CISV VILLAGE GUIDE
0. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT CISV
0.1. History
Following the devastating effects of World War II and the hope generated by the creation of the United Nations, CISV was founded by Dr Doris T Allen, a psychologist at the University of Cincinnati (USA). She was convinced that youth from different nations could learn to live together amicably and would later successfully utilize that experience in working to create a peaceful world. The idea of bringing together young children at an impressionable age to learn to understand their common likenesses sprang from a question posed by her own son shortly after the conclusion of the Second World War, "Will I have to fight as a soldier when I grow up ?"
In 1951 the first CISV Village, a unique programme for pre-adolescents, was conducted in Cincinnati, Ohio. By 1956, a constitution for the International Association of CISV was adopted at the annual meeting in Sweden. Soon members and past participants were demanding additional international programmes. The Interchange programme was established in 1962 and Reunions were reorganized into the Seminar Camp programme in 1971. The Local Work Programme, designed to promote orientation and educational "follow-up" at the Local Chapter level, achieved co-equal programme status in 1980.
Since its inception, CISV had been committed to:
- providing individuals an opportunity to !earn by experience to live amicably with persons irrespective of cultural background;
- contributing through research and experience to a science of international relations and non-violent conflict resolution; and,
- complementing and cooperating with organizations having similar purposes.
CISV has grown from 55 participants representing 9 nations in 1951 to a total of 63,630 programme participarts from 89 countries in 1987. Today over 7.000 participants learn to live and work together in friendship and peace in approximately 200 multinational CISV programmes each year.
0.2. Philosophy
CISV programmes operate in accordance with the principles of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of the Child and UNESCO-s 1974 "Recommendation Concerning Education for Intentional Understanding, Cooperation and Peace, and Education Relating to Human Rights and Fundamental Freedom". CISV programmes foster a spirit of understanding, tolerance, friendship among people, peace and universal brotherhood within youth demonstrating exceptional leadership potential irrespective of race, religion, political affiliation or socio-economic background.
CISV was founded with the knowledge that transnational education programmes are most effective before substantial cultural perspectives and prejudices are formed. Accordingly, CISV programmes begin with pre-adolescents (age 11) Continued participation is possible through other activities for young people (age 12- 18) and adults.
ClSV-s emphasis is to contribute to peace by providing both national and international experiences which:
- provide knowledge, information and the ability to process data concerning global issues, cross-cultural communication and non-violent resolution.
- encourage people to take responsibilities for their own action.
- foster the decision-making abilities of individuals
- encourage involvement by participants, as individuals, in their local chapter, national and international environments.
- help produce mature informed citizens of the world.
- encourage involvement of participants in global cooperation and peace fostering.
CISV educational programme are non-political and non-sectarian. Indoctrination is carefully avoided and cultural, religious and political preferences are respected. CISV-s philosophy and goals are implemented through its four programmes< Village, Interchange, Seminar Camps, and Local Work.
03. Description of other CISV programmes
03.1 Interchange
The Interchange programme is a family-centered, two phase "summer" exchange between two international CISV chapters for youth age 12-15 during the first phase of the programme. The delegation, five boys and five girls plus Adult Delegate (s), reciprocally hosts partners of the same age and sex with similar interests for two to four weeks during each phase of the programme.
A short multinational camp usually complements typical family life and bilateral group activities. Interchanges involving very long trips frequently take place over successive summers.
The aims of the Interchange programme are:
1. To develop individual and group attitudes consistent with the CISV philosophy through group activities.
2. To encourage understanding of another culture by living in that culture as a family member.
3. To incorporate these experiences into the daily lives of the participants and the families.
03.2. Seminar Camps
Seminar Camps are three week "summer" programmes conducted for approximately 30 international youth age 17-18 plus Staff, with national representation limited to four persons per camp. Topics on peace fostering activities, international relations and cooperative living are focal points of the Seminar Camp programme. Seminars and simulation games conducted to promote cross-cultural communication, global cooperation, and non-violent conflict resolution augment activities selected and conducted by the participants.
The aims of the Seminar Camp programme are:
1. To create a special environment which helps the participants to discover and formulate their own opinions about international and intercultural problems by exposing them to the ideas of young people from other nations and cultures.
2. To provide a group living experience in which young people can examine their own motives, gain insight into their own behavior, and that of others, and appreciate the responsibilities involved in group living.
3. To create a special environment which teaches the participants to accept conflict as a part of daily life and gives them practice in recognizing and coming to a resolution of these conflicts.
4. To stimulate in young people an interest in the world and a sense of responsibility for its preservation as a basis for human survival.
0.3.3. Local Work
Local Work is a chapter level CISV programme designed to complement the international programmes through orientation, follow-up and social activities which develop the long term educational nature of CISV participation. While organized by former delegates and area youth interested in peace and cross-cultural activities, the Local Work
programme involves members and local citizens of all ages who are interested in implementing the CISV philosophy within their community and personal family lives. Each local chapter develops activities appropriate to its culture, resources and members.
The aims of the Local Work programme are:
1. To consolidate the lessons learned in the international CISV programmes.
2. To develop in more detail aspects that are only lightly touched upon in the international programmes.
3. To relate CISV aims to local reality and personal attitudes.
4. To provide a long term educational experience.
5. To be a means of introducing and involving more people in CISV who have not participated in international programmes.
0.3.4. Pathfinder/Pioneer Exchanges
CISV also takes part in a valued exchange of delegations between its programmes and those of Associated Pathfinder/Pioneer Organizations from Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Germany (GDR), Hungary, Poland, Romania, USSR and Yugoslavia. This successful youth exchange began in 1954 with the first Pioneer Delegation to a CISV Village and became a consistent part of CISV-s international programme by 1957 when the first CISV Delegation attended a Pioneer Camp. Following CISV-s active participation in the 12th World Youth and Student Festival in 1985, the level of CISV cooperation with CIMEA and Pathfinder/Pioneer Organizations globally has grown considerably and constitutes a fifth major area of CISV programme activity.
