005 005 <strong>annuaL</strong> <strong>annuaL</strong> report report
a place that Makes for Peace Blocks of color adorned with distinctive squiggles appeared on international day t-shirts, throughout the festival-ready Markplatz, on signs and on walls. each one represented a tenet of the <strong>2005</strong> international day theme, Creating Cultures of peace. For the second year, <strong>Concordia</strong> <strong>Language</strong> <strong>Villages</strong> participated in the unesCo-led decade for a Culture of peace and non-Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010) to promote programs in the field of education for peace and non-violence. unesCo defines a culture of peace as having a set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialog and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations. When children feel safe and nature is tranquil, is it possible to understand conflict in the world and discuss peaceful solutions? gavriel “gabi” solomon, a world-renowned peace educator and researcher from the university of Haifa, israel, came to the <strong>Villages</strong> in July <strong>2005</strong> to pursue this question, as his research had primarily focused on peacemaking in areas of intractable conflict. He was collaborating on a study with Skogfjorden dean tove dahl, a professor of psychology at the university of tromsø, norway, and <strong>Concordia</strong> College professor Lisa sethre-Hofstad about the importance of “place” for learning about peace. Creating Cultures of Peace Tenets: Respect All Life Reject Violence Share With Others Listen To Understand Key staff members from many different <strong>Villages</strong> participated in a workshop led by gavriel on peace education and research. then, with the help of <strong>Concordia</strong> College students dane Furfaro and Meghan Johansen, tove and her team interviewed 44 villagers, past and present, short- and long-term. the thoughtful answers from the survey group were transcribed during winter by four former villagers and staff currently at the university of tromsø: danaca Heidorn, Melanie Meinzer, scott Meyer and rachel peterson. the fruits of all this labor are more than 500 pages of transcriptions that summarize villagers’ experiences, learning, and growth, both during and after Skogfjorden. Funding for this project comes from <strong>Concordia</strong> College, <strong>Concordia</strong> <strong>Language</strong> <strong>Villages</strong>, the university of tromsø and the norwegian research Council. the data are still being analyzed, but preliminary results have already been presented and will contribute to a book on peace and place. Creating responsible—and peaceful—global citizens is what we strive to do at the <strong>Villages</strong>. and, in many respects, this research project shows that the mission is being met. Left: International Day brings the <strong>Villages</strong> together twice per summer to celebrate international peace and understanding. Inset: Tove Dahl, dean of the Norwegian <strong>Language</strong> Village Preserve The Planet Rediscover Solidarity ConCordia <strong>Language</strong> ViLLages