MiniMonos Members Changing The World

From the beginning, MiniMonos was designed to have a purpose beyond profit. That purpose is to show unconditional love to children and the planet; to be a place that is fun first while embodying powerful core values; to be a virtual world that both affects and is affected by the physical one.

We'd like to give you an update on how well we're living up to that vision.

By way of context, MiniMonos has just passed 250,000 registered members! This is a huge milestone and we're honored and humbled by the kids who choose to play on our site.

Each of those 250,000 kids has helped change the world. Here's how:

Clean water for kids in India

Every time someone buys a Gold membership or virtual good on MiniMonos, a child in India gets clean water through our partnership with Buy1Give1 and the Bird India charity. Our partnership with renewable power company Meridian Energy also provided a year of clean water for 20 kids! So far MiniMonos kids have helped provide 18,492 days of clean water to children in India.

Adopting Orangutans

We adopted our first orangutan, Monti, to celebrate our first 50 Gold members, and our second, Kesi, when we reached 250. We welcomed Pingky and Neng to the MiniMonos Orangutan Family when we officially launched out of Beta. Our "adoptions" go to support the work of the extraordinary Orangutan Outreach organization.

But that's not all! Two of our extraordinary MiniMonos members, Viper and Calypso were so moved by the plight of the orangutans that they adopted their own orangutans! Last September they adopted Mimi and Momo, seen here. Viper and Calypso have been a part of the MiniMonos community since the beginning, and have shown themselves to be such incredible leaders that they have officially joined the staff!

Contributed to the WWF Tiger Initiative

Just because "MiniMonos" means "Little Monkeys" doesn't mean we only support primates! Another project we got behind was the WWF Tiger Initiative. We partnered with WWF-NZ to sell virtual tiger suits -- and every time a MiniMonos member buys a tiger suit for their online monkey to wear, a donation gets made to the WWF TX2 project to double the wild tiger population by 2022. 

MiniMonos EcoMonkeys completing real-world projects

Of all the ways MiniMonos members have made the world a better place, the MiniMonos EcoMonkey program is probably the one we're most proud of -- because it's driven by the kids themselves, making an extraordinary difference, every day, in their own communities. 

The recently launched MiniMonos EcoMonkey program supports kids to tackle a real-world environmental project and earn virtual rewards on MiniMonos Island. They publish their ‘before’ and ‘after’ photos, explain why they chose their eco-project, and describe how they feel when they have completed it.

One determined US player, MiniJghRocks, campaigned to have a paper recycling program implemented at his school. Although his principals agreed, the superintendent reversed the decision, saying that similar programs in near-by schools had failed due to lack of support from the students. As MiniJghRocks explained: “Since it costs money to recycle (at least where I live) they decided it wasn’t worth the extra funds to put in something that wouldn’t be used. It makes sense right? Well, we then decided to start a petition, to prove that kids would actually use the recycling system!” The result was over 500 student signatures.

MiniJghRocks also enlisted the help of his math teacher to calculate that the amount of paper his school throws away, translated to 1,540 trees cut down per year. He wrote: “Next, we presented to our superintendent, showing him the facts, signatures, and a bit of the EcoMonkey Blog. He sat listening for a while, and [when] we finished, he, in response, also signed our petition!”

On successful implementation of the recycling program at his school, MiniJghRocks described it as: “Awesome! It’s soooo awesome. I feel like I’ve accomplished a lot and have truly changed the world, even if it’s just a little. I’m very happy. It’s just so cool :D” You can read all about MiniJghRocks' EcoMonkey Project here.

Other MiniMonos players have created eco-projects such as switching to eco-light bulbs, up-cycling old clothes to make toys, planting gardens, making useful items out of recycled materials and cleaning rivers and lakes. In all, 34 kids have completed eco-projects so far!

Our aim with the MiniMonos EcoMonkey program is simple: One million kids taking real-world eco-action as a result of playing on MiniMonos.

We're in awe of the way MiniMonos kids are making the world a better place every day, and we hope you are, too. Thanks for supporting us, and them, on this extraordinary journey!

MiniMonos Friday Featured Friend – AED: Ideas Changing Lives.

  Photo by job_earth on Flickr.com

Don’t you love it when you find people on the same page as you? Our Friday Featured Friend this week are working towards a world in which “all individuals have the opportunity to reach their full potential and contribute to the well-being of their family, community, country, and world.”

We’re there too. So this week’s Friday Featured Friend is AED: Ideas Changing Lives.

