TASKs for democracy

‘Some people are responsible for life; that’s us. The others are responsible for death and they should be our
only enemies.’ (Paul Eluard)
So prepare your son to exercise this greatest of responsibilities. You alone can teach him, straight away, while
he is still babbling and discovering the world, to love what he must look after; you alone can teach him, before
he studies anything, to love life ...
Before he knows that men kill others, teach him respect for all human faces and friendship for all human hands.
Children begin by imitating. In their presence, you should never show any boredom, disgust or contempt
towards anything that lives or any act useful to life. You did not give birth to your son so that he would die, but
so that he would pass on a message. Not giving him the joy of living in the midst of human nature, is to disown
yourself, disown your function in the species and disown the act by which you gave life to this future man.”
Maurice Druon, Lettres d’un Européen
Maurice Druon, Lettres d’un Européen, essay, Charlot, Paris 1944. With Joseph Kessel, he wrote the Chant des
partisans, which, set to music by Anna Marly, became the anthem of the Resistance movement during the
Second World War.
After reading, think about the following questions.
1. What do you think about the expression “responsible for life”? In your opinion, are there people today
who are “responsible for death”? Who are they?
2. What role can adults and parents play in the process of education for peace and non-violence?
3. Do you think that teachers should join together with parents to draw up a strategy for education for
peace and non-violence?
4. Do you believe that present-day terrorism is the result of education for collective suicide and a culture
of death?
The participants will bring their reading notes to the training session.
Advice on teaching controversial issues
Ground rules
Throughout these activities and, above all, before launching into them, the teacher should indicate the ground
rules for the group. The rules may be drawn up with the group so that participants stick to them.
Some examples of ground rules:
Only one person speaks at a time.
No interrupting.
Show respect for the views of others.
Challenge the ideas, not the person.
Use appropriate language – no racist or discriminatory comments allowed.
Allow everyone to express his/her view.
Give reasons for views.
Role of the teacher
The teacher plays a key role. At some points, which are up to you to choose, you will have to:
express your own views and opinions;
play the devil’s advocate;
transmit information and objective facts to inform the discussion;
make sure that all points of view are presented.
Adapted from: Oxfam, 2006, Teaching Controversial Issues, Global Citizenship Guides
Activity 48 – A fresco for tolerance Page 269