Switzerland - Values Education for Children and Young Adults

The Swiss Association for Living Values (SALV) is happy to report that the first Living Values teacher-training program in the canton of Valais took place from 25 to 27 June 2007, with fifteen teachers in attendance. Their openness and enthusiastic participation made this session a great success. Two more meetings, in September and November, will enable the participants to talk about their practical experiences with their students. Already positive results, both within the school setting and the family, have been seen. Other teachers have expressed the wish to take this course as soon as possible.

SALV is continuing to progress. Our work is to transmit an approach to education that helps each person to become aware of, and to express, their innate qualities. This activity can take place through official channels, but it can also come about in less formal settings, such as get-togethers among a few teachers at a time.

We must increase our publicity, which might include targeting parents. Let us dare to talk more about Living Values to a wider public! Our schools need a clearly defined approach to discipline, based on the respect of oneself and of others, modelled by teachers who value their students and who walk their talk. Let us make the commitment to train several people in 2007-2008, in each of the three linguistic regions of Switzerland!

Like children, we can all shine… And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously enable others to do likewise. And when we free ourselves of our own fear, our presence automatically frees others of theirs.

Our programme figures in the list of continuing education courses for teachers in the canton of Valais 2006 – 2007.
Hike in the Swiss pre-Alps among members of our association across mountain meadows dotted with white, yellow and purple flowers in radiant sun. Happy moments of friendship and thought-provoking discussion.

SALV organises the annual general meeting of ALIVE and Living Values Education (LVE) conference at Crêt-Bérard, from 28 July to 2 August. In attendance: 30 delegates of LVE national associations from 26 countries. Excellent presentations are given by Drs Bart Mc Gettrick and Neil Hawkes on the advantages of values-based education. The participants enjoy long chats, sharing of experiences, laughter, dancing (at a memorable party to celebrate the tenth anniversary of LVE!), strolls in the rolling hills above Lake Geneva, delicious meals and an excursion to a chocolate factory and the village of Gruyères. A truly energising reunion, rekindling motivation.

Two of our members create values cards in French, a set for young children and one for adolescents. These can be easily printed out on computers, thus enabling their use by LVE-trained teachers anywhere in the world.

On 17 November, within the framework of the World Day against Child Abuse, the president of SALV, Frances Burkhalter-Carroll, is invited by the World Women’s Summit Foundation (WWSF) in Geneva to give a talk on the theme “How to be Good Parents in the Age of Modern Media”. Her presentation emphasises the importance of the parents’ responsibility to transmit essential core values to their children, by creating a climate of mutual love, listening and respect in the home. It is also necessary to be constantly vigilant about how our children use the various media – internet, video games, television, DVDs – so easily available to them. This meeting, attended by 50 people, provides the opportunity for our association to come into contact with other NGOs working for the well-being of children. The WWSF invites the president of SALV to become a member of its consultative committee.

The year 2003 saw a strengthening of the foundations of the Swiss Association for Living Values as well as development of international relations and growth in its outreach work in developing countries. This progress is largely due to the unity of its members and the quality of the educators implementing the Living Values Educational Programme in their work. Six members attended the international Train-the-Trainer course in Oxford in the summer, and several educators participated in introductory training sessions either in Lausanne or in Lugano. Workshops, presentations and conferences took members to the mountains of Switzerland, as far as Senegal, and into the heart of a United Nations World Summit.

Activities extended from French-speaking Switzerland into the ?Ticino?, the Italian-speaking region, at the invitation of the Alta Scuola Pedagogica, a teacher training college in Locarno, to take part in their in-service training programme for citizenship education. Living Values Education trainers from Italy and Spain joined SALV members to facilitate the basic LVEP training course, with emphasis on the art of living together. Interest in Living Values also developed in the Swiss-German region.

Peace Building Initiatives was one of the themes for the annual Initiatives for Change (IOC) conferences held at Caux, in a magnificent chateau with spectacular views of Lake Geneva and the Alps. The President of IOC invited Living Values Education to give a presentation on the practical skills necessary for peace building to an enthusiastic audience comprising over 40 nationalities. A true story was related, describing how a schoolteacher managed to transform her relationship with a class of difficult students. It illustrated how major problems in the world share common roots ? and therefore common solutions ? with everyday situations of conflict.