AED are a nonprofit organization working to improve education, health, social development in more than 150 countries around the world.  

With more that 3,000 staff working on over 300 programs around the world, AED are driven by a “commitment to making a positive difference in the world and in people’s lives, particularly for those who are underserved.”

Making a positive difference is what MiniMonos is all about. We’re a community where kids from all over the world to meet up, chat and play safely. So the work of AED’s Centre for Youth Development and Engagement really resonated with us. 

They’re running Youth Leadership programs, Peace Building programs, and Workforce Skills programs to set youth up for a better future.

Not only are AED doing great work with youth, but their Environment and Energy program also talks the MiniMonos language: it focuses on behavior change related to the problems of sustainable development and environmental protection.

AED have just become the newest member of NetHope, a collaboration of the world's leading international humanitarian organizations working together to solve common problems in the developing world. 

There’s a wealth of info on the AED website so have a look around and check out the great work they’re doing.

Do you have time to keep your child safe online?

 
A couple of nights ago I went to a parent information evening at my son's school about internet safety.  I am in awe of the way his school handles issues in the playground -- it's obvious they've spent a lot of time and resources training their staff -- so I thought I could pick up some extra philosophical tips for our online moderation of MiniMonos.

The young groovy teacher, introduced as a "digital native", was no doubt a whizz on the computer. But I was surprised to find that her advice to parents about online safety was surface level at best, and while there was lively conversation about the issues parents face, there were few useful take-home solutions.

For one thing, we heard the standard: "Parents need to be actively involved in what their kids are doing online". [Cue: parents shifting uncomfortably in their seats] Yep, another thing to add to the daily 'to-do' list, then when not ticked, the 'bad-parent' list.  I have seen this advice repeated frequently in articles on internet safety and it is rarely elaborated on.  What does 'actively involved' mean?  As a parent, am I really supposed to know everything my child does on every game he plays -- every day? So should he stop and explain that the latest game update  means his avatar can now sit down on the beach and he can say "Woohoo!" in the Monkey Fist game? Are you kidding? 

As parents we're also advised to keep the computer in a public family area, to promote online transparency. I totally agree. But let's get real here; I'm racing around cooking dinner, feeding the cat, cleaning up and throwing another load in the washing machine.  I'm not standing behind my son watching, [Cue: Soft focus and violins] as he types cute and funny messages to his friends while we laugh at the computer screen together. Well actually I do do that.  But not as much as I'd like to.

The chances are that you're never going to keep up with every single thing your kids are doing online. So you don't have to feel guilty about that. Here are some realistic tips for non-geeky, time-pressured parents, who want to keep their kids safe online:

• Make an agreement with them about their own internet safety rules, whereby use of the family or their own computer depends on these rules being followed.  Here is an excellent outline agreement from SafeKids.com.

• Kids and tweens need to be on a safe, moderated social network site. This is a site where trained staff review every line of conversation, there are filters in place to prevent offensive language being used and there is a clear and transparent process for moderating behavior.  It's also recommended that parents choose a kids' site which has adult staff who chaperone in-world; sort-of like super-fun teachers on duty. Good kids' sites will have an easily-found page for parents which descibes their safety features. 

• An excellent tool for parents is KidZui.com. This free software provides a safe web browser which you can download onto your computer, allowing your children access only to approved kids' games, social networks and resource sites. It's also quick and easy to install.

• Ensure that when your child signs up to a virtual world or other social network site, they use your email address and you check out the site before approving their membership.  Kids are so savvy now that many have multiple email addresses and usernames on one social network site. By using your own email address it also means that any communications about issues from the staff of that site, come to you.

• On a moderated kids' website, if you have a concern about any behavior or conversation that has occurred involving your child, don't be afraid to ask the community manager for a copy of the chat logs so you can view the conversation yourself.  Every good, safe site should have clear and easy access to staff who can help you. and be willing to share with you what their moderating process is.

Now that you've set your child up safely online, you can go back to racing around getting dinner ready. The great thing is that while the peas are cooking you can [Oooh, hang on...Cue: Violins again] look over their shoulder and ask what on earth they mean as they're typing: "Yo, sup EcoMom! Do your go banana power at Castle Beach on the Avenger server! Lol! {:(])"

Environmental education rocks

After writing my recent story about the benefits from children learning in nature, I have been clued into finding out more about what is happening to encourage children to spend time outdoors. And in my travels, I came across this wonderful video from the No Child Left Inside Coalition. (The NCLI Coalition is a national coalition of over 1600 business, health, youth, faith, recreational, environmental, and educational groups. They represent over 50 million Americans wanting environmental education as part of the school curriculum.)

