In many educational institutions, there is a need to cultivate a culture of peace, where people treat one another with respect, kindness and are ready to help one another rather than take advantage.
CMIRC is the local coordinator and key institutions involved are the Peace and Culture Foundation led by Rotary Peace Fellow Dr. Sombat Tapanya, the Rotary Club of Bangkok and Rotary Clubs in Taiwan.
The three year project will target Ban San Pakwan primary school in Hang Dong, Chiang Mai, with 180 ethnic Shan children, whose parents are migrants and where children have a high percentage of unruly behavior, lack discipline, and have little inclination to study.
Children will be taught how to respect others, teachers to respect the rights of students, and change their approach towards discipline, and parents will be taught that there are other ways to get children to obey than by shouting at them, hitting them or through corporal punishment. Year 1 will concentrate on eliminating violence in school, year 2 in cultivating peace culture, and year 3 in training future leaders
Aikido is a non-violent marital art and will be the main vehicle to give the children self confidence and inner discipline, so that finally they will pay attention to study. The program will follow full Rotary procedures for evaluation.
Photo (left), Dr Sombat of the Peace Culture Foundation, School Director, Past President John Schorr and Past President of RC Bangkok Santi Chatterjee. Photo (right), Dr Sombat’s wife Khun Narumol and Rtn Aree Suksiri.