Further afield, in Dakar, Senegal, UNESCO in partnership with Living Values Education organized a conference and training workshop in values education, with the support of SALV, at the UNESCO Regional Office for Education in Africa (BREDA), in November. Living Values was introduced to the local community and about 60 educators attended the training, including teachers, religious and cultural leaders, representatives of non-governmental organizations, and school inspectors. The opening ceremony was chaired by the Minister in charge of Early Childhood Development, in the presence of the Director of BREDA. Madame Diawara (in charge of Early Childhood and Children in Difficult Situations at BREDA), as main coordinator of the workshop, presented UNESCO?s strategy for implementing Living Values in the West African Region, which would promote values-based education for children in difficult situations, particularly street children. By the end of three days of creative activities, reflections, visualizations, story-telling, singing and dancing, and an extensive exploration of the traditional values of Senegal (which include hospitality, solidarity, respect, modesty, patience and courage) participants commented that they had recognized afresh their responsibilities as educators and role-models, and had come together in the true spirit of learning. They made plans to pilot Living Values: An Educational Program for the next three months, and a commitment to meet again in 2004 for a Train-the-Trainer course with workshops for educators of street children and early childhood (for full report please see http://livingvalues.net/senegal/index.html#english ).

In December, a workshop was organized at the United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) in Geneva, entitled ?Values-based education: Laying foundations for the society of the future?. The aim was to explore the question ?How can we help children to develop critical thinking skills and qualities such as self-esteem, cooperation, creativity, and discernment ? so that they can benefit from the revolution in information technology and integrate themselves into the community with confidence, respect and purpose?? The highlight of the event was when H.E. Adama Samass?ou, former Minister of Education in Mali, and President of the WSIS Preparatory Committee, joined the workshop and expressed his appreciation and encouragement for the work of Living Values, particularly at this time, when the world seems to be losing its values. He stressed the priority of educating parents so that they bring up their children to become good citizens and to live by the values of their own culture (for full report please see http://livingvalues.net/switzerland/index.html#Status ).

Plans for 2004 include providing more training courses in Switzerland, developing and improving the materials available to teachers and facilitators, exploring ways by which the Living Values programme can help in reducing violence in schools, increasing our contacts and cooperation with other organizations, and continuing our support of the partnership of LVE with UNESCO in Africa.

SALV wishes to thank all its members and friends for their generous support in many different ways.

2. Promenade en montagne entre membres de l’ASVV le 21 juillet. Nous étions six à avoir apprécié cette belle journée ensoleillée dans la région de Bretaye, dans les Pré-alpes vaudoises, histoire de resserrer les liens entre nous tout en découvrant une contrée magnifique

3. L’ASVV, principalement notre trésorier, Luca Campana, a organisé l’assemblée générale de ALIVE à Crêt-Bérard, du 28.07 au 2.08.06. Rencontre entre environ 30 représentants des associations nationales de Valeurs pour vivre/Living Values venus de 26 pays. Conférences très appréciées données par le Professeur Bart McGettrick et Dr. Neil Hawkes sur les avantages d’une éducation fondée sur les valeurs. Echanges informels entre participants, balades sur les douces pentes de la campagne vaudoise au-dessus du lac Léman, partage d’idées et d’énergies, repas sympathiques et délicieux (merci à Patricia Cachat !), visite du village de Gruyère

4. Création par deux de nos membres — Patrizia Tamburrino et Marc Lampo ¾ de deux jeux de cartes de valeurs en français, l’un pour les enfants, l’autre pour les adolescents, qui sont facilement imprimables à l’ordinateur.

5. Intervention de la Présidente, le 17 novembre, à l’invitation de la World Women’s Summit Foundation (Sommet mondial de la fondation pour les femmes), ONG humanitaire, dans le cadre d’un colloque organisé par celle-ci, à Genève. Thème de la soirée : Comment être bons parents à l’âge des médias modernes. Cette intervention insistait sur la responsabilité que nous avons, en tant que parents, de transmettre des valeurs essentielles à nos enfants, en créant pour eux un climat d’amour, d’écoute et de respect à la maison. Il est tout aussi important de s’assurer obstinément et sans relâche que les enfants et adolescents utilisent les différents médias — internet, jeux vidéo, TV — à bon escient ! Cette rencontre a permis de créer de nouveaux contacts entre l’ASVV et d’autres organisations travaillant pour le mieux-être des enfants. Le WWSF a invité la Présidente de l’ASVV d’être membre de son comité consultatif.

6. Stage de perfectionnement, le 2 décembre, pour formateurs de formateurs de LVEP (Living Values Educational Program), au domicile de notre secrétaire, Mme Karin Jensen, à Genève. Participation de trois formatrices, ainsi que de Mmes Helen Sayers et Valériane Bernard qui ont animé le séminaire, de Princesse Micheline du Cameroun accompagnée de deux collègues et d’autres membres de notre association. Ainsi nous avons maintenant cinq personnes qui sont prêtes à former des enseignants et éducateurs à pratiquer Valeurs pour vivre.

