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Joined: Aug 28, 2002
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Country: Australia
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Human Development Curriculum
December 24, 2002 - 07:47 AM
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<FONT>RE: Draft Proposal to the United Nations
for the introduction of the
‘Human Development Curriculum’</FONT>
<ALIGN>
To whom it may concern,
The following is a draft proposal that I will be submitting for consideration and review,
firstly to the United Nations, and then to all of the relevant departments within member states
that come under the jurisdiction of the United Nations. This proposal describes and advocates
the introduction of a compulsory subject, the working title of which shall be the
‘Human Development Curriculum’, which will be undertaken by all students, from years one to
twelve, in all countries that come under the jurisdiction of the United Nations.
The proposal is dived into three sections:
1. Why is the Human Development Curriculum needed?
2. The content of the Human Development Curriculum.
3. The benefits of the Human Development Curriculum.
Firstly however, I will give some background on the proposal and the conditions for its
creation, as well as a brief introduction to the content of the proposal, some of which will be
repeated in the proposal itself.
The impetus for this proposal, simply, is my personal response to the current global situation
and my desire to implement a plan of action that will aid in allowing humanity to experience a
more harmonious existence.
For a long time it seems there has been a battle between the lower forces within humanity that
cause war, dishonesty, distrust, inequality, hate, fear and inefficiency, and those that
display the nobler aspects of our humanity and create the opposite conditions. The most
observable outcomes of such noble conduct are seen when we treat each other with respect and
love and when we realize, and act on, our desire to join forces to achieve a common goal.
Whilst there has always been, and continues to be, many demonstrations of our nobler human
qualities on an individual, organizational and governmental level, it seems that such
activities always face strong opposition. This opposition comes not from a directly engaged
disagreement between differing schools of thought but rather, to put it simply, the
consequences of negative actions that lessen, and in some cases cancel out, the consequences of
primarily positive actions. Such activities threaten to destroy all evidence of the noble
things that can be achieved by humanity.
I, and of course many others, feel a sense of frustration at this predicament. It is
frustrating to constantly feel as though one is fighting a loosing battle, or at least one that
is heavily stacked against us, when the answers to this predicament seem so easily accessible.
With the formation of the United Nations, and the creation of the Declaration of Human Rights,
it seemed that at last an answer had been found and agreed on by a majority of humanity. In
the history of humanity it was a rare thing indeed. I still believe the United Nations and the
values that are advocated in The Declaration of Human Rights contain the solution to many of
today’s ills.
However, without widespread awareness of, and implementation and adherence to, the content of
this declaration, it mainly exists as the documentation of a utopian theory. I do not believe
that this is the designed fate of the United Nations or the Declaration of Human Rights. It is
ignorant to believe however, that in times of inter-national and intra-national distrust, fear
and apathy, the values inherent in the declaration will suddenly arise within an individual at
the moment of reaching adulthood.
Obviously the foundation of the way a person thinks and acts comes from those values and
influences that are embedded within the education they receive when they are young. This
education comes from their family, friends, community and formal and non-formal learning
institutions. For the majority of the ‘developed’ world the majority of such education is
received through educational institutions where children spend the majority of their first 20
years on earth. If only judging by the time spent in such institutions, it is clear that such
educational systems have the primary responsibility of being the place where a child is taught
how to live in this world. Whilst family still remains the most important way for a child to
learn, it is the formal educational environment that is the testing ground for the behavior
they are exposed to by their family. It is the formal educational institute that allows their
first, and most lasting, impressions of ‘reality’ to be formed, and consequently, where they
discover how they will engage, respond and contribute to this reality.
With this in mind I find it incredulous that whilst Mathematics, Science, English and Sports are
made compulsory learning within current conventional educational systems, skills absolutely
vital for the harmonious existence of humanity do not exist, or at most are being introduced as
elective subjects. The skills that I refer to include those needed for basic human interaction
and conflict resolution that, amongst other things, would make it possible, not only for
religious and racial tolerance, but for religious and racial acceptance and gratitude. Is it
any wonder that we often find war the only alternative in resolving disputes when we have
received no training in such basic human interaction?
Whilst the importance and need for attaining adequate inter-personal communication is clearly
demonstrated on the news everyday, so also is the need for internal communication - for
knowledge of the self, and the way that this discovered self may exist in, and contribute to,
society. The drug problem is one area that displays the effects of a circumstance where
individuality and talent are not recognized, encouraged or practiced.
Therefore the proposed curriculum includes providing the student with access to talent and
enterprise facilitation, identification, and development. Whilst allowing the individual to
feel direction, passion, purpose and happiness, and therefore avoid the consequences of
detachment from their unique faculties, it will also contribute to greater productivity,
diversity, strength and safety in our communities. Such a curriculum would benefit both the
individual and society, as well as joining creativity and business, notions often viewed as
polar opposites containing conflicting priorities.
