Ethics Education for Children

  On 4 July 2023, the fellows and teachers of the Ethics Education Fellowship program gathered for the first time at a Global Community of Practice meeting. While the 30 fellows from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Mauritius, Nepal, and Seychelles had been meeting regularly, this was the first meeting where the teachers had the opportunity to

Teacher Training Workshop in Bangladesh The Ethics Education Fellowship program unfolded simultaneously across six countries, making significant strides to strengthen the sustainable delivery of ethics education programs for children. Through the program, 323 teachers have been trained, paving the way to impact 4,430 children in Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Mauritius, Nepal, and Seychelles in its first

The Ethics Education Fellowship made its debut in Seychelles with a national Teacher Training Workshop, held from 20 to 24 February 2023, which brought together 20 primary and secondary school teachers. The program, endorsed by the President of Seychelles and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, aims to extend its reach to over 450 children

A group of 38 teachers from Bangladesh recently participated in a 5-day training workshop as part of the Ethics Education Fellowship program. The workshop aimed to equip these educators with the necessary skills to implement the program in 19 schools, benefiting approximately 1,200 children across the country. The Ethics Education Fellowship program is a collaborative

The training workshops for teachers under the Ethics Education Fellowship, concluded successfully in Indonesia, reaching 200 participants from five regions. The teachers received specialized training through engaging activities, equipping them with the necessary skills and knowledge to implement ethics education programs in their local schools. It is estimated that these teachers will reach 1,500 students

Arigatou International joined the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child to call for the inclusion of religious leaders and parents in training about the rights of children in the digital environment and to collaborate with them. The statement was delivered by Ms. Emma Nowotny, Child Rights Program Officer, on 10 March 2023,

Over 150 policymakers, faith actors, representatives of governments and UN agencies and other humanitarian actors got together to produce concrete policy recommendations to advance faith-sensitive mental health and psychosocial support for children on the move. UNICEF estimates that 37 million children are on the move in the world today. Children affected by forced migration and

Resources Training Guides Series N°1 | International Train the Trainers Course – Report Training of Trainers Booklet In 2010, Arigatou International offered an International Train the Trainers course designed to help those providing training programmes on the use of the Learning to Live Together. The University of Edinburgh helped develop and evaluate the Train the

Resources Good Practices Series 2 | Learning to Play Together Good Practices Series 2 | Learning to Play Together Learning to Play Together showcases the adaptation and use of the programme in physical education in a multicultural school in Athens.   Learning to Play Together was implemented with fifth-grade students from the Elementary School of Intercultural

Resources Good Practices Series | Massa-Massar: The Journey Good Practices Series | Massa-Massar: The Journey The Massa-Massar programme creates opportunities for Jews and Palestinians to meet, learn from one another, challenge their prejudices and stereotypes, listen to new narratives and reflect on their relations with others and their role in their societies. English Español BACK

Resources Learning to Live Together Programme – An Intercultural and Interfaith Programme for Ethics Education Learning to Live Together Programme Learning to Live Together is an interfaith and intercultural programme for ethics education that contributes to nurturing ethical values in children and young people. English Español French Portuguese Japanese Swahili Romanian Learning to Live Together

A four-day capacity building workshop was carried out in Douala, Cameroon on Transformative Pedagogy to Build Peace and Resilience, and Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) in Africa. The workshop, held from 10 to 13 May 2022, was organized by the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa – IICBA in collaboration with the UNESCO Office

A group of 14 educators and representatives of organizations participated in a training workshop on the Learning to Live Together program in Guatemala. The workshop was held in a blended format in Guatemala City on 9, 10, 11 and 13 May 2022. The activity sought to train facilitators belonging to Puerta de Esperanza, Fe y

More than 187 people tuned in for the panel discussion “Investing in Integrated Services to Prevent and Respond to Violence against Children,” held online on 17 March 2022 at the margins of the 49th Human Rights Council. The event was organized by the Office of the United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence

Representatives from ministries of education, intergovernmental organizations, multilateral agencies, civil society organizations and research institutions are collaborating in the development of a fellowship program on ethics education. The purpose of the Ethics Education Fellowship Program is to strengthen the capacity on ethics education in formal educational settings as a key contribution to developing national programs

Arigatou International Geneva organized four focus group meetings with children from Brazil, Indonesia and Portugal in the framework of the G20 Interfaith Forum (IF20) through its Education Working Group. The IF20 offers an annual platform for religious, faith and interfaith organizations communities to constructively engage with the agendas set by the G20 leaders. For 2021,

