Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter AUGUST 2011

The Value of Colour:

Social Harmony & National Integration
AsIndiacelebratesits64thIndependenceDay,AVECchoosestofocuson HarmonyandNationalIntegration.TrueIndependencenecessarilyimpliesthesetwinvalues! TheobjectiveforproposingthisValueissimplythis:ToenableyoungstudentstoliveinHarmony andbePeacemakers,andtopassionatelyinvolvestudentsinActiveCitizenship. Theschool environment forenhancingthissacredvalueisvital.Schoolsmustbeamicrocosmof cultureandtheclassroomsmustbecomesecondhomes.Theroleoftheteachertooisveryimportant. Theeducatorneedstobelievethathe/sheisasecondparentandplaytheroleofapeacemaker. TheIndianStudentspledgeisaninspiringoathtotaketoheartintheinculcationoftheseValues: IndiaismycountryandallIndiansaremybrothersandsisters. IlovemycountryandIamproudofitsrichandvariedheritage. Ishallalwaysstrivetobeworthyofit. Ishallgiverespecttomyparents,teachersandelders andtreateveryonewithcourtesy. Tomycountryandmypeople,Ipledgemydevotion. Intheirwellbeingandprosperityalone,liesmyhappiness. In this ISSUE We recall the words of Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, I want to emphasize that a country that has been built on the interminglingofdifferentcultures,religions,faiths,languagesandcommunitiescannotallowitshistorytobe Theeducationalsystemparticularlymustresonatewithinclusivenessandmustinculcateascientifictemper in young and impressionable minds. It must instill in them an image of India whose very edifice rests on multiplediversitiesandinfinitevarieties,ofanIndiathatisoneandmanyatthesametimeYouthhastobe energizedandgivenanewvisionfoundedonamodern,progressive,scientificoutlookthatstillrespectsthe pulsatingwitheconomicgrowthandsocialempowerment. MaythisDiamondValueCOLOURmakeoureducationalinstitutionsplaceswhereweembracePeaceasour birthrightandtheNationasourmotherland.Asecondhomewhereunityisin HAPPYINDEPENDENCEDAYGlenfordLoweSDB

the Diamond Value COLOUR. Why do we focus on Colour? Colour represents the Value of Social

distorted and misappropriated for partisan purposes. Our past must foster pride, not prejudice.

best of our traditional values. They must see their own future in the future of India, of an India that is

our diversity, and all have the courage to celebrate our unique differences.

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

The Story of Colours

AFolktalefromtheJunglesofChiapasbySucomandanteMarcos Ilightmypipeand,afterthreeceremonialpuffs,Ibegintotellyoujusttheway oldAntoniousedtotellit!!! OldAntoniopointsatamacawcrossingintheafternoonsky."Look,"hesays.I seethebrilliantstreakofcoloursinthegraymistofagatheringrain."Youwouldn'tbelieveonebird couldhavesomanycolours,"IsayasIcometothetopofthehill. OldAntoniositsdownonahillsidewherethemudisn'tspillingontothemainroad.Hecatcheshis breath while he rolls another cigarette. A few steps further on, I see that he's lingered behind. I go backandsitdownbesidehim.WhileI'mlightingmypipe,Iaskhim,"Doyouthinkwe'llgettothevil lage before the rain starts?" Old Antonio doesn't seem to hear me. This time, it's a flock of toucans that'sdistractedhim.Thecigaretteinhishandiswaitingtobelittostartitslazydesignofsmoke.He clears his throat, lights the cigarette, makes himself as comfortable as he can and slowly begins his story. "Themacawdidn'tusedtobelikethis.Ithardlyhadanycolouratall.Itwasjustgray.Itsfeatherswere stunted,likeawetchickenjustonemorebirdamongalltheotherswhodidn'tknowhowhearrivedin theworld.Thegodsthemselvesdidn'tknowwhomadethebirds.OrWhy. "Andthat'sthewayitwas.thegodswokeupafterNightandsaidtoDay,'Okay,that'sitformeyour turn.'Andthemenandwomenweresleepingortheyweremakinglove,whichisanicewaytobecome tiredandthengotosleep. "Thegodswerefighting.Theywerealwaysfighting.Theywereveryquarrelsome,thesegods,notlike the first ones, the seven gods who gave birth to the world, the very first ones. And the gods were fightingbecausetheworldwasveryboringwithonlytwocolourstopaintit. "And the anger of the gods was a true anger because only the two colours took their turns with the world: the black which ruled the night and the white which strolled about during the day. And there wasathirdwhichwasn'tarealcolour.Itwasthegraywhichpaintedthedusksandthedawnssothat theblackandthewhitedidn'tbumpintoeachothersohard. "Andthesegodswerequarrelsomebutwise.Theyhadameetingandtheyfinallyagreedtomakemore colours.Theywantedtomakeitmorejoyousformenandwomenwhowereblindasbatstotakea walkortomakelove. "Oneofthegodstooktowalkingsothathecouldthinkbetter.Andhethoughthis thought so deeply that he didn't look where he was going. And he tripped on a stone so big that he hit his head and started to bleed. "And the god, after screamingandsquawkingforquiteawhile,lookedathisbloodandsawthatit

