Ethics Education Toolkit tested in Tanzania

The Ethics Education for Children toolkit testing workshops enter the home stretch with the seventh workshop successfully concluded inDar es Salaam,Tanzania. Thirty young persons between the ages of 13 and 18, and 20 adults from Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda participated in the workshop held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 8 – 10 December 2006.

The Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children, with the Global Network of Religions for Children, GNRC Africa, tested the Ethics Education for Children toolkit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 8 – 10 December 2006. This testing workshop was the last to be held this year.
GNRC Africa brought together fifty children, young persons and adults from different religious backgrounds and nationalities to test the toolkit currently under development. 

Coming from the Christian, Muslim, Bahá’í, Buddhist and Hindu faith traditions, the children, young persons and adults from Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda took part in the workshop whose theme was Journeying Together for Peace, and lasted for three days.

The objectives of the workshop in Africa were to empower participants become ‘ambassadors for peace’ and agents of change, to build relationships among GNRC youth from Tanzania, and to introduce GNRC to young people from Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, to learn about mutual understanding and to equip participants to transform their own environments. 

The adults discussed what it meant to be an escort or adult participant in a workshop for children and youth. They were introduced to the toolkit on Ethics Education through Interfaith Learning and were informed about GNRC Africa.

The Secretary General of the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children Ms. Agneta Ucko introduced the Arigatou Foundation, The Global Network of Religions for Children and the Interfaith Council on Ethics Education for Children. 

Thereafter, a committee member of the Interfaith Council, the Auxiliary Bishop of Dar es Salaam, Dr. Method Kilaini addressed the participants on issues of values and ethics during the opening of the workshop.

Ustadh Selemani Lolila from the National Council of Tanzania Muslims, (BAKWATA) delivered a speech touching on Islam and Ethics Education at the beginning of the workshop. Also in attendance were Sr. Jean Pruitt M.M. and Dr. Mustafa Ali, the Coordinator of GNRC Africa.

Facilitated by Dr. Zubeida Tumbo-Masabo, Ms. Mitra Deliri from Tanzania, and Ms. Maria Lucia Uribe from Colombia, the young persons were introduced to the topics of understanding others and transforming the world.

On the second day, the workshop participants did a Journey for Peace by visiting the various places of worship inlcuding the Hindu Temple, the Mosque, the Church, the Buddhist Temple and the Bahá’í Centre.


On the last day of the workshop, the participants were introduced to, and took part in discussion on non-violent resolution of conflicts. They charted the way forward, and how they would like to implement what they learnt during the workshop. 

Thereafter, they visited the University of Dar es Salaam to see the places of worship situated in the same location.

The workshop closed with a bonfire and circle of drums where participants experienced the old African tradition of story telling and sharing of “fireside stories” in the same way as values and moral teachings were transmitted to the younger generation before in Africa. The workshop participants shared stories, poems, songs and dances all accompanied by the drumming in a moment of spritual sharing before departing each one to his/her own place of living.   
The Dar es Salaam testing workshop was the seventh in the series. Previous testing workshops have been held in Sweden, Colombia, Switzerland, India, Japan and Spain.
 

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