All you need is Peace! Youth promoting peace as activists today

Winning Submission for Project Ploughshares contest for the 2009 Global Youth Assembly.

By Daniel Francavilla

Have you ever been at peace? Some believe peace is simply the absence of war. Yes, war is treacherous battle and conflict. But when there is no war, is there peace? Suffering continues; oppression, discrimination, disrespect and hatred still exist. This is not peace.

Do you think that those who live in a developed country, not at war in years, are at peace? You may be fortunate enough to live in a peaceful home with loving parents and more than enough food. But even within the most affluent communities lie conflict, greed, envy, and violent abuse.

There are societies where thousands will chant and cheer for a team to win a football game, but where none will do so to end genocide. We know there are terrible things occurring ever day – many choose to ignore this. But it is up to the youth of today to set standards and determine the level of peace for our future. Youth will be left with the problems of our current world leaders. Positive action must begin today. That is why we are called to ignite the power within ourselves to make change now.

Can we promote peace when we buy products that support a corporation’s use of child labour or degrade the environment? Challenging, but we can support alternatives like the Fair Trade movement. While there are many roadblocks to being a true peacemaker, change starts within each of us as individuals. It is possible to “fight” for peace without war. When we come together in peace, we are strong enough to make substantial change.

Overwhelming and daunting tasks of “changing the world” are presented to youth today. Many of us choose to avoid the call to action, simply because of the enormous size of the tasks to solve the world’s issues. However, these tasks can be approached from another level – by thinking globally but acting locally, we can more attainably move towards a better world. We must not give up when faced with challenges like providing nourishment to a village in Malawi, or sending 50 students to school in Colombia, or even protecting endangered species in Northern Canada. In fact, Anthropologist Margaret Mead made it very clear when she said, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

There are governments around the world that promise major action. There are multi-national corporations that commit to social responsibility. However for a true, sustainable, tangible difference, “we must be the change we wish to see in the world” as Gandhi so wisely stated. Many authoritative adults and powerful organizations can be doubtful and pessimistic. This has always been true. However, more damage will be done if we do not convince them to take necessary action, instead of waiting our turn in their position. We are the leaders, not only of tomorrow, but also of today.

Many youth crave the glamorous celebrity lifestyle – yet greed is a deterrent of peace. This need for more is known as affluenza. A video on “teenage affluenza” displays middle-class children being unsatisfied with everyday privileges. When compared to those who have less, however, these complaints seem utterly ridiculous – a boy complains about his outdated PlayStation 2, while another boy's only toy is a brass bombshell casing; a girl is embarrassed by the 1980's Toyota Corolla her mother drives her to school in, when a girl around the world leads her blind mother home on a dark road at night after a day of begging. For peace to be achieved, everything should be put into perspective.

In high school I had the opportunity to travel to the Dominican Republic on an “exposure trip”. While most know this as a tropical vacation destination, I had the chance to experience what life is like in the developing world. Witnessing the joy within these people, despite their impoverished situations, allowed me to realize that peace and happiness do not come from having the latest technology, driving a luxury vehicle, or living in a classy condo.

Today’s youth must break the stereotype of being apathetic. There are plenty of young people taking action around the world today. From local community service to online campaigns to international volunteer trips, youth are making a difference right now. We begin spreading peace through simple actions of kindness and generosity. Now, it is our duty to participate and be examples of youth activists for other generations, as we come together to better the world through peace.

Daniel Francavilla is the Founder of ACCESS: Allowing Children a Chance at Education and a student at Ontario College of Art + Design.

Paradise Amongst Poverty

By Patricia Stavropoulos

The dirt ground feels hard beneath my feet. The dust in the air clouds my eyes. I look around. Huts and old dilapidated half-houses encircle the makeshift dirt field I’m standing in. In this remote and poor village people go about their daily lives. A shady one-room school house stands off to the side. Children in blue and khaki uniforms with no shoes teach Spanish songs to visitors. A brave young man climbs up a two story palm tree to collect oversized coconuts. A solitary boy reads from an old textbook in the shade. Life goes on.

Dozens of children form a large circle. They sing and dance a sort of merry-go-round game and freeze. Bursts of laughter fill the air. Mothers clutching half-naked babies point and smile. Enjoying the good time the children are having, just as much as they are. While the sun shines brilliantly, illuminating the fun. A young woman washes clothes by hand in a broken washing machine. The wind blows dirt on the clean clothes hanging beside her. She is laughing too.

It starts to rain. Thousands of heavy water droplets litter the ground. I feel my clothes start to stick to my body as everyone dashes for cover. Over hanging tin roofs become a new shelter. An escape from the tumultuous weather. Thick raindrops compose a new beat on the hard metal. Bodies black and white cling to each other for protection. Young students tie their uniform shirts around their heads to stay dry. A new game is invented. In the midst of poverty, happiness exists in the simplest of things. Life goes on.

Patricia, a student at the University of Ottawa, traveled to the Dominican Republic on a high-school exposure trip in 2007.

The ending may be... the beginning

By Raman Mann

There are two types of people in our world.

There are those who are blinded and occupied by a fast-paced, money is the key to every and all happiness in life mentality; who spend their time concerned with what others in society think of the lifestyle they are living. These people do not take the time to appreciate or get the chance to experience all that life has to offer without the luxuries they have become accustomed too.

