TASKs for democracy

. React to the document which sharply criticises beliefs or convictions.
c. Write a comment about the photo, indicating what they would say or do if they met the personality
or leader.
d. React to the satirical cartoon.
4. The secretary collects the cards, reads them quickly and divides them into two piles: those with violent
or negative reactions in one and those with peaceful or positive reactions in the other (10 minutes).
5. Link the results to what the group learned during the activity. Get the participants to discuss the
issues in pairs and then in the full group: “Have we developed our capacity for tolerance, respect and
dialogue?”
Follow-up activity (“The dialogue wall newspaper” – school community – one month)
Objective
The purpose of this activity is to get participants from groups in conflict to think about the causes of the
conflict, establish silent communication (written) and, ultimately, begin dialogue so as jointly to work out an
action plan to resolve the conflict.
Team work with colleagues: The trainers, teachers and co-ordinators must work in a team to carry out the
activity properly. They must therefore arrange a plenary meeting to agree the work plan.
Instructions
The aim is to devise and produce a classroom wall newspaper to resolve possible conflicts between pupils.
To this end, the teachers will come together with their co-ordinators to devise an overall layout for the wall
newspaper. Once the practical arrangements have been agreed, the teachers explain how to make a wall
newspaper to the pupils in each class. With them, they appoint an editor-in-chief, an illustrator and a layout
artist, and explain their respective roles.
Explain to the pupils that the wall newspaper will be a weekly paper in which they can freely express their
views and react to the views of others, and that they will be able to talk about things they have in common
and also about their differences (differences in political opinions, ideology, religious beliefs, etc.).
With the teachers’ help, the pupils decide on the sections to be included in their newspaper and produce the
first issue.
As from the day when the newspaper is displayed on the wall, pupils will be asked to respond to the various
articles, ask questions about the various topics and propose articles themselves.
Every day, the pupils will post all the results of their work on the wall (replies to articles, satirical cartoons,
criticisms, reactions, questions, etc.), taking care to indicate the date and their names. They will be told that it
is strictly forbidden for the time being to talk about the contents of the newspaper and that they can record
all their ideas in writing in a dignified and respectful manner.
Draw up a code of conduct with the pupils to ensure that the project runs smoothly.
At the start of the following week, the pupils come together with one of their teachers and discuss the first
issue in the light of the reactions gathered in the course of the week.
The pupils then prepare the next issue together.
Note on the specific objectives of this activity: as a silent debate between the pupils, the wall newspaper
helps them to develop self-control when dealing with criticism or a point of view opposed to their own,
while enabling them to engage in indirect dialogue about their conflicts, which they sometimes refuse to do
verbally, or do with a violent or provocative tone. This approach also enables the pupils to externalise their
thoughts and familiarises them with objective and reasoned criticism, while at the same time allowing them
to develop their potential and to learn to respect others and their differences.
Activity 48 – A fresco for tolerance Page 267