the book - Comenius by Laura Burcus

NATIONAL COLLEGE OCTAV ONICESCU BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS A COMMON GROUND

Editura Dexon, Bucureşti

Toate drepturile pentru aceastã versiune aparţin Colegiul Naţional Octav Onicescu Informaţii, comenzi ramburs, comenzi pentru editare şi tipărire de cărţi şi broşuri OP 76, CP 161, Bucureşti, 062590 Tel./Fax 0214341750; Email dexonoffice@yahoo.ro www.aldopress.ro www.onlinebiospa.com

Descrierea CIP a Bibliotecii Naţionale a României Between religions and ethics: a common ground: cours book Final product of the comenius project 2010-2012 / Colegiul Naţional Octav Onicescu.- Bucureşti: Dexon, 2012 ISBN 978-973-701-153-4 2 17

NATIONAL COLLEGE OCTAV ONICESCU

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS A COMMON GROUND

COURSE BOOK Final product of the Comenius Project 2010-2012

Authors

“Octav Onicescu” National College - the coordinating school – Bucharest, ROMANIA (Tania Nicolau, Laura Burcus)

Instituto de Enseñanza Secundaria IES Santa Clara – Santander, SPAIN (Eliseo Rabadan, Gema Gutierrez) Yahya Turan Anadolu Öğretmen Lisesi, Reyhanlı, Hatay – TURKEY (Nihal Sen, Ahmet Hamdi Bozkaya)

ZESPÓŁ SZKÓŁ NR 31 IM. JANA KILINSKIEGO – Warszawa, POLAND (Maria Witomska-Rynkowska, Florentyna Jarocka Jerinte Ou Gerente) Pencho Slaveikov Comprehensive School No.1 – Sofia, BULGARIA (Lorita Zaharieva, Veselka Tepavicharova)

Argument

This course material is a product resulting from the activities of the Comenius project "Between Religion and Ethics - A Common Ground", developed over a period of two years (20102012) in the National College "Octav Onicescu" in Bucharest (coordinator school ) and with the partner schools in Spain, Poland, Turkey and Bulgaria. The subject project is generous: any religious system that we believe, moral rules by which we lead are the same, because, in fact, social laws are based on major religious principles, common to all the major monotheistic religions of the world. Trying to find similarity with the students of religious and ethical rules underlying the Universal Declaration of Human Rights through interreligious dialogue and intercultural awareness, the project seeks similarities between people, beyond the territorial boundaries, strengthening European cooperation. Also, the project seeks to promote cultural diversity, drawing attention to fundamental values common ethical and religious support of Fundamental Rights. Recognizing that interreligious dialogue is deppending on respect for human rights, the project aims to establish a moral matrix in accordance with European values. Developing cross-cultural communication, we will enhance social cohesion and solidarity, both within each culture (the countries participating in the project) and amongst the partner countries. This would lead to recognition of equal rights, respect, tolerance, and equal access to opportunities for each, for a stronger European cooperation. The book is divided into three sections: Methodological Highlights, Research Work and Studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Creative Work, respecting the project themes. The information it contains is, we believe, a particularly rich and original basic data on mythology, customs, religious precepts, moral rules and anti-discrimination legislation in

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each of the participating countries. Are also illustrated the most important figures originate from the five partner countries of the project, which essentially contributed to world culture. As written in English, the language of communication of the project, work will be useful long as teachers and students from all participating institutions, as touches many areas of study: philosophy, history, languages, cultures and civilizations of ancient and modern English, ICT, Romanian and universal literature, sociology, religion, geography. The book can be found at the library schools and it could be a starting point for other cultural and sociological studies and European projects. ________________________________________

Objectives of the project:

*To develop the sense of European identity, through searching out the common religious, ethical and cultural values in every school involved in the project; *To understand the connection between fundamental human rights (as individual rights) and cultural rights (of different cultures and religions), as a base for tolerance and respect; *To establish a moral matrix according to the EU values through interactive teaching; *To develop the project topics by improving language, communication and technological skills through ICT tools of both students and teachers; ________________________________________

Subjects

1.Precepts of my ancestors in Prehistory, their myths and cultures, polytheistic religions;