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

Wasadifferentcolour,onethatwasn'tliketheothertwocolours.Andhewentrunningtowheretheother godswereandshowedthemthenewcolour,andtheycalledthiscolourred,thethirdcolourtobeborn. "Afterthat,anothergodlookedforacolourtopaintthefeelingofhope.Hefoundit,thoughittookhima while,andhewenttoshowittotheassemblyofgodsandtheynamedthiscolourgreen,thefourthcolour. "Anotheronestartedtodigdeepintotheearth.'Whatareyoudoing?'askedtheothergods.'I'mtryingtofind theheartoftheearth,'heanswered,throwingdirtallovertheplace.Intime,hearrivedattheheartoftheearth andshowedittotheothergodsandtheycalledthisfifthcolourbrown. "Anothergodwentstraightupwards.'Iwanttoseewhatcolourtheworldis,'hesaidandkeptclimbingalltheway up.Whenhegotveryhighup,helookeddownandsawthecolouroftheworld,buthedidn'tknowhowtobring ittowheretheothergodsweresohekeptlookingforalongwhileuntilhebecameblind,becausethecolourof theworldstucktohiseyes.Hecamedownasbesthecould,byfitsandstarts,andhearrivedwheretheassembly ofgodswasandsaidtothem,'Iamcarryingthecolouroftheworldinmyeyes,'andtheynamedthesixthcol ourblue. "Anothergodwaslookingforcolourswhenheheardachildlaughing.Hesnuckuponthechildquietlyand,when thechildwasn'tpayingattention,thegodsnatchedhislaughandlefthimintears.That'swhytheysaythatchil drencanbelaughingoneminuteandallofasuddentheyarecrying.Thegodstolethechild'slaughandtheycalled thisseventhcolouryellow. "Bynowthegodsweretiredandtheydranksomepozolandwenttosleep,leavingthecoloursinalittlebox whichtheythrewbeneaththeceibatree.Thelittleboxwasn'tclosedverytightandthecoloursescapedand startedtoplayhappilyandtomakelovetooneanother,andmoreanddifferentcoloursweremade,newones. Theceibatreelookedatthemandcoveredthemalltokeeptherainfromwashingthecoloursaway,and whenthegodscameback;thereweren'tjustsevencoloursbutmanymore.Theylookedattheceibatreeand said,'yougavebirthtothecolours.Youwilltakecareoftheworld.Andfromthetopofyourheadweshall painttheworld.' "Andtheyclimbedtothetopoftheceibatree,andfromtheretheystartedtoflingthecoloursalloverthe place,andthebluestayedpartlyintheskyandpartlyinthewater,thegreenfellontheplantsandthetrees, andthebrown,whichwasheavier,felltotheground,andtheyellow,whichwasthechild'slaugh,flewup topaintthesun.Thereddroppedintothemouthsofmenandanimalsandtheyateitandpaintedthem selvesinside.Andtheblackandthewhitewere,ofcourse,alreadyintheworld.Anditwasamessthe waythegodsthrewthecoloursbecausetheydidn'tcarewherethecolourslanded.Somecolourssplat teredonthemenandwomen,andthatiswhytherearepeoplesofdifferentcoloursanddifferentwaysof thinking."Andsoonthegodsgottiredandwenttosleepagain.Thesegodsjustwantedtosleep.Theyweren'tlikethe
firstones,theoneswhogavebirthtotheworld.Andthen,becausetheydidn'twanttoforgetthecoloursorlosethem, theylookedforawaytokeepthemsafe."Andtheywerethinkingaboutthatintheirheartswhenthey sawthemacaw,andtheygrabbeditandstartedtopourallthecoloursonitandtheystretchedits featherssothatthecolourscouldallfit.Andthatwashowthemacawtookholdofthecolours,andsoit goesstruttingaboutjustincasemenandwomenforgothowmanycoloursthereareandhowmany waysofthinking,andthattheworldwillbehappyifallthecoloursandwaysofthinkinghavetheirplace.

