Thursday, November 20 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm [Location: St. Mary's Church Hall on the corner of Park & Mulberry Streets - look for the PEACE signs, downtown Hamilton, Ontario - click here for map] - "The elders look back toward the young and help them find a future that the elders do not see." - Parker Palmer
This is the International Day for Children.  In recognition of this and Senator Landon Pearson's challenge last year, we will have a full day workshop dedicated to "A World Fit For Children": what it means, and what we can and should do, from an Education perspective.  See background information for suggestions (students may wish to consider the issues in class prior to the workshop).  We will encourage the particular participation of children and youth for this day because we would like any strategy to be driven by them (it is recommended for Grade 6 through post-secondary students).   The workshop will be "ignited" with an audio/visual presentation by Tom Murphy, American Council for The United Nations University on The Millennium Project and 'The Fifteen Global Challenges' (go to http://www.acunu.org/ for the Millennium project generally; http://www.acunu.org/millennium/chal-prot.html#15%20Global specifically for the 15 Global Challenges; and the interactive site of the Executive Summary of the 15 Challenges at http://www.acunu.org/millennium/chal-prot.html ).  At the end of the workshop, we would like to have an Action Plan for a Canadian program to build "A World Fit For Children".  Workshop Leader: Bill Rathborne, Past President of Childrens' International Summer Villages Canada (bio) . Calgary high school student Christie Gibson will report on the five day Alberta Conference on Education for Peace and the Future which opened with a Youth Workshop on the theme of A World Fit For Children and the 15 Global Challenges.   It is notable that the final recommendation/comment offered by the young people that day reads, “This involves long-term thinking and problem solving.  Although there is no apparent solution, we need to have hope and breed a new generation of peacemakers.  Eventually.” (Click here for a copy of the Alberta Youth Action Notes)   (Click here for a copy of the day's agenda) RECORD OF WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS

Thursday, November 20 evening - 5:00 - 7:00 pm [Location: St. Mary's Church Hall on the corner of Park & Mulberry Streets - look for the PEACE signs, downtown Hamilton, Ontario] - An evening social 'mixer' and celebration of "A World Fit For Children".  Entertainment: The Children's Peace Theatre performance company -The presentations blend music, song, dance and drama and address the reality of violence and aggression in our communities and in our world. The work of the theatre encourages the establishment of a culture of peace and non-violence particularly among children and young people.

Friday, November 21 - 9:00 am - 5:00 pm [Location: Student Union Centre, 3rd Floor, Rooms 311/313] - "Modelling Education in a Culture of Peace".   A full day workshop to look at best case examples of classrooms (K-12 and University) that we want to attain.  See background information below for suggestions.  We will have presenters from Montessori schools (Regina Lulka, teacher educator at Sheridan College Montessori Early Childhood Programme bio and Min Song, Montessori Korea bio ); Rudolph Steiner/Waldorf schools (Diana Hughes, Rudolph Steiner Centre Toronto); International Baccalaureate programs (Calgary IB high school student Christie Gibson); University of Waterloo Independent Studies Program (Brandon Gallant, student); Peaceful Schools International (Hetty van Gurp); Humber College (Arthur Lockhart); Roots of Empathy Program (Mary Gordon); Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (Sherry Ramrattan Smith); The Virtues Project (Jane Hoy); Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute (Gordon Naylor); Violence Literacy (Wendy C. Hamblet, Ph.D., Philosophy Department, Adelphi University, New York); etc. to provide examples of how they are breaking barriers to peace education.  At the end of the workshop, we would like to have a clear picture of what education in Canada should look like in a Culture of Peace and Nonviolence For The Children of The World.  Workshop Leaders David Adams (past director of UNESCO/UN International Year for the Culture of Peace and professor of Psychology (bio) http://www.culture-of-peace.info ); and Dr. Larry Fisk (professor in Peace Studies and past President of the Canadian Peace Research and Education Association) (bio).. RECORD OF WORKSHOP PROCEEDINGS

Friday evening Social Event being planned for those who are in Hamilton - informal get together at a local Restaurant, near McMaster for dinner (pay as you go).  Target time to get together: 6:15 to 6:30 pm (so we are not out too late:-)

Saturday, November 22 morning: (Location: Student Union Centre, 3rd Floor, CIBC Banquet Hall)