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A COMMON GROUND

2. The contemporaneousness of the major ethical systems of ancient regarding the moral values, the meaning of life and human relationships; 3.The great paradigm of humanism- Renascence Enlighten,Human Rights- stamp of morality; 4.Fundamental ethical codes (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism) - similarities and disparities; 5.The distortion of originally meaning of religion -Terrorism; 6.Religious rules in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 7.Equality before the law, equality before God - non-discrimination; 8.Universal and particular national cultures (religion, art, morality); 9.Policies for the preservation of the cultural identity in a globalized world; ________________________________________

Activities:

-Teamwork to find and translate documents, to create IT tools and work with them; -Workshops through cooperation, sharing a virtual space where the students from every partner school will share their own values, religious believes,myths, ethical rules, customs; -Classes on-line during which students and teachers will analyze and compare similarities and disparities between religions rules and ethical values; -Classes at synagogues, mosques,Christian churches where students from every partner schools will analyze the similarities and disparities between religions; -Art workshops to share cultural values of every partner school country;

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-Debates in every partner school in order to compare the national policies regarding migration and ethnic minorities in every partner schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; countries; -Workshops for analyzing the consequences of the violation of Human Rights and religious precepts; -Advocacy for tolerance and respect regarding migrants; -Inter-disciplinary dialogue-teaching that will be applied by a team of Philosophy, English, History,Art and IT teachers from every partner school; ________________________________________

SUBJECT 1

PRECEPTS OF MYANCESTORS IN PREHISTORY, THEIR MYTHS AND CULTURES, POLYTHEISTIC RELIGIONS

METHODOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

The first theme of the project brought about a better understanding of the cultures from which the project participants and aimed particularly aware that, although belonging to different countries and speak different languages, have common roots. Based on guidelines set by the professors of philosophy, history, religion, ICT, literature, English, students have conducted research work, identifying: - The historical origins of its people, - Polytheistic religions of their ancestors, - Traditions from them.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Materials were used in the school library and digital information sources, to ensure the easy verification of information, including the other countries participating in the project. Students studied individually or in groups, and the results of their work are visible in the next chapter: ________________________________________

RESEARCH WORK Thracians

The ancient Thracians were a group of Indo-European tribes inhabiting areas in Eastern, Central and Southeastern Europe.Bulgarian archaeologists assume that the Thracians came from northeast about 3500 BC – i.e. at the end of the Stone-Copper Age. In the 1st millennium BC the Thracians were among the most multitudinous peoples in Europe. On the Balkan Peninsula the Thracians were divided in numerous tribes, as the more significant were: Moeci – inhabited the lands from the Timok River to the Yantra River along the Danube (the Danubian Plain – Bulgaria) Dacians – inhabited the present south Romania Odrysians – inhabited the lands along the lower course of the Maritsa, Tundzha and Arda rivers (present Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece) Asti – the region of the Strandzha Mountain (Bulgaria) Bessi – the Rhodope Mountains (Bulgaria) Maedi – along the middle course of the Struma River Serdi – in the present Sofia region, Bulgaria Denteleti – the present Kyustendil region Odomanti and Edoni – the lands along the lower course of the Struma River, and others The Thracians were mainly engaged in farming, gardening, cattle-breeding (esp. horse-breeding), pottery-making, weaving, metal mining, goldsmithing, etc. The various tribes were at a dif-

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ferent socioeconomic, political and cultural level. The Thracians gradually became one part with the Slavs, who settled on the Balkan Peninsula in 6th century AD, and thus when the Bulgarian Empire was established by Chan Asparuh in 681 AD they laid the foundations of the Bulgarian nation. The culture of the Thracians. The iron was introduced and this was the starting point for the Thracian culture. At the end of the 12th century and beginning of the 11th century BC the usage of iron led to increased production opportunities for the Thracian community and to class differences. The potter’s wheel appeared and incited the development of the Thracian pottery which was used mainly for the everyday necessities and was flat and in different shapes to the 1st century BC. The metal mining, metal working, weaving, goldsmithing, and others grew fast. Homer mentions the Thracians in his Illiad, calling them “people who reminded him of the gods”. Herodotus, an historian who lived during the 5th century BCE (and gave the Greek word “history” it’s modern meaning) called the Thracians “the most numerous ethnic group, second only to the Hindus”. Yet, despite this trivia, due to their independent tribes and failure to achieve a unified national consciousness, the Thracians have a mysterious and hollow history. The Greeks themselves believed that some of their own gods had Thracian origin. Amongst them were Ares, the blood-thirsty god of war; Dionysus, the god of vegetation and fertility; Artemis (Bendis), the goddess of the animal world; and Orpheus. The Thracian pantheon, as it seems, was closely linked to the Greek one, but this does not mean that the two religious systems were identical Gods with Greek Names – Ares, Dionysus, Artemis, Apollo And Hermes: the Greek names hide gods from the Thracian pantheon. The reason is again the lack of a Thracian writing system. When the Greeks tried to describe the Orphic religion, they discovered some similarities between their gods and those of the Thracians. This is why Herodotus said that the Thracians worshipped Ares, Dionysus and Artemis, whom they called Bendis.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Hermes was the deity of the kings who “always swear by his name and declare that they are themselves sprung from him.” However, the Greek historian failed to mention the sun god Apollo, whose cult was widely popular, or the Thracian Zeus who was undoubtedly worshipped in the 1st Century BC. At the end of the Hellenistic age and the enforcement of Roman rule, another deity became popular too: the Thracian horseman. Named with the collective Greek name Heros in accompanying inscriptions, it appeared on votive tablets and tombstones throughout Thrace. Ekaterina Kovacheva, Dnitsa Kovacheva, Elina Krasteva BULGARIA ________________________________________