Following the success of Arigatou International’s previous online courses, the third round of Ethics Education for Children: A Transformative Pedagogy for Learning to Live Together was conducted from 15-28 June 2021. Sixty-six participants from different countries joined the course, offering a diversity-rich environment that helped prompt fruitful dialogues and a diverse exchange of experiences. During the

In the framework of Geneva Peace Week 2021, Arigatou International and Safe to Learn organized the workshop Prevention of Violence Against Children in the School Environment to raise awareness of the impact of violence in school settings. The session highlighted the importance of safe learning environments for children’s development and well-being. Participants helped brainstorm practical

Arigatou International supported the organization of the Faith and Child Safeguarding Summit a platform for religious institutions, faith-based organizations, academics, and religious leaders to come together, exchange insights, experiences, challenges and best practices on child safeguarding in religious and faith-based contexts. Spread over 4 days, with 93 international speakers, and nearly 2,000 attendees, this summit

Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Executive Director, Arigatou International Geneva, was invited to speak at the Second Asia Regional Conference on Ending Violence Against Children During COVID-19 and beyond. The Conference was held from 1-5 November 2021 and organized by UNICEF, End Violence Partnership and World Health Organization. The five-day conference, organized in the context of

The collaborative project “Creating a Culture of Encounter – Empowering Youth through Education to Challenge Xenophobia, Discrimination and Exclusion in Europe,” took off in September 2021 with a partner’s meeting in Lisbon. The project, which seeks to reach 100 young people from Greece, Italy, Portugal and Spain, aims to empower and enable youth to become

Arigatou International Geneva conducted a series of training workshops, thematic webinars, and training workshops for youth, in the framework of Peace, Resilience and Prevention of Violent Extremism for Higher Education. This is the fourth phase of a long-term collaboration with the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA). Training of Trainers Workshop on

A booklet titled Solidarity: Advancing the Role of Education in Fostering Migrant and Refugee Inclusion in Europe, was launched in November 2021 as part of a project to support educators and policymakers working with migrants and refugees in Europe. This booklet aims to contribute to creating a new narrative of inclusion through education that moves

More than 900 educators, children and young people, policymakers, religious leaders, faith-based and civil society organizations, academic researchers, and multilateral agencies gathered online at the global symposium Transforming Education: Ethics Education for Learning to Live Together, which was held from 22 to 23 November 2021. The Symposium provided a platform for various stakeholders including several

Nurturing ethical values and children’s spiritual development can make a difference in the lives of children, their families, and their communities. With this in mind and responding to the needs of our partners in the field, Arigatou International – Geneva adapted its Learning to Live Together program for the middle childhood years. After a two-year-long

The online module “SOLIDARITY: An ethical imperative for advancing the role of education in migrant and refugee inclusion in Europe,” kicked off on 17 March 2021, gathering 98 participants from Europe and beyond. Under the title “The role of education in promoting learning to live together among migrant, refugee and host communities in Europe,” this

Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva, was invited by Mindful Educators  – Sri Lanka, to lead the third of a series of online learning sessions on Ethics, Values & Inclusivity in Education. The session was held on 18 February 2021 and aimed at guiding educators towards using mindfulness-based practices in the classroom.

A second round of the advanced online training of trainers on “Design and Delivery” for higher education teachers was held on 15 – 18 February 2021. This time, the workshop was carried out in French and Arabic language, reaching 25 participants from the northern African countries of Algeria, Morocco and Tunisia. These online workshops are

Arigatou International Geneva was invited to facilitate an online workshop for children from Indonesia on “Peace, diversity and solidarity during the pandemic.” The workshop was held on 10 February 2021 and was organized by educators belonging to the UNESCO Associated School Project Network (ASPnet) and several other partners. The webinar aimed to help children become more aware

Arigatou International Geneva, together with the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), held an advanced online training of trainers on “Design and Delivery” as a follow up of a series of workshops on Higher Education on Peace and Resilience Building and Prevention of Violent Extremism. The online training took place between 8-11

On 24 July 2020 a webinar on Intercultural and Interfaith Education was organized by World Vision Colombia in collaboration with Arigatou International Geneva, the Ministry of Interior of Colombia and the Interreligious Movement in Favor of Children in Colombia. During the webinar, Dr. Lorena Rios, Director of Religious Affairs of the Ministry of Interior of

Arigatou International Geneva, together with the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA), held an online workshop of six sessions from 1 to 11 December 2020 on ‘Transformative Pedagogy for Peacebuilding.’ The workshop aimed at 34 participants from Ministries of Education, Universities, UNESCO National Commissions and UNESCO in Malawi, South Africa, Zambia and