Then, there are those who are happy beyond measure with what they have as long as they have their loved ones beside them. These people are hard-working, strong and very inspiring. They spend their time working more than the usual employee would, but earn nothing compared to them, giving them more of a challenge to survive each and everyday. It is thought that with luxury comes eternal happiness, yet these people do not occupy themselves with any luxury items, and happen to live everyday to the fullest with smiles on their beautiful faces.

When we got to Consuelo; a little city in Dominican Republic, one of our main activities that we spent our time taking part in was visiting two different bateyes. Bateyes are very small villages that have been set up, consisting of anywhere from 100-800 people. In these bateyes, families of sugar cane cutters and sugar mill workers live. When I got off the bus at the first bateye, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

I felt as if I had just walked into a World Vision Commercial, an atmosphere I thought I would never experience, ever. As we walked into the small dirty village, young children came running to us from every direction. They couldn’t speak English and we couldn’t speak Spanish, but we still got along and were able to communicate.

As I stood in the middle of a field covered in pieces of metal, glass and rusted wire, all the fear I had coming on this trip rushed back into my mind. These children were singing and dancing in fields covered with rusted metal and glass, wearing torn and dirty cloths, and some weren’t even dressed. They had no shoes, and the ground which consisted of mud and dirt, along with the rusted metal and sharp broken glass, was steaming hot from the heat.

As I slowly walked through the field, taking in my surroundings one breath at a time, I noticed that three little girls were following closely behind me. I turned around, bent down and smiled at them. Instantaneously they came running to me, as if my smile was an invitation to them. I didn’t know what to do, but embrace them as they grabbed on to my hands and touched my face. They stood in front of me and stared at me not saying a single word. I observed their slim and boney figure, glancing at the cuts and bruises they had on their tiny arms and legs.

As I looked at their battered and frail feet, it struck me that the youngest of the three didn’t have shoes on. For her this was normal and the heat didn’t bother her as much, but as I watched her move back and forth, not staying in one spot for too long, the pain she must have been feeling came and woke me.

I felt as if her pain was my pain, and showed her that she could sit in my lap, or I didn’t mind picking her up. She came towards me, with her arms wide open, allowing me to pick her up without hesitation. The little girl was happy that I was carrying her and kept hugging me as we walked around the field.

They didn’t let go of me for the whole day, one held on to my hand, another gripped my shirt, and the youngest I carried. They showed me their home, and where they played. They also pointed out an older female, whom I assumed to be their mother or aunt.


When we got back to the field, everyone was playing hand games and we were taking turns teaching one another hand games in English and Spanish. As we sung the songs, they tried to copy in English, as they learned the songs, excitement filled their eyes and they went running to their friends to tell them what they had just learned. The children were so excited to learn something new. They were craving education, but had none.

Everything I had believed in and all that I had planned for my life and future had begun to disappear. It didn’t seem important to me anymore. Before coming on this trip, I too was a ‘money is the answer to all happiness’ type of person. My goal in life was to become rich fast, but now, after meeting those three little girls, and seeing the smiles I had put on their faces, by teaching them a few little songs, everything has changed.

Going on this trip, I realized hope can be found and is possible anywhere. Reflecting on my week spent in Consuelo, I discovered that I wanted to make a change in the world and its future. Giving children who want an education would be my first step to the change I want to make. I learned that to be happy, you do not need the newest phone, or the latest iPod on the market.

Appreciating what you have been blessed with and learning how to overcome obstacles within your life by working with your loved ones is what brings eternal happiness. If at the end of the day, you are happy, and have the feeling of security and belonging within your surroundings, you can be sure that you have been successful in the role you have played.

Raman Mann is a Canadian student who traveled to the Dominican Republic on a high-school exposure trip in 2007.

No Christmas on slave labour camps

By Stella Petrone

There's no Christmas in slave labour camps. Christmas is just another day.

Slaves are unknown by the world. Nobody knows they're there. But they are. Trafficked. Stateless. Working 14-hour days for a dollar or so.

Sometimes I take a group to the sugar slave camps in the Dominican Republic in mid-December and we provide Christmas dinner for about two hundred cane cutters and their families. This sounds nice but there are about half a million cane cutters. Most won't be coming to dinner.

Dinner's a cup of rice, a half-cup of beans, a small piece of chicken and 6oz of clean water. Santa visits too. He doesn't bring presents because there's many children but he does bring music and entertainment. Sometimes my trip to the slave camps is in July so we hold a Christmas in July and do the same.

We have to end Christmas for slaves. It's 2009. We have to educate ourselves about slavery and urge others to educate themselves about it too. Slavery's a secret. We have to tell the secret. Then a critical mass of knowledgeable people will be reached and a strong abolitionist movement will be born.

Visit freetheslaves.net. Then speak up. Let's end Christmas for slaves.

Stella Petrone is a retired teacher from Toronto. For over 25 years, she has taken students and families to the Dominican Republic and Haiti to raise awareness and engage them in activities to benefit the impoverished citizens.

Agents for Change video

Non-profit Global Agents for Change asks what you would do to change the world. In response, high school students Jennifer Paul and Kevin Saychareun say they would give every child a chance at education, which is the principal in which ACCESS was founded upon. Below is they video they produced as their submission to the contest.



What would you do to change the world? Share your ideas.