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Check It Out! |
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| Vision of Peace Quilts |
Have you worked with your group of young people to create a vision of peace? Do
they have a clear concept of what the word "peace" means in the context of your
school community?
Peace is often described by noting a lack: a lack of noise, tension, violence,
warfare, etc. We can easily use words to describe what peace is not. But how
do we explain what it is?
Sometimes, especially for children, the concept of peace is difficult to put into
words. But it is necessary to understand what it is if we want to build it, so
allowing youth to express their ideas through art is a fun and effective way of
exploring this theme. And giving them the task of working together to create a
visual representation of peace demonstrates in a very concrete way how peace is
built in groups, families, communities, and around the world.
One exciting way we have seen our ingenious PeaceBuilders sites teach the concept of
peace is through the creation of Peace Quilts. Young people work individually or in
groups on a square of the quilt, to explore and define what peace means to them.
Then all the squares are put together to form a community work of art and a shared
vision of peace.
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This simple quilt includes squares that capture the six PeaceBuilders
Principles and other important aspects of peace like "friends" and "love" and
"sportsmanship."
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Panels in this quilt were created not by individuals, but by different
classrooms. Children worked together in teams to design and produce their square.
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Likewise, this beautiful quilt has panels created by groups
of children that demonstrate the
PeaceBuilders Principles.
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Along with squares around the border that are made by individual
children, this quilt also includes panels designed by groups to represent the PeaceBuilders
Principles and some panels that illustrate shared ideas and goals like "Peace Around
the World" and "Reach for the Stars."
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A Peace Quilt is a great way to engage young people artistically. Working individually
and together, young people can learn about different people's perceptions of and requirements
for building peace. The more they talk about and explore different visions of peace, the more
likely they will be to work together to achieve their goal.
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