I love the emphasis in this video on what outdoor learning can do benefit our children (and you can see the joy on the adult teachers' faces too!). The video makes clear links between outdoor learning and better grades, improved critical thinking, and the one all of us moms and dads love -- the best possible opportunity for children to release their pent-up energy. Most fun of all, the video clearly shows the joy children experience from learning while in nature:

I've always found learning is so much easier when I'm outdoors. I remember the glee at school when the teacher would say, "OK girls, it's a sunny day, let's read outside under the willows today". We'd all be out like a shot. The fact that half of us were distracted by grass, leaves, and digging up the soil made it all the more exciting - and interestingly, this rarely bothered the teacher who also relaxed.  Indeed, anything we did that involved learning outdoors was also such a relief, so enlivening, so "real".

And I still see it with my own child. I am one of those parents who says yes to school outings that involve natural visits (yes, even that exhausting hike up a local mountain) because, quite frankly, I love to see that glow of joy on the children's faces. I love watching them roll in the grass and yell at one another that "here comes another cow pad! Duuuuuuck!" What's also fascinating is seeing the relaxed faces of moms and dads too. We huddle in our chat groups, remarking how wonderful it is to see our children running about, yelling with joy, getting dirty, while we don't have to worry. It's that sense of release from daily care that nature instills in all people that I love most.

What are your favorite moments in nature with your children? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

How you can get involved in One Day One Goal

In a previous post I talked about getting involved in One Day One Goal on September 21 for Peace One Day, and I promised that I'd let you know how you can become a part of this as well. It's very easy and definitely worthwhile, so I'll provide a brief rundown here, in the hope that you might be keen to take part too.

And all you need to participate is a ball and a patch of land. Here is how:

1. Get some people together: It could be a match in a major stadium, a local pitch, in the street, on the beach or in your garden at home.
2. Let Peace One Day know about it: log your commitment here or email the One Day One Goal team at web@peaceoneday.org.
3. Play some football: come 21 September, get out there and give it all you’ve got – in the spirit of peace of course!

MiniMonos will be aiming to put together its own team (kids and adults!) and we'll share the photos here after the day. (I'll add updates closer to the time, as it's still a few months away.)

And what I'd really love is for you to share your plans, photos, ideas, etc., about your own match with us on MiniMonos so that we can share the joy with everyone here. Please feel free to leave your comments or any questions in the comments below.

Do you know which way the bus is going?

I couldn't stop laughing at how easy the answer is to this one. Did I get it though?! You bet I didn't! And I feel sheepish knowing that the preschoolers did ...instantly too! Try out this fun, fast test for yourself (if you're having trouble seeing the video, please click here):

How did you do?!

Strengthening the bond between children and nature

I'm a big fan of the Children & Nature Network (C&NN). This network has been inspiring my musings about getting my own child back into nature more often, as well as thinking about the bigger picture -- I still struggle with the realities that growing up as a farm child, I had a far freer, more natural upbringing than my own child does, even with all my attempts to fit on his rapidly outgrown hiking boots every summer!

One initiative of C&NN's that I've learned about recently is the Natural Leader's Network. The Natural Leaders Network empowers a worldwide youth movement to strengthen the bond between children and nature. Launched in 2008, it's aimed at encouraging young leaders to take decisive action against nature-deficit disorder. I find it immensely wonderful that this encourages youth to take the helm in getting children back into nature -- it's a win-win situation for all participants, from leadership skills to learning fun!

What is so fantastic about C&NN is how it enables us, whether we're parents, grandparents, community leaders, teachers, or any concerned adult, by giving us the tools, the networking support, and the encouragement to get our own and our community's children involved in nature activities.

You can become involved in C&NN more broadly, or share the information on the Natural Leaders Network with your teens or young adults, by:

• Signing up to C&NN
• Suggesting to young people you know that they might like to join the Natural Leaders Network
• Downloading the Nature Clubs for Families Tookit (it's so cool!)
• Reading the C&NN blog Field Notes from the Future 
• Browsing through all the C&NN site for inspiration and ideas.

The toolkits provided by C&NN are just great. They are like a road map to figure out how to get started, and they give you plenty of neat ideas and examples for building your own Network or Family Nature Club. And if you do anything that you want to share with others, to give them ideas and inspiration, you can list your nature activities and they'll appear on a map on the site!

