Children say NO to war, violence and terrorism

Kids have great spirit and only lose it as they grow up after being put down repeatedly. 

  It takes young blood to change anything.

thanks azzay! such meetings happen four times a year. also an annual two-day children's conference and campaign activities throughout the year to teach social-activism against violence of all kinds and apathy are preparing them to become just and peaceful citizens.

thanks paschen and sara. hopefully, they should continue in the same vein...or at least some will!

They seem to be genuine and not hypocritical unless some machiavellian politician is not behind the gathering and they are independent and a new force and offer sound reason and philosophy against violence, exploitation and terrorism.

tallison, be rest assured, no machiavellian politician behind them! the organisation that runs this membership network for children works with formal schools and has been around for over 13 years now teaching what you have enumerated above.

moonwolf, thanks. yes, these children ought to!

This is an important event - it really all starts with the children doesn't it?

Good piece.

thanks amy! i agree whole-heartedly.

Thanks for showing us this bright ray of hope.

Wonderful story! Thanks for sharing!

And the children will not lead us.

I went to Quaker school and was imbued with this philosophy, one of civil disobedience. We read "On Walden Pond" in sixth grade. I admire greatly Thoreau, Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr.

But that ain't enough. The question of the Golden Rule is relatively easy to answer when it comes to what constitutes doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, and the others intend to reciprocate.There are always gray areas, but there is wide agreement in Western democracies as to how to behave.

The problem is when others have no intention of doing unto you as you would do unto them. Then you have to fight for your rights using the appropriate methods as discerned by conscience and reason.

And, you have to have the guts to stand your ground. Reason and conscience are already difficult to possess and nurture. Keeping your commitment to reason and conscience when the group is against you is very difficult indeed.

I should furnish an example.

I am not against the use of so-called light drugs such as cannabis, and I also think that heroin users should register and get the drug for little money as it is actually not costly to provide.

But, meth and other drugs such as cocaine, I am firmly against their use. We have a border with Mexico that is essentially unguarded and drugs are relatively easily smuggled across that border.

The profits from this, along with human trafficking, provide groups, drug cartels with enormous fortunes and they use all that money and power to exercise their sociopath policies, their slaughter of those who oppose them. We hear of this every day. Italy had a problem and still has a problem of long-standing. All countries do to some extent.

Thinking that "non-violence" is going to change this situation is completely utopian and counter-productive.

Another example would be the Wahabi schools or any other where children were taught to hate others. How to respond to the promises of Paradise for  jihadists, suicide bombers and the like?

You cannot just include everyone. Some self-exclude and need to be opposed using armed force if necessary.

Our national hero 'Jose Rizal' said, "The children are our future".

But these children don't even have future of there own... How can they carry the weight of the next generation's hope for a better tomorrow? They themselves don't even have a better tomrrow. '''''Perhaps, the children may gathered the fruit of what the father planted....

Thanks very much! Rumana'  for your great report!  :D

The Pakistanis should try and make peace with India first. That would say something.

Muslim children in Pakistan expressing solidarity with Gaza and not Gaza and Israel. That is a sham.

Sorry. I don't buy it.

Thanks for wonderful and welcoming story,  Rumana.

thank you for your comments Roy. these children are supporting those hundreds of other children who are war victims. these children will support all such children...jews, hindus, christians, buddhists, muslims. children being used as soldiers, children being killed by indiscriminate bombings. children should not be made to pay for the wrongs (or whatever) of adults.

thank you Barbara, Pat Garcia, Danesller and Pythiian for your visit and comments.

May these children never change their position on war, terrorism and violence.  May they always say NO!

The ICC, the International Court of Justice, in the Hague, was set-up specifically to prosecute and bring to justice those responsible for the worst crimes - genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes - committed anywhere in the world.  The court has been signed and ratified by over 100 countries globally, including the UK, Germany, France, Poland, Canada, Australia etc – although the US, Iran and Israel are amongst those who have signed but not yet ratified.

Notwithstanding this, if evidence is confirmed that the Israeli army deliberately or knowingly killed unarmed civilians, including hundreds of children and dozens of women – then the European Union should initiate steps to have arrest warrants issued against the two Israeli ministers responsible for the military action in Gaza, i.e. EHUD OLMERT and EHUD BARAK.

In such an eventuality, these two persons should be brought before the ICC to answer charges of war crimes against the people of Gaza. The fact that Israel has signed a comprehensive agreement of co-operation with the European Union, (the EU-Israel Association Agreement), gives the EU the right – and indeed the duty – to take action to bring any such persons suspected of war crimes before the World Court. 

What about the members of Hamas who shoot rockets, "deliberately targeting the population" and what about one Osama bin-Laden? Wouldn't he qualify as someone who had deliberately targeted civilians in an act of war?

Why would it be I never see these ideas bandied about?

brother rob, emirates-uk (not verified), thanks for your comments.

cypresso, thanks for your kind comment.

What I really would like to see as an additive to the wishes of these youngsters is a similar children movement in Israel to inform the government there about children wishes for peace in the middle east.

It would seem that children can have great power when pointed in the correct direction to air their complaints.

I hope that the word solidarity does not get muddle up with support for the Palestinian Government of which is just as at fault as the Israeli government. Both need to talk and find a final peaceful solution so both parties can live in an acceptable peace that benifits both muslim a jew. Children need to shout and be heard they are the next generation of world citizens soon it will be their world hopefully they will do a much better job.

thank you for your visit and comment, babel-fish. yes, it would be really good if similar children's movements happen not only in israel but all over the world, including palestine and zimbabwe!

Im one of those kids! Im their National Student Council Member! I was so excited to see this article. I was also present at this meeting, it was very inspirational, especially the sight of the school for the deaf. The teacher who translates for them is very highly respected in the Right On Network. Anyway, im really happy to see this article! I love the Right On Network and everything about it! Im just so happy to be helping fellow humans!And its a great honour to be one of the seven national student council members.Love, Maria. 

maria kazmi (not verified)...you are no kid! (just kidding!) you and the other right-on members are doing a great job and going in the right direction whereas adults are responsible for all the wrong things happening around us. just don't give up even after you grow up! and yes, the hearing and speech impaired right-on members have also been extremely participative in several campaigns. thank you for your comment.

terrorism is the symptom of world war III.