Tuesday Session 1
Main Theme 01: Values, Culture, Education, Art, Science.
Tuesday, December 2, 1997 - Pavilion 6
Session opened at 3 15 P.M.
Mme. Sizoo started and welcomed everybody: This being a very big group and
diverse subject to handle, they had a short meeting yesterday evening to
discuss the methodology.
To start with, she read the message of Betinho.
Then she outlined what should be done, and what should not be done.
Present, known problems should not be detailed, but your ideas, and notions
on how to improve things. During this workshop we should find key ideas,
key notions, on four themes.
One solution would be to form four smaller groups, one for each subject.
Afterwards, to combine the subjects. Groups according to language could be
established.
In addition, we have to study the evolution of values. But please
concentrate on values connected to our subjects. Therefore we shall treat
values later.
There is also the problem of papers, some of which have just arrived. She
suggests that people take these later, and read them for tomorrow.
The group agreed to the methodology.
Mr. Rachad agreed, if it should continue democratically. But first, he
distributed some papers in different languages. He would be in charge of
collecting the opinion of people who speak in English. French-speaking
persons should gather their ideas with the blonde lady. Spanish speaking
members would report to Mr. Galano. Tomorrow we would have your opinions
through these people.
Mr. Galano talked about the myth, the image, the holographic view of the
world, that does not exist without a dialogue. The new model should be
hopefully that of seeing the whole, not separating things. No question of
winning or losing, but there is no other way.
Mme. Sizoo asked the people who would like to be in the group of Culture
and Arts. Eight people volunteered. For Education about 16 raised their
hand. Science group had 6 prospective members.
The lady from India asked if media would be discussed. She would
participate in that.
There was a prolonged discussion between Mme. Sizoo, Mr. Benet, Mr. Galano,
and Mr. Rachad on whether groups should be formed now, or not. It was
decided to start discussions with the whole group.
A message from Siddhartha, from Bangalore, was read. They chose to study
cultural values because global issues are interlinked and it can be viewed
holistically and is important for education.
Mr. Lafontaine, talked about an education project that is being carried out
in Sao Paulo, Brazil, that includes ethics in addition to cultural
education. It is integrated and includes spirituality, and the notion of
new human beings. This has been going on for 4 years, in a very violent
neighborhood, using meditation, art, and working on the spiritual side of
the children. The results of this work will also be shown in SESC
Pompeia on Saturday.
Mr. Daniel Pimienta spoke in Spanish, and said that no education is useful
without the new technology. It is a revolution that has advantages and
disadvantages. Finances will make the difference between first-class or
second-class schools. The cultural level will depend on this and will
enhance the consumer culture.
Mme. Sizoo asked that each speaker, upon finishing, should write down the
central idea of what he has just said.
Nadia says that we do not learn in school what we use in life, the
language, the history, the culture of the role of women, the school is
always different from what we see in reality. Mme Sizoo asked her what
she proposes to solve this.
Valeria Barreto spoke next. We have to put the world into the school, into
the language of the school. Even within four walls, the school can take in
and show the world, the creativity, science, and reality to the children.
This is happening in the Iniciacao Rural Artesanal Maos Mineiras. The
secret is to respect the differences and put local knowledge at the service
of teaching in the school.
Education
The next speaker defended simplicity in teaching to catch the attention,
the heart of the students. Dichotomy of family: school continues to be a
problem. Education in Latin means to bring out, not to put things into the
children. As to values, we have to transform the teachers.
The West African representative is afraid that with emphasis on technology,
the majority of poor people will be abandoned. We are prisoners of the
values of the rich, which we do not share. Education must consider the
individual, nature, and family.
Education is composed of giving knowledge, but also of educating in the
sense of shaping behavior. We are not doing both. With the technology we
can democratize knowledge. The system is global, but we do have the
specificity. We must insist on individuality. A new paradigm of education
must be developed.
The Indian lady said the media should be considered as a tool for
education. The Alliance can watch and control education through worldwide
reports. Education is the root of growth.
Mauricio talked of the technological challenge: to talk and think globally.
But one must think and act locally and globally at the same time.
Research can be done in a context. There must be dialogue, local growth of
knowledge and then one can extrapolate to global vision. All education
must be informal in addition to the formal. Cultural differences must be
respected.
Science
Jacques Mirerovich talked of education having to go back to the inner
world. At school we doubt, but we must know what we are doubting. For
science, if it were be interested more in humans, it would be better linked
with the other problems of reality. We can bring the artificial into
agriculture, but we must be careful.
Mme Sizoo asked what he means by science-citizen. He says it was decided
by a league as the citizen who feels responsible for what science does. On
cloning, we should first discuss it and then decide whether to use it.
Another member said that if Alliance emphasizes diversity and plurality, we
must identify science as a search of the human diversity. We must not
worship science. Scientists themselves do not agree among themselves, they
are seekers.
Mr. Fonokus mentioned the declaration of Heidelberg, that science can bring
progress to a certain point. Education should make a distinction between
theoretical and practical knowledge.
Mr. Leger from Costa Rica said that there are several groups within the
Earth Council promoting the Earth Charter. It should have a scientific
basis. It considers several forms of knowledge, based on reflection, and
experimenting. It should take into account spirituality, and biodiversity.
Another member is afraid of the concept of citizen-science, for it reminds
him of state control.