0.4. General Policies
0.4.1. CISV educational programmes are non-political and non-religious. Indoctrination is carefully avoided and religious, political and cultural preferences are respected. CISV is strongly opposed to discrimination of any kind within its programmes, selection procedures and administration.
0.4.2. CISV is registered as a non-profit organization in each of its member nations and is affiliated with UNESCO.
0.5. Specifics of CISV as a Youth Exchange Programme.
CISV programmes are based upon organizational goals that provide inspirational and educational value beyond any benefit solely gained from individually structured travel programmes. The CISV experience forms an important component in developing a global perspective and philosophy in life.
All CISV activities include aspects of programme planning and administration by participating youth to develop skill in fair decision-making, leadership and responsibility for individual and group behavior. Adult Delegates or on-site staff and Junior Branch members provide appropriate programme guidance and maintain safety/conduct consistent with CISV rules and local laws.
All CISV programmes involve short term sojourns or home stay with group activities during major school holiday periods rather than long term academic exchanges or student tours.
CISV is unusually fortunate in the quality and extent of its worldwide volunteer leadership. This remarkable contribution enables a small professional staff to successfully administer a growing international programme with low overhead and reduced programme expenses for participants. All local CISV work is volunteered and host families receive no reimbursement.
1. INTRODUCTION OF THE VILLAGE
1.1. What is a Village
The Village programme is a four week intentional "summer" camp unique to CISV. Delegations of two boys and two girls (age 11) and Adult Delegates from 12 nations plus Staff and four to six Junior Counsellors (age 16-17) from three to five nations participate in a multi/language camp featuring typical camp activities and emphasizing international friendship, cross/cultural communication and cooperative living. Day by day the children learn, in a natural way, that despite national or cultural differences they have much more in common as members of the human family in an increasingly interdependent world.
Why age of 11 ?.
- Eleven year olds are old enough to be relatively stable physiologically. They can adequately accept climatic, dietary and other physical changes.
- They are relatively stable emotionally and free from mood swings, as compared to adolescents.
- They are old enough to have had most common childhood diseases.
- They readily accept new experiences. They can enjoy living with many nationalities and many languages.
- At the same time they are in an age of action, in contrast to the intellectual, philosophical adolescent.
- They arc not yet too shy about language. At their age they do not fear making mistakes and quickly try out any newly learned words or phrases.
- They easily communicate with other children. In the absence of a common language, they spontaneously use sign language, drawing and drama.
- They are adaptable. They are relatively free from inner barriers. Prejudices are not so definite as in later years.
- Eleven year olds at the same time are old enough to carry the stamp of their respective cultures. They represent enough differences to give a real international character to the Village.
- They easily work with authority. They have not yet reached the characteristic rebellion of adolescence.
- They are old enough to be away from home for as long as four weeks without being homesick. (The few cases which have occurred have lasted only a few days at the beginning of the Village.)
1.2. Aims of the Village.
The aims of the Village Program are:
1. To provide an experience in active coexistence by creating a model of a society where its participants can learn the values of consideration for and cooperation with their fellow Villagers in various activities including practical work;
2. To provide the opportunity to participate creatively in decision-making;
3. To use the Village as a place for leaning to understand and appreciate different cultures.
1.3. The Village as the basis of the CISV Programme.
During and after World War I, groups of citizens challenged the traditional concept of war as an honorable way to assert national rights. Examples are Women's International League Peace and Freedom, founded in 1915, and Fellowship of Reconciliation, founded in 1915. In 1945, as a protest against the suffering and waste of World War II, 50 nations established the United Nations based on the concept of a "world community". In August, 1946, another concept was added, namely, that education for such a community should start with the children, to grow up aware of "belonging" to humans around the world.
For such education an organization was formed, Children-s International Summer Villages, Inc. (CISV). It was organized to give life to the idea that education for peace should start with children. Its method of education is "learning through doing"; it is an action process. Children from different countries live together in a camp-like Village for four weeks, and each Village is a veritable miniature world.
Especially significant is the limitation of the size of the Village to forty eight children to permit establishing close friendships. Equally important is the opportunity to practice solving problems of daily living in the children-s parliamentary sessions. In the face of 7 to 10 different languages, instead of aimlessly arguing or fighting, these children learn to discuss situations. Such remarks as the following from an 11 year old Norwegian boy may be heard: "I say that before we talk of punishment, we should be sure that everyone knows what the rules are."
Language is handled in a natural way by 11 year olds. They spontaneously fall into sign language, demonstrations and drawings. One of the most interesting research findings has been that communication seems to have struck a deeper level in situations where there has not been a common language. Warm human feelings seem to take over in face of a language area deficiency. One thing is certain. Experience at a CISV activity stimulates a desire for further language learning, after the Village .
This Village process for 11 year olds has evolved and developed over the years since it emerged in 1951. It gave CISV its name, and set the basic standards for the work of the organization. It also set in motion energies that have produced three companion activities to complement the Village programme and to round out the CISV movement as a coordinated peace education process for young people form 11 to 18 years of age.
by Doris Twitchell Allen, Founder of CISV
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