Notre association est en devenir. Nous sommes appelés à travailler avec détermination à la transmission d’une approche de l’éducation qui fait émerger les qualités innées à chaque personne. Ce travail pourra se réaliser par des voies officielles, mais aussi informelles ¾ comme des rencontres entre quelques enseignants à la fois. Tout reste à faire pour créer notre publicité, qui pourra aussi cibler des parents, étant donné qu’un module de Valeurs pour vivre existe pour les parents.

Nous avons besoin d’un brin d’audacité pour faire connaître Valeurs pour vivre à un public plus large. Nos écoles ont un besoin grandissant d’une approche de la discipline claire et ferme, fondée sur le respect de soi-même et d’autrui, portée par des enseignants qui valorisent leurs élèves et qui exemplifient le comportement qu’ils souhaitent les voir développer.

Valeurs pour vivre est certainement une clé qui pourra aider les enseignants, parents et éducateurs. Faisons en sorte qu’ils découvrent cette clé ! Donnons-nous l’objectif de former plusieurs personnes en 2007-2008, dans chacune des régions linguistiques de la Suisse !

Nous sommes tous appelés à rayonner, comme les enfants… Et lorsque nous laissons émerger notre propre lumière, inconsciemment nous donnons la permission à d’autres de faire la même chose. Et lorsque nous nous libérons de notre propre peur, automatiquement notre présence libère d’autrui de la leur.

Swiss Association for Living Values (SALV): Annual report 2003
Schweizerische Vereinigung f? Living Values (Werte leben): Jahresbericht 2003

Im Jahr 2003 wurde das Fundament der schweizerischen Vereinigung f? Living Values verst?kt. Dar?er hinaus haben sich internationale Beziehungen und das Engagement in Entwicklungsl?dern weiterentwickelt. Dieser Fortschritt basiert vor allem auf der Einheit seiner Mitarbeiter und der Qualit? der P?agogen, die das Living Values Programm in ihrer Arbeit einsetzen. Sechs Mitarbeiter nahmen im Sommer am internationalen Kurs zum Ausbilder/zur Ausbilderin in Oxford teil. Mehrere P?agogen/P?agoginnen besuchten entweder in Lausanne oder in Lugano Einf?rungsveranstaltungen. Workshops, Pr?entationen und Konferenzen brachten Mitglieder nicht nur in die Berge der Schweiz, sondern bis nach Senegal, und sogar ins Herz eines Weltgipfels der Vereinten Nationen.
Die Aktivit?en erstreckten sich von der franz?isch sprechenden Schweiz ins ?Ticino?. Von der Altas Scuola Pedagogica (eine Universit? f? LehrerInnen in Locarno) kam die Einladung, an einem Programm zur Berufsf?derung f? Staatsangestellte teilzunehmen.

Living Values Trainer von Italien und Spanien schlossen sich mit den SALV Mitgliedern zusammen, um gemeinsam den Basis Living Values Lehrkurs mit der Betonung auf ?Die Kunst zusammen zu leben? durchzuf?ren. Das Interesse an Living Values entwickelte sich auch in der deutschsprachigen Schweiz, wo ein Workshop mit Lehrerinnen, M?tern, Hortleiterinnen und anderen P?agogInnen durchgef?rt wurde.

Frieden Erschaffende Initiativen war eines der Themen f? die j?rliche ?Initiatives for Change? (IOC) Konferenz, die in Caux, in einem gro?rtigen Schloss mit sensationeller Aussicht ?er den Genfersee und die Alpen, stattfand. Der Pr?ident von IOC lud Living Values ein, um einem begeisterten Publikum aus ?er 40 Nationen eine Pr?entation ?er die notwendigen praktischen Kenntnisse in der Erschaffung von Frieden vorzustellen. Es wurde eine wahre Geschichte von einer Lehrerin erz?lt, die es schaffte, ihre Beziehung mit einer Klasse von schwierigen Studenten zu transformieren. Es wurde aufgezeigt, wie allt?liche Konfliktsituationen und die Hauptprobleme in der Welt gemeinsame Wurzeln haben - und deshalb auch gemeinsame L?ungen.