As part of the Dialogues of Knowledge and Learnings 2020, Defence for Children International (DCI) in Costa Rica, together with UNICEF Costa Rica and the National Patronage for Children, organized on 20 August 2020 a webinar on the Right of Children and Adolescents to Freedom of Thought, Conscience and Religions for Latin America and the

The G20 interfaith forum is an annually held event that seeks to build on the vital roles that religious institutions and beliefs play in shaping the world we live in. Given the current restrictions, the summit was held online in October 2020. The Forum and was organized in conjunction with the G20 Interfaith Forum Association,

“Everyone needs to be educated ‒ the leaders, the public, the children, the youth, the elite and the masses. Formal education as well as non-formal education has a great role to play in bringing about peace and disarmament in the present-day world. We are all members of one human family. United we stand and divided

Every year, the 21st of September marks the International Day of Peace. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, Peace Day provides a universally shared date in which all citizens of the world re-commit to Peace above all and to set aside differences to contribute to building a Culture of Peace. In recognition of

Arigatou International – Ethics Education for Children, together with End Child Poverty launched in September 2020 the Children’s Solutions Lab, an opportunity for children and youth from different backgrounds to come together to discuss, learn, and take action against child poverty through education backed solutions The project was made available to groups of children supported

The GNRC Youth Committee has taken an active role in promoting the rights of the child around the world. Since April 2020, when they started their involvement in Arigatou International, they have participated in a wide array of workshops, meetings, and dialogues all while facing their own obstacles imposed on them by the COVID-19. In

Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Executive Director of Arigatou International Geneva was invited to contribute to the Week of Prayer and World Fellowship, which took place from 8 to 14 November 2020. Since 1904, the Young Woman’s Christian Association (YWCA) and the Young Man’s Christian Association (YMCA) have traditionally come together to deliver the World Week

For a third consecutive year, Arigatou International Geneva participated at the Geneva Peace Week, which has held online from 2 to 6 November 2020. This year’s theme was “Rebuilding trust after disruption: Pathways to reset international cooperation” with the aim of galvanizing leadership, building trust, and working towards international collaboration in the wake of the COVID-19

The International Consortium on Nurturing Values and Spirituality in Early Childhood for the Prevention of Violence is developing a toolkit on the spiritual development of children in the early years to foster their well-being and help prevent violence in child upbringing. The toolkit seeks to provide faith-based actors with concrete guidance, tools and examples about how

Due to the high demand for the online course Ethics Education for Children: A Transformative Pedagogy for Learning to Live Together held in June 2020, the Geneva office decided to offer a second round of the course in English as well as in Spanish, adapted to the Latin America and Caribbean region. The second round

It is undeniable that our reality has been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected every aspect of our lives, including the way children are educated. At a time when we are asked to remain physically distant, there is more need than ever to acknowledge our interconnectedness and human interdependency. While “othering” narratives are

More than 1,700 children, youth, and adults from diverse cultural, ethnic, and religious backgrounds got together at the GLOBAL WEEK of Faith in Action for Children, held online from 16 to 20 November 2020. The GLOBAL WEEK was organized by Arigatou International, in collaboration with UNICEF, Religions for Peace, Shanti Ashram, World Vision International and

Ms. Nageeba Hassan has been at the forefront of the implementation and training on the Learning to Live Together Programme in Uganda, reaching children, parents, and teachers through Restoring and Empowering Communities (REC), an organization that she co-founded in 2004. A teacher by profession, she has expertise in the fields of counseling, positive parenting, meditation,

Arigatou International Geneva, together with the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in Africa (IICBA) and the African Union, is carrying out a series of three online dialogues under the program “Silencing the Guns in Africa by the Year 2020 through Investment in Youth and Peace Education” to contribute to peacebuilding, resilience and the prevention

“Ethics is about hope; it is about life. How to enhance life in everything by doing the right in thought and in action.” With these words, Prof. Dr. Obiora Ike, Executive Director of Globethics.net welcomed the participants to the International Online Conference on Building New Bridges Together. The conference took place on 25 June 2020

The wellbeing of many children around the world has been severely affected as a direct consequence of the measures taken to stop the spread of COVID-19, like the closure of schools and prolonged lockdowns. The United Nations Secretary-General has reported a global surge in domestic-based violence linked to COVID-19, and calls to helplines in some

With the upcoming commemoration of the International World Refugee Day on sight, the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) organized on 18 June 2020 a webinar to discuss and explore ways to build trust to achieve a more inclusive society for people seeking refuge in Europe. The webinar was hosted by the Program of Social Inclusion of

With over 140 participants from 45 countries, the online course on Ethics Education for Children: A Transformative Pedagogy to Learning to Live Together, came to an end on 26 June 2020 with an online celebratory event. The crisis brought by the Covid-19 pandemic forced 1.5 billion children out of school and into new remote learning