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm Saturday Evening Social Event planned (mixer - refreshments and munchies) Location: Student Union Centre, 1st Floor lobby.  Entertainment: Wildfire Dance Theatre, a not-for-profit Theatre that will captivate, educate, and motivate. WDT consists of youth artists from around the globe dedicated to employing the Theatre Arts as a means of educating audiences about current social struggles & inspiring hope regarding society ’s future.  Wildfire is a social development project of the Nancy Campbell Collegiate Institute. The Wildfire Dance Theatre, while honouring and celebrating the diversity of our planet, endeavours to uplift audiences with inspiring stories of people overcoming disunity, thus realizing the oneness of humanity. Comprised of youth artists from all corners of the globe, Wildfire functions as a stage to cultivate an ever-increasing organizational, moral, and artistic excellence in all who serve in its ranks. It is this spirit of service that will spread like Wildfire!

• Presentation of Canadian Peace Award: Peace Education Category  

Monday, November 24 (optional, no cost workshop for those who can stay on):
9:00 am - 5:00 pm Workshop [Location: Student Union Centre, 3rd Floor, Rooms 311/313] - "Advancing the Peace Education Action Plan: Who, What, Where, When and How?"  Facilitated by Bob Stewart, C.A., C.M.C., Director, Canadian Centres for Teaching Peace http://www.peace.ca . Possible Workshop Considerations: Results of, Input from and the Future of Provincial Peace Education Conferences and Activities; Canadian Peace Education Handbook; Raising funds for Peace Education; Training for Peace Educators; Distance Peace Education; Canadian Peace Initiative Mission, Vision and Charter of Principles.  We will pick up from the Vision and Action Plan initiated at the 2002 Conference  (  http://www.peace.ca/conference2002summary.htm reprinted below) , and by the end of the Workshop we will enhance it for all that we have learned in the past year, and the past four day Conference.

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REGISTRATION:

Facilities are limited to 350 participants, so please book early.  Since space at the Conference is limited, registration must be on a first-come, first-served basis.  To register, follow the link to http://www.peace.ca/registration.htm 

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BACKGROUND/ISSUES PAPERS

Participants at the Conference are invited to submit articles and papers addressing our Conference Theme - "A World Fit For Children": the desired outcome is the enhancement of a vision and action (initiated last year) to advance peace education in Canada, to help build a world fit for children, and/or Town Hall themes.  It is recommended that you read these articles prior to the Conference.

1. 'A World Fit For Children' Background References

2.  "Modelling Education in a Culture of Peace" Background References

3.  "Advancing the Peace Education Action Plan: Who, What, Where, When and How?" Background References The Executive Summary Vision and Action Plan from our 2002 Conference.

5. The Millennium Project and 'The Fifteen Global Challenges' (go to http://www.acunu.org/ for the Millennium project generally, and http://www.acunu.org/millennium/chal-prot.html#15%20Global specifically for the 15 Global Challenges; and the interactive site of the Executive Summary of the 15 Challenges at http://www.acunu.org/millennium/chal-prot.html )

6. ROOTS OF EMPATHY: BUILDING A MORE CARING AND PEACEFUL SOCIETY – CLASSROOM BY CLASSROOM By Mary Gordon, Founder/President, Roots of Empathy

7. WHAT I LEARNED AT THE THANKSGIVING CONFERENCE by Larry J. Fisk (referring to the First Annual Alberta Conference on Education for Peace and the Future at the University of Calgary October 9 - 13, 2003) -  5 Star Must Reading describing the conference successes and what you might expect at the National conference from Larry's perspective - Thanks to Larry for this

8. ALBERTA PEACE EDUCATION CONFERENCE 2003 SUMMARY (Draft November 3, 2003) click here - this is the important page: it has our proposed Vision and Action Plan for Education for Peace and the Future in Alberta that came out of the Conference.

9. Articles on Character Education:
i) What's Right and Wrong in Character Education Today; Teacher Authority and Moral Education; Character Education: Our High Schools' Missing Link   
ii) The fourth and fifth R's: Respect and Responsibility
iii) Fostering Connection, Compassion, and Character at School
iv) Is School Good for the Soul?
v) On Happiness and High Achievement
vi) Promoting Play

10. Pedagogy of the Oppressed - Chapter 2 - by Paolo Freire - a discussion of the "banking" concept of education compared to the "problem-posing" concept of education

11. Draft Canadian Peace Initiative Mission, Vision and Charter of Principles

12. Proposal for Distance Peace Education, and specifically courses on Peace Psychology, and The Culture of Peace -  I also ask for an indication from people who might like to be considered for "teaching assistance" roles and who might like to be a student in these courses.