Mit der Unterst?zung von SALV organisierte die UNESCO in Zusammenarbeit mit Living Values Education (LVE) eine Konferenz und einen Workshop ?er die Werteerziehung. Diese Veranstaltungen fanden im November in Dakar, Senegal, im UNESCO ?Regionalb?o f? Ausbildung in Afrika? (BREDA) statt. Living Values wurde der lokalen Gemeinschaft vorgestellt. Ungef?r 60 Erzieher nahmen teil, darunter LehrerInnen, religi?e und kulturelle F?rer, Vertreter von nichtstaatlichen Organisationen und Schulinspektoren. Der Vorsitz f? die Er?fnungsfeier wurde vom Minister des Departements ?Entwicklung der Kleinkinder? in Anwesenheit vom Direktor von BREDA gef?rt. Frau Diawara (verantwortlich f? die Abteilungen Kleinkinder und Kinder in schwierigen Situationen an der BREDA), pr?entierte als Hauptkoordinatorin des Workhops die Strategie der UNESCO, Living Values im westafrikanischen Gebiet einzuf?ren. Dies w?de eine wertebasierte Ausbildung f? Kinder in schwierigen Situationen, insbesondere Stra?nkinder, f?dern. Am Ende der drei Tage von kreativen Aktivit?en, reflektieren, visualisieren, Geschichten erz?len, singen, tanzen, und einer umfassenden Erforschung der traditionellen Werte Senegals (Gastfreundschaft, Solidarit?, R?ksicht, Bescheidenheit, Geduld und Mut sind da mit eingeschlossen), kommentierten die TeilnehmerInnen, dass sie von neuem ihre Verantwortung als P?agogInnen und Vorbilder erkannt h?ten, und im wahren Geist des Lernens zusammen gekommen seien. Sie machten einen drei Monats Plan f? die F?derung von Living Values. Ebenso entstand die feste Zusage, sich im Jahr 2004 wieder f? einen ?Train-the-trainer? Kurs mit Workshops f? P?agogen f? Stra?nkindern und Kleinkinder zu treffen. Um den vollen Bericht einzusehen sehen Sie bitte unter http://livingvalues.net/senegal/index.html#english

Im Dezember wurde in Genf am UN Weltgipfel zur Informationsgesellschaft (WSIS) einen Workshop zum Thema "Wertebasierte Erziehung: Fundamente legen f? die Gesellschaft der Zukunft" organisiert. Folgende Fragestellung sollte untersucht werden: ?Wie k?nen wir Kindern helfen, eine kritische Denkhaltung und Qualit?en wie Selbstachtung, Kooperation, Kreativit?, und Unterscheidungskraft zu entwickeln, so dass sie aus der Revolution der Informationstechnologie einen Nutzen ziehen und sich mit Zuversicht, Respekt und Sinn in die Gemeinschaft integrieren k?nen? " Der H?epunkt des Ereignisses war, als H.E. Adama Samass?ou dem Workshop beiwohnte und seine Anerkennung und Ermutigung f? die Arbeit von Living Values ausdr?kte - besonders in dieser Zeit, wo die Welt seine Werte zu verlieren scheint. H.E. Adama Samass?ou ist ehemaliger Erziehungsminister von Mali und Pr?ident des WSIS Vorbereitungskomitees. Er betonte die Priorit?, Eltern zu auszubilden, so dass sie ihre Kinder zu guten B?gern, die die Werte ihrer eigenen Kultur leben, erziehen k?nen. Um den vollen Bericht einzusehen sehen Sie bitte unter: http://livingvalues.net/switzerland/index.html/Status.

Die Pl?e f?s Jahr 2004 beinhalten mehr Lehrkurse in der Schweiz, das Entwickeln und Verbessern der vorhandenen Materialien f? LehrerInnen und SeminarleiterInnen, das Erforschen von Wegen, durch die das Living Values Programm helfen kann, die Gewalt an Schulen zu verringern, unsere Kontakte und Kooperationen mit anderen Organisationen zu intensivieren, und die Weiterf?rung unserer Unterst?zung der Partnerschaft von LVE mit UNESCO in Afrika.

SALV m?hte sich bei all seinen Mitgliedern und Freunden f? ihre gro??ige Unterst?zung jeglicher Art bedanken.

L?anno 2003 ha visto il rafforzarsi delle fondamenta dell?Associazione Svizzera Vivere i Valori. Questa forza giace definitivamente nell?unit?dei suoi membri e nella qualit?degli educatori e animatori. Sei membri hanno seguito il corso di formazione internazionale

(Train - the -Trainer, TTT) svoltosi ad Oxford l?estate scorsa e diversi educatori hanno partecipato al corso base sia a Losanna che a Lugano. Dei seminari, presentazioni e conferenze hanno portato i suoi membri in alto sulle montagne del Lago Lemano, fino in Senegal e nel cuore di un Summit Mondiale delle Nazioni Unite.