I've joined up and I'm looking forward to learning more and getting my family and our local children more active by using the C&NN suggestions.

What are some of the nature activities you like doing the most with your children? Please share your thoughts in the comments.

Nature -- that big thing outdoors

The momentum for getting children back to nature is growing, and with good reason too. It's estimated the average American child spends 44 hours a week interacting with electronic media, and children in the United States are spending fifty percent less time outdoors than children of twenty years ago. With the odds stacked in favor of remaining indoors, whether for safety, health, or convenience reasons, the lure of indoors has become all too tempting in recent decades.

Even when we allow the children some outdoor time, it seems we’re still shaping the outdoors with our modern thirst to conquer its potential for harm. We build playgrounds covering the soil, we fence off anything that looks slightly adventurous, and we rule climbing trees or sliding down mud banks as out of bounds.

The problem with an excess of indoor play and playground play is… structure. We are very good at structured play environments. Structure is controllable, assessable, and easily cleaned. It is familiar, and it is one-size-fits-all. Hence, it's a comfort zone – parents, teachers, guardians, and anyone else seen as responsible for children can breathe a sigh of relief that the children are “safe” and are meeting “developmental milestones”. No need for encouraging resourcefulness and getting dirty, it’s all sorted.

And it’s complicated. As parents or guardians we’re expected to conform to one gazillion ways to parent responsibly, to raise bright, career-ready children. As teachers, we’re asked to implement the programs tested by a multitude of unseen experts because "they" say it works. As carers, we’re told one graze and the lawsuit falls.

It’s hardly surprising that in an age of expert-awe, we respond by swaddling our children well beyond the crib. Yet, in removing nature from our lives, we replace it with hazards of our own making. Every time we place our children into our speeding metal projectiles that guzzle gas, we take a risk – of accidents, of leaving our climate so irreparably changed that the future world could be inhospitable. Every time we give our children a cell phone to “keep in touch”, we risk unknown health impacts. Every time we spray germicides, pesticides, fungicides, and wipe away all those “harmful” germs, we’re taking a risk of introducing carcinogens or depleting the immune system’s capacity to cope on its own. Oddly these human made risks have become the heroes of the story of "progress", while nature has become the villain, a part of life to be excluded, sped through, strangled, and depleted.

Yet, nature remains very much a necessary part of our lives, a connecting force we need to be fully healthy and fulfilled. And while being in nature can have its hazards, we increase the potential for danger by not learning about nature, not experiencing it with all of our five senses, and most of all, by not passing on age-old knowledge that helps humans to thrive in nature.

So, it’s good to know that we're noticing what's amiss at last. There’s a growing realization that messing in mud is good, that discovering nature fills a child's world with delight, and that immune systems can strengthen from contact with nature. Nurturing our children's biophilia is starting to be recognized as a need as great as healthy nutrition, warm clothing, and good education. The Children & Nature Network is actively encouraging and supporting people and organizations worldwide who are doing their bit to restore nature in children’s lives (and we love their efforts). And even Hollywood is keen to encourage children back outdoors: Dreamworks Animation SKG has loaned Shrek to the USDA Forest Service and Ad Council with a campaign to encourage children back into nature (you can watch the brief video here):

Without a doubt, it’s vital to restore our children’s sense of and love for nature. And in unfurling our children from their indoor cocoon, as we gingerly step back into what most of humanity has known full well, what does this say about us? Are we reawakening dormant adults who have forgotten what it is like to be outdoors in nature, to stick our hands in oozing mud, and to have eureka moments lying on the ground watching sunlight through leaves? How did we reach this point of needing reminders that it’s okay to go back into the “big thing outdoors”? These are questions of our time... and our children are waiting for the answers.

Celebrating the awesomeness of MiniMonos kids on World Environment Day

Artwork by Hippo

It’s World Environment Day, making it the perfect time to celebrate the awesomeness of your children who play on MiniMonos. They have shown us so much awesomeness this past year, sharing their love for the environment and demonstrating their commitment to making our world a more sustainable, caring place to live, both through their many wonderful ideas and their activities. And most of all, we've simply adored their caring, kind and supportive interactions, which have proven to us what a wonderful generation we're seeing growing up today.