Thracians. “The Biggest Anonymous” of History

After Herodotus, Thracians adored ,,Ares, Dionysus and Artemis”;nevertheless their kings worshiped ,,Hermes”. With this information in mind that became more enigmatic through a Greek interpretation, it has been tried to reconstruct the Thracians pantheon .From Homer to Vergiliu, tradition considered Tracia as being the homeland of Ares, the god of war. On the other hand, Thracians were famous for their war skills and their difference in the face of death ;therefore, it could be admitted that the God like Ares was the head of their pantheon .However, I saw, that the old German God, Tiwaz, was assimilated by romans with Mars.It is possible that Ares, was a sky God in the beginning hen he became the God of storm and war. In this case ,Artemis, would have been chthonian divinity, the Thracian corespondend Bendis or Kotyto(Kotys); Herodotus would have named her Artemis(instead of calling her ,,Demeter”,for example)because of the wild nature Tracia’s forests and mountains. If this ,,reading” is accepted, it can also be assumed, the exis-

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tence of Thracians, the exemplar myth of hierogamy between the God of storm and Mother-Nature; ,,Dionysus” would be the result of this union. Greeks knew the Thracian name of Dionysus: the most common were Sabos and Sabazios.The Thracian cult of Dionysus reminded the ceremonies that were being performed during the night,in the mountains, at the light of the torches; a wild music(sounds of pounding in the bronze boilers, whistles)urges the faithful to scream cheerfully in a circular dance, furious and whirled. Especially to those women that are dedicating towards exhausting and disorganized dances; their costume was strangely they would wear ,,bessares” ,long waving robes made out of fox skins; on top of those deer skins, and probably on the head, antlers.In their hand they would hold the famous snakes of Sabazios,daggers.Lead to paroxysm, to”sacred madness”, they would choose animals for sacrifices, and rip them into pieces, tearing and eating their raw meat .Through rituals they committed the identity with the God; the participants were called now Sabos or Sabazios. Bibliography : History of religions , wrote by Mircea Eliade Publishing : UNIVERS ENCICLOPEDIC Ispas Sorin cls XII E, Ispasoiu Dan cls XII E National College Octav Onicescu ROMANIA ________________________________________

Herodotus About Dacians

Herodotus says that the Dacians are the bravest and most righteous of the Thracians “. “They think they’re immortal,” continued Herodotus, and this is the way: “Their belief is that they do not die and that he who perishes goes Zalmoxis, a divine being, some call Gebeleizis same divine being.” The first and last time his name appears in the literature Gebeleizis. Another renowned Tomashek Teona a Thracian god Zbelsurdos parallel, Zbeltiurdos. As