Le attivit?si sono estese dalla Svizzera francese sino al Ticino, con l?invito dell?Alta Scuola Pedagogica di Locarno, a prendere parte nel loro programma di formazione continua per docenti nell?educazione alla cittadinanza. Durante quattro pomeriggi sull?arco di quattro mesi, delle animatrici di Vivere i Valori dall?Italia e Spagna hanno raggiunto dei membri di SALV per animare il corso base Vivere i Valori, con l?enfasi sull?arte di vivere insieme. Delle attivit?sono iniziate anche in Svizzera tedesca.

Peace building initiatives (iniziative per costruire la pace) ?stato uno dei temi delle annuali conferenze ?Initiatives for change? tenutasi alla Mountain House di Caux (Canton Vaud),

un magnifico castello con vista spettacolare sul Lago Lemano. SALV ?stata invitata a presentarsi ad un pubblico comprendente oltre 40 nazionalit? E? stata raccontata una storia vera che descriveva di come un?insegnante di scuola sia riuscita a gestire la trasformazione della sua relazione con una classe di studenti difficili. Quest?ultima ha illustrato di come i problemi maggiori nel mondo condividano radici comuni ? e quindi soluzioni comuni ? di situazioni conflittuali di ogni giorno. Durante il corso della conferenza hanno fatto seguito molte conversazioni interessanti e networking.

In Senegal, inoltre nel mese di novembre, l?UNESCO in partnerariato con Living Values Education, ha organizzato una conferenza e seminario di formazione con il supporto di SALV, all?Ufficio Regionale per l?Educazione in Africa dell?UNESCO a Dakar. Living Values ?stato presentato alla comunit?locale e circa 60 educatori hanno seguito il corso di formazione di tre giorni, includendo insegnanti, leaders religiosi e culturali, rappresentanti di organizzazioni non governative ed ispettori di scuola. La cerimonia d?apertura ?stata presieduta dal Ministro in carica per lo Sviluppo della Piccola Infanzia, in presenza del Direttore del BREDA (Bureau R?ional pour l?Education en Afrique), un rappresentante del Ministero della Famiglia e Solidariet?Nazionale, e principali rappresentanti delle agenzie delle Nazioni Unite.

La signora Rokhaya Diawara (in carica per Prima Infanzia e Bambini in situazioni difficili presso BREDA), come principale coordinatrice del seminario, ha presentato la strategia dell?UNESCO per implementare Living Values nella regione occidentale dell?Africa, che promuoverebbe un?educazione basata sui valori per bambini in situazioni difficili, in modo particolare bambini della strada. Alla fine di tre giorni di attivit?creative, riflessioni, visualizzazioni, racconti, canti e danze, ed una estesa esplorazione dei valori tradizionali senegalesi (includendo l?ospitalit? la solidariet? il rispetto, la modestia, la pazienza e il coraggio) i partecipanti hanno osservato di aver riconosciuto a nuovo le loro responsabilit?di educatori e di modelli di ruolo nella societ?e di essersi ritrovati nel vero spirito dell?imparare e del condividere. Hanno fatto dei piani per pilotare Living Values per i prossimi tre mesi e una fermo impegno per incontrarsi nuovamente nel 2004 per una sessione Train-the-Trainer pi?la formazione per educatori di bambini della strada e della prima infanzia. (Un resoconto completo dell?evento ?disponibile nel sito web http://livingvalues.net/senegal/index.html#english)

Alla fine dell?anno, in dicembre, ?stato organizzato un seminario al United Nations World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) a Ginevra, intitolato : ? Values-based education : Laying foundations for the society of the future?. Lo scopo era di esplorare la domanda ?Come possiamo aiutare i bambini e i giovani a sviluppare delle capacit?al pensiero critico e qualit?come l?autostima, la cooperazione, la creativit? e il discernimento ? in modo che possano beneficiare della rivoluzione nelle tecnologie dell?informazione ed integrarsi nella comunit?con fiducia, rispetto ed uno scopo? Il culmine dell?evento ?stato quando sua eccellenza Adama Samass?ou, precedente Ministro dell?Educazione del Mali, e presidente del comitato preparatorio del WSIS, si ?unito al seminario ed ha espresso il suo apprezzamento per un tale incontro, in un momento nel quale il mondo sembra perdere i suoi valori. Ha incoraggiato Living Values di avanzare nel proprio lavoro nei due anni a seguire dirigendosi verso la seconda fase del Summit. Ha inoltre enfatizzato la priorit?di educare i genitori in modo che possano educare i loro figli a diventare buoni cittadini e a vivere secondo i valori della propria cultura. ( Un resoconto completo si trova nel sito web http://livingvalues.net/switzerland/index.html#Status ).