So, we're providing a snapshot of your children's terrific energy as our way of honoring both World Environment Day and the children who not only make MiniMonos such a great place, but who are also actively ensuring that tomorrow's world is going to be a truly sustainable one. And here are just some of the things that your caring, kindhearted, clever, generous, innovative, and fantastic children on MiniMonos have been showing and teaching us all:

•   Eco-actions - walking the talk:

• Recycling in abundance by Viper
• Eco finding beach trash with his mom Andrea
• Emini collecting beach trash during Seaweek, including 1800 cigarette butts from the beach
• Foxie3000 getting stuck into edible gardening and the Cousinettes making a raised garden bed
• Percy's Pick-Up Trash Fridays, from which we've learned that the children have visited a recycling center (Viper, Calypso), cleaned up the school with the class (BetaMonkey), cleaned up the whole street (MiniJoy) and are regularly picking up trash (PurpleTanya, MiniPenguitt and many others)!
• Planting trees (Justbananas)
• Supporting Earth Hour, Earth Day, and the adoption of a baby orangutan by MiniMonos
• Geek's World Environment Day competition (Geek says: "In this contest, you need to show us that you have done an act that is good for the environment... It needs to relate to the environment, and it has to be positive!")

• We've been privileged to see the most amazing artwork from the children, in a contest started by Percy. The children showed both their artistic talents and their love of the environment at the same time. And the resulting artwork was just stunning. We've also had other creative efforts, including recycling logos designed for Percy's Pick-Up Trash Fridays (won by Ivax), and Panda's envelope art skills.

• We have been delighted by seeing the children's generosity of spirit. For instance, Percy donated his own pocket money for the prize that accompanied the artwork contest mentioned above. And Viper purchased a Top Banana membership just to be able to hold a Go Green competition and award the prize to another player! And the children continue to hold their own self-initiated contests to encourage green actions, such as the World Environment Day contest mentioned earlier and the acrostic poetry giveaway seen here in this image. Seeing such generosity of spirit and action in children fills us with so much joy, knowing that the future is in the hands of children with such big hearts.

• We've been totally blown away by the children's repeated supportiveness for one another. They don't hesitate to congratulate each other for achievements in MiniMonos games, for blog posts, and in their offsite  eco-pursuits too. And they help one another with suggestions and ideas all the time. Often you'll see this supportiveness not only within the game itself, but also in their delightful comments left after blog posts.

• Speaking of blog posts, we're so proud of our monkey bloggers (moggers), the children who take the time to write their own amazing posts on the MiniMonos children's blog and to create their own blogs and cheat sites (cheats meaning "solutions" to the games, not cheating!). They've written on a wide range of topics from monkeys to each other. We love the comments they leave for one another too. For example: "Viper you're a great and loving person, I wish you the best at everything you do ... Thank you for everything you've done for this community and thank you for all the efforts you have put into this MiniMonos site, I really appreciate you a lot!" (Panda). We see these incredibly caring comments all the time, so we feel spoiled!

• The friendliness of the children is simply inspiring. When asked what he likes about the site, Justbananas said that "All the other players try and make friends with me. They listen to what I have to say. And they always go to my treehouse." Speaking about Viper, Panda says: "She always leaves compliments and great remarks about other players on MiniMonos, as well as on their blogs and fan sites. Viper has helped out so many new and senior monkeys ... she is very nice and friendly to everyone. No matter who you are, she will always be there to help you out and lend her hand to those that are in need." And one mogger so humble as to remain as "Unknown monkey" (we love humble!) said about Cade77: "Lots of monkeys are really nice and helpful with everyone, and there is one monkey who really shines out from the crowd to me!  This monkey has been around MiniMonos since alpha and is always helpful and friendly to everyone!" When the children are commenting on the friendliness, we know it's both genuine and heartwarming -- we've just loved seeing these caring things the children are saying about one another.

• And we've been moved intensely by how the children have grasped the giving back nature of MiniMonos. Viper told us: "Thank you everyone for all you guys have done on MiniMonos and put the time and your heart in the game to make it the best it can be for everyone along with helping unfortunate kids in India and to give them hope! :D These recent updates really showed me more about how charitable the game is and helpful, not like a regular virtual world game where we would just play and the money is mainly to keep the game running. I love the whole clean water supply for kids in India and can't wait to see the adopted orangutan baby!" This enthusiasm for helping others just blows us away!

We've been in awe of the many ways in which the children have celebrated their love of the environment and shared the messages of sustainability, love for animals, and care for each other. We've been tickled pink by their teaching us how to make MiniMonos more and more their place, as well as their preparedness to keep trying new things. For example, we love this comment from Panda: "I am not a big fan of games, but I do like the lagoon game where I pick all the trash from the lagoon. I love seeing new life every day as I help make the lagoon cleaner." Their curiosity about the world has fed into our MiniMonos TV show and the MiniMonos Twitcam, where we've shared stories about pets, monkeys, and answered the many questions the children have.

