Parents and teachers can ASSIST children in observing Reconciliation Day.
DRAW a heart on a piece of paper. Have the child color it. Then talk with child about people the child loves. Put the names on a paper and encourage the child to tell the person(s).
ENCOURAGE please and thank-you.
GIVE a hug all of your family members.
Encourage CALLING people by name. It shows respect.
GREET people you know with "hello".
Teach children that DIVERSITY and DIFFERENCE are good.
Children can LEARN several ways to say "hello" or "good morning" and be encouraged to say them each day.
Children can learn about DIFFERENT CULTURES through looking at books, by cooking different cultural foods or by talking with people of different cultures about what is similar and what is different from what you do.
BE A GOOD EXAMPLE.
PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN:
TALK over problems and LISTEN to what the other person has to say.
SAY "I'm sorry" to someone you have hurt.
TAKE turns.
SHARE with others.
IGNORE children who are teasing or bothering you.
COMPROMISE when two or more of you want to do different things
HUG others.
MAKE A BANNER with all the definitions you think Reconciliation means.
LEARN more about diversity, culture and different religions. See what is similar to you.
SEND postcards or letters of peace and love to friends and family.
MIDDLE SCHOOL CHILDREN
SMILE at everyone you see.
PLAY a friend's favorite game with him or her.
ASK your mom or dad how their day has gone.
THANK your favorite teacher.
MAKE a new friend.
BE NICE to someone you do not know well
WRITE a story about harmony, agreement or conflict resolution.
MAKE a list of rights and responsibilities that you feel you should have and give others the respect of those rights.
HELP your family and friends remember to recycle and use green products.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
CHECK out an ethnic restaurant and learn about the culture.
ASK members of different cultures, ethnic groups and religions to educate you about holidays, festivals and religious celebrations they observe.
WRITE a letter to a friend, teacher, parent and let him or her know what importance he or she has played in your life and send it so that they will receive it on Reconciliation Day.
PLAN a group gathering to talk about how to increase peace and reconciliation in your school and community.
TAKE A STAND on violence and discrimination in your school and community.
CREATE an honor collage. Use pictures of people you know, people in media, government and others that you respect. WRITE the quality of the person below their picture and SHARE it with others.
SUGGEST that a class you attend or group of which you are a part spend some time on Reconciliation Day discussing issues in the community and what can be done about them.
WRITE a poem, song or story about creating harmony, peace and reconciliation and perform it somewhere.
WRITE a skit about creating harmony, peace and reconciliation and perform it.
REMEMBER those who have passed on and been important inyour life and create a "memory" box, album, or something
LEARN conflict resolution skills so that you can use them with others.
GET INVOLVED in school, local and state politics.
ENCOURAGE your school to recycle and use recycled and green products.
ADULTS
SPEND time with relatives and friends. There is so much to talk about,remember, resolve and celebrate.
CALL a relative or friend who lives faraway.
SHARE a meal with someone as an expression of your celebration ofknowing them; there is something sacred about shared meal.
MAKE PEACE with someone with whom you have had conflict.
GIVE a gift to someone justbecause.
CREATE a gift (write a poem, write out a special memory of aloved one, sew or knit something, do a painting….whatever your creative giftis) SHARE it!
OBSERVE a spiritual or religious ceremony in honor of adeceased loved one.
SEND stories of "brotherly" love to localnewspapers and ask that they print the stories on this very special day.
OFFER the hand of friendship and support to someone who is lonely, new in town,ill, struggling with life challenges.
TELL those who are important to youhow they enhance your life.
REMEMBER that we are all brothers and sistersand greet everyone you meet from that place in your heart that knows this.
COMMIT to recycling to save the environment: Buy a reusable bag for shopping;bring glass, cans, bottles, cardboard and paper to the center.
ENCOURAGE your community leaders to proclaim October 4th a Day of Reconciliation in yourcommunity.
Have a CONVERSATION cafe with others discussing whatReconciliation would look like in your community.
ORGANIZATIONS
You can involve your neighborhood, agency, company, store, office, hospital, place of worship, local and state governments involved. These are some ideas.
Have October 4th PROCLAIMED "A Day of Reconciliation".
CONTACT your public radio, television, and newspaper for Public Service Announcements.
ASK your place of worship to hold a special service or ring bells at noon on Reconciliation Day to remind the community of the observance.
BEGIN a Dialogue Circle with others.
EXTEND a hand to those who are different from you. Invite them to a gathering to share and learn.
INVOLVE your library with a display books, tapes and videos that highlight reconciliation.
ENCOURAGE your movie theatre to a have a free showing of a reconciliation movie for the community.