By specifying some of the key areas of the proposed curriculum, including,
- Raising awareness and implementation of, and adherence to, the values and code of
conduct inherent in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights
- The need for training in basic human interaction, communication and conflict resolution
- The need for talent and enterprise facilitation, identification and development
I hope that I have conveyed to you the nature of the proposal and the change that would take
place if implemented.
I invite all who read this letter and accompanying proposal to respond with new ideas,
suggestions, comments or ways they would like to contribute to this effort, and look forward to
working with those who will embark on making this proposal a reality.
Regards,
Robin Wyllie
Australia.
P.S.
This letter will be forwarded on to well-known professionals that I believe will be supportive
of its contents. They will come from various areas including the arts, environment, social and
economic development, and local, national and international government.
If you feel the need I encourage you to forward it on to others who may be interested in
becoming involved in this effort on any level.
<FONT>
<TT>
<FONT>
Draft Proposal to the United Nations
for the introduction of the
‘Human Development Curriculum’
</FONT>
Robin Wyllie
December 2002
<FONT>
CONTENTS
1. Why is the Human Development Curriculum needed?
2. The content of the Human Development Curriculum.
3. The benefits of the Human Development Curriculum.
</FONT>
<FONT>Part One
Why is the Human Development
Curriculum needed?
</FONT>
For a long time it seems there has been a battle between the lower forces within humanity that
cause war, dishonesty, distrust, inequality, hate, fear and inefficiency, and those that
display the nobler aspects of our humanity and create the opposite conditions. The most
observable outcomes of such noble conduct are seen when we treat each other with respect and
love and when we realize, and act on, our desire to join forces to achieve a common goal.
Whilst there has always been, and continues to be, many demonstrations of our nobler human
qualities on an individual, organizational and governmental level, it seems that such
activities always face strong opposition. This opposition comes not from a directly engaged
disagreement between differing schools of thought but rather, to put it simply, the
consequences of negative actions that lessen, and in some cases cancel out, the consequences of
primarily positive actions. Such activities threaten to destroy all evidence of the noble
things that can be achieved by humanity.
I, and of course many others, feel a sense of frustration at this predicament. It is
frustrating to constantly feel as though one is fighting a loosing battle, or at least one that
is heavily stacked against us, when the answers to this predicament seem so easily accessible.
With the formation of the United Nations, and the creation of the Declaration of Human Rights,
it seemed that at last an answer had been found and agreed on by a majority of humanity. In
the history of humanity it was a rare thing indeed. I still believe the United Nations and the
values that are advocated in The Declaration of Human Rights contain the solution to many of
today’s ills.
However, without widespread awareness of, and implementation and adherence to, the content of
this declaration, it mainly exists as the documentation of a utopian theory. I do not believe
that this is the designed fate of the United Nations or the Declaration of Human Rights. It is
ignorant to believe however, that in times of inter-national and intra-national distrust, fear
and apathy, the values inherent in the declaration will suddenly arise within an individual at
the moment of reaching adulthood.
Obviously the foundation of the way a person thinks and acts comes from those values and
influences that are embedded within the education they receive when they are young. This
education comes from their family, friends, community and formal and non-formal learning
institutions. For the majority of the ‘developed’ world the majority of such education is
received through educational institutions where children spend the majority of their first 20
years on earth. If only judging by the time spent in such institutions, it is clear that such
educational systems have the primary responsibility of being the place where a child is taught
how to live in this world. Whilst family still remains the most important way for a child to
learn, it is the formal educational environment that is the testing ground for the behavior
they are exposed to by their family. It is the formal educational institute that allows their
first, and most lasting, impressions of ‘reality’ to be formed, and consequently, where they
discover how they will engage, respond and contribute to this reality.
With this in mind I find it incredulous that whilst Mathematics, Science, English and Sports
are made compulsory learning within current conventional educational systems, skills absolutely
vital for the harmonious existence of humanity do not exist, or at most are being introduced as
elective subjects. The skills that I refer to include those needed for basic human interaction
and conflict resolution that, amongst other things, would make it possible, not only for
religious and racial tolerance, but for religious and racial acceptance and gratitude.
Is it any wonder that we often find war the only alternative in resolving disputes when we
have received no training in such basic human interaction?
Whilst the importance and need for attaining adequate inter-personal communication is clearly
demonstrated on the news everyday, so also is the need for internal communication - for
knowledge of the self, and the way that this discovered self may exist in, and contribute to,
society. The drug problem is one area that displays the effects of a circumstance where
individuality and talent are not recognized, encouraged or practiced.