This snapshot has only touched the surface of the kindness, generosity, and dedication of your children on MiniMonos - the awesomeness continues all the time. We love learning from the children, always. And we'd like to finish up our tribute to your children on MiniMonos this World Environment Day by saying that with all this awesomeness from the MiniMonos children, the planet's in safe hands -- all we need to do is to keep listening, learning, and following up their lead. Best Bananas and Happy World Environment Day everyone!

Friday Featured Friend -- Peace One Day

 
“It is the peoples of this world who can create peace.” Ahmad Fawzi

Peace One Day is our Friday featured friend we’re honoured to introduce you to this week. Peace One Day was launched in 1999 when filmmaker Jeremy Gilley sought to have a calendar date fixed for an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence. He succeeded - within two years 192 member states of the United Nations unanimously adopted 21 September as an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace, known as Peace Day. Peace Day is not only about creating peace between nations - it’s also about non-violence in our homes, communities, and schools, making Peace Day relevant to every human being on the planet. Here is a short introduction about its beginnings:

A non-profit organization, Peace One Day remains impartial and independent of any government, political persuasion, corporation, or religious creed. It seeks to engage all sectors of society, including governments, organizations of the United Nations system, NGOs, and individuals with the aim of encouraging action that will create a united and sustainable world.

Peace Day has had some amazing highlights celebrating the 21 September occasion over the past decade. Steadily the message  about celebrating Peace Day is spreading to all corners of the Earth. Jeremy Gilley is now firmly focused on reaching out to “3 billion people with the message of Peace Day by 2012", and says that "ultimately it is your support that will help make it a reality."

The most important message the team behind Peace One Day wanted to pass on to us is that they’d dearly love for all of you to become involved in Peace Day this year, and beyond: "We are trying to get as many commitments as possible on our website and have a mass participation around the world, especially from young people and children." They have made it easy to become a part by providing an action portal on their website where you can sign up and make your own commitment. In addition, if you can tell others to join up too, it will help get as many commitments as possible, bringing us all closer to a peaceful world.

We asked Peace One Day for an example of making a commitment and the team explained to us that one super way to become involved is through the One Day One Goal football (soccer) campaign. Through this campaign, and with the support of Puma.Peace, Peace One Day is taking a beautiful game that so many people love to spread the message of Peace Day by encouraging football matches in all 192 member states of the United Nations, and beyond, on 21 September! The reason for this is simple: these matches have the ability to unite people from different communities and different cultures who would never normally play together. Since this call to action covers a number of things dear to our own heart here at MiniMonos – promoting peace, getting outdoors and being active, having fun with friends, and being involved in community - MiniMonos has decided to take up this commitment too – we’ll provide a separate update later explaining more about how you can have your own football or soccer game in honor of Peace Day.

Peace One Day does a great deal to involve and enthuse children with the peace initiatives, something we are really thrilled about. Jeremy believes very strongly in educating the next generation about peace, and how children can change the world. He has visited a lot of schools and has even held “Skype” visits to talk directly with students. As well as Jeremy’s direct involvement with young people, Peace One Day provides a lot of free educational resources on the site, with the aim of helping today’s children become tomorrow’s peacemakers. The lesson plans have been created with the goal in mind of getting resources to teach about peace into every school in the world. The multimedia resources are designed to enable students to develop a sense of perspective in relation to our multicultural and interdependent world, and include reflective group and individual activities and development of critical thinking skills, all using modern technology. The principal hope behind these lessons is to awaken the students' awareness of Peace Day and to understand just how they too, as global citizens, have an active role to play in ensuring peace.

The future of Peace One Day includes continuing to liaise with organizations and individuals keen to expand the pathways to peace, using film to spread the message of peace, educating students worldwide, using football to bring peace, holding inspirational live events, and ultimately, continuing to focus on every single one of us to believe in and act on the message of creating a peaceful world. We’ve signed up the MiniMonos team and we’ll be sharing with you over the coming months the ways we're committing to a peaceful world, with the hope our actions might inspire you too. We'd like to thank Patrick Thompson of Peace One Day for helping us to share the Peace Day story with you.

You can find more information at:

• Peace One Day website
• Taking action for Peace Day
• Educational resources
• One Day One Goal
• Twitter
  
• Facebook