Arigatou International facilitated two online workshops for Higher Education on Peace and Resilience Building and Prevention of Violent Extremism. This was the last of a series of three workshops that make up the “Peace and Resilience Building and Prevention of Violent Extremism in Africa through Teacher Development” project, led by the UNESCO International Institute for Capacity Building in

As the sanitary crisis brought up by the Covid-19 pandemic forced almost 90% of the world’s children out of school, teachers are called now more than ever, to reinvent how learning takes place. Educators need to ensure that quality learning reaches children in inclusive and meaningful ways, addressing not only the curricular areas but also

The International Consortium on Nurturing Values and Spirituality in Early Childhood for the Prevention of Violence, created in 2018 by Arigatou International with the participation of 22 partners and individual experts, is engaged in developing a toolkit on the spiritual development of children in the early years to foster their well-being and help prevent violence

Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe, Director of Arigatou International Geneva, was invited to participate in the panel discussion “Holistic Approaches to Early Child Development and Education”, in the framework of the 64th Annual Conference of the Comparative and International Education Society – CIES 2020, which was converted to virtual format in the light of the Covid-19 pandemic.

As the current pandemic impacts the well-being and development of children, Arigatou International, together with the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, ISPCAN, organized a webinar on The Emotional and Spiritual Impact of COVID-19 on Children: Faith and Spiritual Nourishment as Key Factors for the Protection and Resilience of Children. This

Arigatou International Geneva conducted three online meetings, to connect with Learning to Live Together International Trainers in the framework of the Covid-19 Pamedmic. The meetings resulted in an action plan to respond to the more pressing needs brought up by this unprecedented sanitary crisis, from the ethics education perspective, and in line with the Faith

Almost three months have passed since the world has been faced with the COVID-19 pandemic.  A lot has happened in such a short time, which has been difficult to assess or even qualify the impact in people’s lives and in our future as a society.  I would like to highlight three critical points on the

Arigatou International participated in an expert workshop to help validate the #Faith4Rights toolkit, a key piece of the Faith for Rights initiative, led by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) together with faith-based groups to help combat growing hate speech and intolerance. The 2-day workshop was held in Collonges, France on

As a part of our response to the covid-19 pandemic, Arigatou International Geneva launched a new booklet with activities for families with children between 4 and 18 years old. The 35 activities proposed in this booklet aim to help strengthen family bonds, nurture children’s spirituality, and provide learning opportunities for them to reflect on ethical

Arigatou International participated in the Second International Seminar on Pedagogical Resources in Human Rights, held on 18 and 19 February 2020 in San Sebastián, Spain. This seminar was hosted by Eskura Zentroa, a center for pedagogical resources in human rights that aims to create an informed society through the collection, generation, and dissemination of educational

Since 2011, the Learning to Live Together (LTLT) Programme has been making headway in Bosnia and Herzegovina under the leadership of Ms. Ismeta Salihspahić, local GNRC Coordinator, and one of the main advocators of the Programme in the country. In the past couple of years, the Programme has reached more than 400 students annually, in

Arigatou International Geneva participated in a Peer Learning Activity, alongside many like-minded organizations to share experiences and knowledge regarding ethics education for children, and to provide inputs to “Every Child Has an Inner Compass,” a booklet on facilitating children’s moral development. The Peer Learning Activity was organized by the Neohumanist Education Association in partnership with

Arigatou International Geneva facilitated a five-day training of trainers’ workshop in Dakar, Senegal for Higher Education on Peace and Resilience Building and Prevention of Violent Extremism for Francophone Africa. This is the second of a series of three workshops that make up the “Peace and Resilience Building and Prevention of Violent Extremism in Africa through

Arigatou International Geneva was invited to a regional workshop for Peace and Global Citizenship in Refugee Hosting Areas in Nairobi, Kenya, to look at the importance of the long term educational needs of children from refugee and host communities beyond the humanitarian and basic educational needs. The workshop, which took place from 3 to 5

Sixty teachers from Baringo and Elgo-Marikwat Counties, Kenya, were reunited in a second facilitator training workshop, as part of a peacebuilding intervention led by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology of Kenya, Kenya National Commission for UNESCO, World Vision Kenya and Arigatou International Geneva. The workshop gathered a group of teachers who were previously

Life is ever so meaningful when we realize the interconnectedness it upholds and how our relations with one another are intertwined by events, circumstances, other people and our actions or inactions.   Yesterday when I explained to Manuela, my four-year-old, that all schools in Switzerland and France are closed to help avoid that more people