Therefore the proposed curriculum includes providing the student with access to talent and
enterprise facilitation, identification and development. Whilst allowing the individual to
feel direction, passion, purpose and happiness, and therefore avoid the consequences of
detachment from their unique faculties, it will also contribute to greater productivity,
diversity, strength and safety in our communities. Such a curriculum would benefit both the
individual and society, as well as joining creativity and business, notions often viewed as
polar opposites containing conflicting priorities.
<FONT>
Part Two
The content of the
Human Development Curriculum.
</FONT>
As mentioned earlier in this proposal, there are three key areas that would form the content of
the Human Development Curriculum. They are:
- Raising awareness and implementation of, and adherence to, the values and code of conduct
inherent in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights.
- The need for training in basic human interaction, communication and conflict resolution.
- The need for talent and enterprise facilitation, identification, encouragement and
development.
The specifics of educating in such areas would consequently involve the curriculum containing
the relevant accompanying material. Some areas that I believe to be of key importance in
relation to this are:
- Education in different religions and spiritual movements. The emphasis would be on the
similarities between beliefs and ways in which they can harmoniously exist beside each other.
- Education in the importance of recognizing racism, sexism and other forms of prejudices that
currently exist in the world and the importance of moving on, as a society, from such
detrimental and inhumane beliefs.
- Education of the long lasting effects that abuse in any form, be it physical, sexual or
verbal, has on children. Education designed to stop such abuse from occurring, including the
acceptance of abuse as parental discipline.
- Education and investigation designed to hasten the introduction of sustainable energy
resources and sustainable practices. Investigation into how the change can be made without
adversely affecting those who currently rely on environmentally damaging practices for their
livelihood.
- Education to increase the practice of an accepted code of conduct that embodies honesty and
a respect for others.
Other areas include an increased emphasis on creativity and the multitude of therapeutic
benefits that such individual expression and exploration can give to the individual and
society, including a reduction in drug use and related crime.
I believe that it would be adequate for this subject to be held twice a week, each class
running for a two-hour duration. As the needs, responsibilities, desires and abilities of
children at different year levels are different, so to would the subject be made appropriate for
each year level. Therefore younger children would be able to engage in creative,
non-threatening activities that contained relevant educational, moral and expressive content
and had an emphasis on creativity and nurturing relationships. As children moved through the
year levels however they would be exposed to organizational, business, and conflict resolution
issues, and a code of conduct and form of education that would enhance the content of all these
areas and contain immediate relevance in their lives.
<FONT>
Part Three
The benefits of the
Human Development Curriculum.
</FONT>
The benefits of the introduction of the Human Development Curriculum have been suggested
throughout this proposal. However, in order to see the working process of some areas within
the curriculum, the table below shows an example of a simplified projection of the subject
area, its content, the process and method involved in engaging students with it, and some
examples of the outcomes for both the individual and society. It is provided to give an
example of how the benefits of such a curriculum can be measured and not to provide specific
details.
<TABLE>
<TR>
<TD>Curriculum Area</TD>
<TD>What's Involved</TD>
<TD>Outcome</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<FONT>
Personal talent and enterprise facilitation, recognition, encouragement and development.
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
Tools and mentorship aimed at providing the student with access to these services.
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
Individual fulfillment, greater society productivity, reduced crime and drug problem.
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<FONT>
Interpersonal and inter-group relations.
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
Education on differing religious and spiritual beliefs and the fostering of an awareness of
common goals and mutual respect.
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
More harmonious and efficient society.
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<FONT>
Environmental Issues
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
Education in current issues and investigation of possible solutions.
</FONT>
</TD>
<TD>
<FONT>
Sustainable living.
</FONT>
</TD>
</TR>
</TABLE>
This proposal contains a greater range of subject areas than indicated in the above table, the
benefits of which all could be seen within such a simplistic model. The next phase of this
proposals development however will include the construction of a proposal that provides greater
specificity in regard to subject content and the details involved in the implementation of this
proposal. I have chosen to only provide the simplistic detail within the table above as I am
waiting to see what the results of collaborative meetings with others involved in this project
will reveal in relation to the eventual content of the proposed curriculum.
<FONT>
Conclusion
</FONT>
It is my hope that this document has conveyed to you the impetus, nature and intention of the
Human Development Curriculum and the change that would take place if implemented. I believe
that we have the ability to make such a change, and that the circumstances are appropriate for
this change. I believe it is time for humanity to receive, acknowledge and put into practice
a way of living within this world that displays the noble qualities that we possess.
I invite all who read this proposal to respond with new ideas, suggestions, comments or ways
they would like to contribute to this effort, and look forward to working with those who will
embark on making this proposal a reality.
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