JPIC AND EDUCATION
"WALKING TOGETHER TO BECOME A HUMANIZING EDUCATIONAL VILLAGE".
From 20 to 24 March 2023, I participated in the International Session on Transformative Education. Among the objectives that were formulated, N° 4 stated: "In our local school communities and in our international Assumption family, to create an educational village that humanises society".
One of the axes of the FratelliTutti document was mentioned: "The culture of encounter. The architecture and craftsmanship of peace."
And a reflection from Pope Francis that made me think: " The value of our educational practices will be measured not simply by the results of standardized tests, but by the ability to affect the heart of society and to help give birth to a new culture. A different world is possible and we are called to learn how to build it. This will involve every aspect of our humanity, both as individuals and in our communities".
I have seen these elements reflected in a specific activity. It was carried out by the catechesis team of the La Asunción School in the town of Lanús Este (Gerli) - Province of Buenos Aires.
To celebrate Easter at the school, the pastoral team invited the students and families of the institution to live it from the point of view of PEACE. The motto was "Let us be the peace of the world".
With the initial level: a note was sent to each family inviting them to think, together with their children, of a gesture that invites them to live peace. This gesture was then handed out and placed on the trees so that everyone could look at it and take home a concrete message.
With the upper primary level: we talked about the meaning of peace and how peace is seen and lived in the world today and asked them to think of a gesture to invite to live peace, within school hours, to share with families and classmates from other classes.
When I went to the school on Easter Tuesday, I was surprised to see many posters with the word PEACE stuck on the perimeter fence, with the words "ingredients" for building peace, hanging from each poster, separated by dotted lines, forming little tongues that could be cut according to the commitment of the person who, passing by the pavement, joined in "putting their ingredient in the recipe for Peace" ...it was raising awareness in the neighbourhood!
It seemed to me "A positive action in our own little sphere" (SME) that made concrete that objective 4 of the Transformative Education Session 2023: "In our local school communities and in our international Assumption family, to create an educational village that humanises society. "
Sister Lucia del Carlo
South Atlantic Province
* Photos by Jonathan Meyer & Miguel Constantin Montes