Peace Tools
If the only thing in your toolbox is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Over the past 20 years, the peaceCENTER has developed many tools to carry in our peace toolbox. This entire section of the Web site — peaceTOOLS — contains many of the tools we use. This, however, is the place where we share some of our miscellaneous tools with you. You are welcome to use these as they are, but what we really hope is that is that they will spark an idea and inspire you to create your own tools.
HUMAN RIGHTS TEMPERATURE OF YOUR SCHOOL
We’ve found — perhaps you have, too — that Human Rights are perceived as only applying to “them.” (Whoever “they are; certainly not “us.”) In 1999 the Human Rights Resource Center at the University of Minnesota translated the Universal Declaration of Human Rights into easy to understand contemporary language that is specifically geared to situations that students may face in high school or college. We formatted it as a card that can be passed out anywhere; the colorful format makes it look less like homework and more like fun. Feel free to use our format, or create your own. The Minnesota Center has 18 more activities online that you can use to teach human rights—how cool is that?
DOWNLOAD: Human Rights Temperature Card formatted to print on a desktop printer or copy machine. Print double-sided, on card stock and in color if you can, and cut in half to make cards. This is a PDF file, printed front & back, then cut in half.
DOWNLOAD: Human Rights Temperature Card formatted to send to a printer (such as vistaprint); if you wait for a sale you can get 500 double-sided color cards for less than $100. Front PDF Back PDF
WORD PUZZLES
We often use word games—such as crosswords, anagrams & word search puzzles—to reinforce complicated material and make learning fun. You can make your own puzzles using simple, free online tools or download, for a modest cost, more robust software. Here are a few examples of puzzles we have developed. You’ll note the answer keys are printed in very small type, upside down at the bottom. These are not meant to be difficult; they are meant to teach. You can, however, cut off the key if you want a harder challenge.
DOWNLOAD: Gandhian Terms word search, 15 terms from ahimsa to swaraj, with definitions.
DOWNLOAD: 21 U.S. Nobel Peace Prize Winners anagrams (some turned out quite funny!) From Teddy Roosevelt to Barack Obama, with short bios.
CONTACT THE MEDIA & ELECTED OFFICIALS
People long to take action, and one action everyone can do is to make contact with their elected officials and the media about issues that are important to them and to the peace and justice of the world. Here are some resources, developed by the peaceCENTER, that you can adapt for your own use:
DOWNLOAD: a MS Word .doc file about how to write an effective letter to the editor of a newspaper or magazine. You can replace our local media addresses with your own.
DOWNLOAD: a deconstructed template of how to efficiently format a letter-size piece of card stock to include two mailable postcards, elected official addresses AND talking points. Whew!
In 2000 the United Nations declared a Decade of Peace and Nonviolence, bringing on board Nobel Peace Laureates. Although the Decade is over, the resources developed for it are still useful. We especially like the Pledge for Peace, suitable for adults and children alike. UNESCO still maintain some of the resources online, and the peaceCENTER has developed a one-page illustrated copy of the Pledge which you can download and reproduce.
PLEDGE FOR PEACE
I pledge in my daily life, in my family, my work, my community, my country and my region, to:
Respect All Life
Respect the life and dignity of each human being without discrimination or prejudice.
Reject Violence
Practice active non-violence, rejecting violence in all its forms: physical, sexual, psychological, economical and social, in particular towards the most deprived and vulnerable such as children and adolescents.
Share With Others
Share my time and material resources in a spirit of generosity to put an end to exclusion, injustice and political and economic oppression.
Listen to Understand
Defend freedom of expression and cultural diversity, giving preference always to dialogue and listening without engaging in fanaticism, defamation and the rejection of others.
Preserve the Planet
Promote consumer behavior that is responsible and development practices that respect all forms of life and preserve the balance of nature on the planet.
Rediscover Solidarity
Contribute to the development of my community, with the full participation of women and respect for democratic principles, in order to create together new forms of solidarity.