BE A DIAMOND COLOUR STUDENT

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

Reflective Moments for Students :

ReadthefollowingQuestionnairecarefully.Howwouldyourateyourschoolandself? Indicate5=Always,4=Often,3=Sometimes,2=Rarelyand1=Never. ValueStatementConcerningHarmony&Integration TheSchoolenvironmentpromotesSocialHarmonyandNational Integrationthroughitsvariousactivities Ifeelcomfortabletomakefriendswithstudentsofotherfaiths, casteandcolour. TheIndianPledgeissomethingIliveinmyeverydaylife Isupportcausesthatdemandharmonyandequalityamongpeoples Inmomentsofconflicts,IamaPeacemaker Whenitcomestoreligiousandsocialfestivals,Icelebratewithall Irespecteveryonesmothertongueandculturalpractices Icondemndiscriminationinallformsagainstsex,caste,creed Icareforminoritycommunitiesanddonotisolatethem Iamconcernedaboutotherpeoplesfaith,cultureandtraditions Schoolisasecondhomeforme.Allaremybrothersandsisters Itreateveryonewithcourtesy,irrespectiveofculturalbackgrounds Ibelievethatmyschoolisamicrocosmofculture 5 4 3 2 1

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

One Song: Peace & Togetherness

By:MitchelleJoy
Takealookaroundyou Thinkaboutwhatyousee Wecanlivetogether Sidebyside,youandme OneSong Thatthewholeworldwillcansing OneVoice Thattogetherwellbring OneHope Thataboveeverything,thewholeworldcansing OneSong Everyonesabrother OraSisterthatyoumeet Weareallonefamily Livingonthesamestreet Soletssingtogether Asongwithbeautifulsound Allthemusicthatwemade Willspreadloveallaround OneSong Thatthewholeworldwillcansing OneVoice Thattogetherwellbring OneHope Thataboveeverything,thewholeworldcansing OneSong Towatchthesongonyoutube,Clickon: http://youtu.be/r2lUdwbK8sk

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

Don Bosco: Father, Teacher and Friend of Youth

Fr.PascualChavezSDB,theRectorMajoroftheSalesianshaddirectedtheworld widepilgrimagehopingtorenewthedesiretoknowandlovetheFatherand TeacherofYouthandreignitethepassionandmissionfortheyounginpreparation forthebicentenarycelebrationofSt.JohnBoscosbirthonAugust16,2015. AresinreplicaofthebodyofSt.JohnBosco,thereliccontainsthesaintsrighthand inasealedcaseandinsertedatthechestofthesculpture.Thepilgrimrelicwillbe passingthrough130countries. Youareinvited,foraonceinalifetimeexperience,tobepartofthisgreatWorld wideRelicPilgrimageofDonBosco!!! Tofollowthepilgrimagerelicgoto thefollowingwebsites:
http:// www.urn.donboscoindia.com http://www.donboscoindia.com/ english/defaultbosco.php

My School: A Value Diamond Environment

Poster Size: A3 size Best Three in each category to reach the AVEC Office before 27th August 2011.
Winners will be declared in the September issue.

Values for the Yatra

Archdiocesan Value Education Centre (AVEC ) E-Letter

AUGUST 2011

St.AnnesHighSchoolFORT:StudentsValueOrientationProgramStdVIIIX

OurLadyofGoodCounselSION:LeadershipTrainingforStdVIIIX

PleasekeepFr.GlenfordLowe,SDB, ourAVECDirector InyourprayersonJuly26th,2011 Forasuccessful DONORKIDNEYSURGERYand foraspeedyrecovery.Thankyou

AVEC E-Letter Values for the Yatra is an initiative to provide Animation Resources for Teachers involved in Value Education in the ABE schools/ Jr. Colleges .Values for the Yatra is published every month and is for private circulation. Your valuable suggestions are most welcome to assist us in making Values for the Yatra a useful tool of animation and bonding among the Management, teachers and students of the ABE schools in Mumbai. CONTACT: Fr. Glenford Lowe, SDB / Michelle DSouza / Rochwyn Fernandes / Margaret Dubey / Sr. Vera AVECDon Bosco Youth Services, Matunga 400019 , MUMBAI Ph: 24154477 e-mail: avecmatunga@gmail.com blog: avecmumbaidbys.blogspot.com