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Zbelsurdos, Gebeleizis as a storm god, or rather an ancient god of heaven, if you follow the Walde-Pokorný and Decev. Most valuable information are made by Herodotus in connection with the myth and cult Zalmoxis. After the Greeks had learned from the Hellespont and Black Sea, was an old Zalmoxis slave of Pythagoras, “released, he had gathered many riches and rich, would be returned to his country. How Thracians lived in poverty and were more likely to be without knowledge, Zalmoxis I started to civilize. “He made it I shall build a reception hall in which he received in hosting the most famous figures of his fellow citizens, during the feast teaches them that neither he nor his mess or their descendants will not work, but will reach in a place where they will live for ever and will enjoy perfect happiness. ” Meanwhile, “he was asked to make a home I is the underground” in which “came down and lived for three years. Thracians have regretted it and I cried like a dead. In the fourth year came before them: and so what became of thought said Zalmoxis {…}. As far as I’m concerned, adds Herodotus, the red bag I’m not refusing to talk about the house is underground, and do not even think too much, but I think this is much Zalmoxis years in which he lived before Pythagoras. As he was a man or that it was a divine being of the country Dacians, let it. ” {Cf Romanian translation: “and then earning his freedom would be gained and much wealth, acquiring property, it’s back among the rich. How Thracians led a life of deep poverty and were deprived of knowledge, Zalmoxis it [...] I asked to build a reception hall where-I-I banquet hosted by the leading citizens, during feasts, he teaches them that no nor his guests nor their descendants will not die forever, but will only move in one place, living for ever, will get all the goodies. During his time as guests feast their words and so I had to make a house is underground. When her house was ready, he hided there unseen, where hidden status for three years. Thracians stealing filled with regret after him and mourning him as dead. In the fourth year, but appeared again in front of the Thracians and so striking to believe all the words lui. Zalmoxis to tell (students) that would have made it. As for me, no doubt ask, do not fully believe what is said about him and his home under the ground,

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moreover, considered that this Zalmoxis lived long before Pythagoras’s. Whether Zalmoxis was but one man was either co (indeed) the parity Getae any god, ill as well. Zamolo Giuliano Isa –Cls XII B National College Octav Onicescu ROMANIA ________________________________________

Prehistoric Pre-christian Religions in Dacia

Since the oldest times mankind tried to find out what are his or environment origins. The answers depending of ethic background and degree of spiritual evolution made possible the appearance of myths which tried to explain the phenomena and enigmatic events with a spatial or temporal nature which happened in man’s existence, in nature or universe, about human or cosmic destiny, things that before that were explained using the supernatural. It’s interesting to observe the fact that although the world civilizations were dispersed and they made contact later, the myths have commune themes like creation of the world or food. Gradually, the myths gave birth to religions, especially through a religious ceremony followed by creation of specific institutions (church). Geto – Dacians had a monotheistic religion. They worship Apollo (also known as Char-Ystos, the son of the sky) and after they moved to Orpheum, considered the founder of the first true religion (the first with a book) with a cosmogony and a theory of saving and anthropogenesis well formulated. According to this cult, man carries with him the original sin (idea which appear later in Christianity), that must be served by sufferings, man soul being imprisoned in body just like in a prison. To stop the reborn, release the soul and find the salvation (similar to the Buddhist idea of metempsychosis), he must live a moral life, without animal food

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

and practice the prayers and the purification rituals. Orpheu’s cult influence was manifested to the ritual and Christian iconography, in many paintings of the catacombs, Christ being depicted as Orpheus in the depiction of ‘the Good Shepherd.’ Christianity was precisely a great enemy for the mysteries because it has much affinity with these cults. Bibliography: Istoria credintelor si ideilor religioase – Mircea Eliade Editura: Univers Enciclopedic, 2004 Enulescu Brian- cls XI E National College O. Onicescu ROMANIA ________________________________________

The Slavs

The Slavs migrated to the Balkan peninsula from Central Europe in the early part of the 7th century AD. They were a freedom-loving agricultural people, living democratically in clan communes with no rigid organisational structures or hierarchies. In Slavic mythology, the world was represented by a sacred tree, usually an oak, whose branches and trunk represented the living world of heavens and mortals, while its roots represented the underworld, i.e. the realm of dead. Perun was a ruler of the living world, sky and earth, and was often symbolised by an eagle sitting on the top of the tallest branch of the tree, from which he kept watch over the entire world. Perun was a punisher of evil-doers. Deep down in the roots of the tree was the place of his enemy, symbolised by a serpent or a dragon: this was Zaltys, a great serpent curled at the base of the world tree (which people later associated with Veles, watery god of the underworld). Zaltys /Veles continually provoked Perun by stealing his cattle, children or wife. Perun pursued Zaltys /Veles around the earth, attacking him with his lightning bolts from the sky. Zaltys /Veles fled from him by transforming himself into various animals, or hiding behind trees, houses or people; wherever

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a lightning bolt struck, it was believed, this was because Zaltys /Veles hid from Perun under or behind that particular place. In the end, Perun managed to kill Zaltys /Veles, or to chase him back down into his watery underworld. The supreme god thus reestablished the order in the world which had been disrupted by his chaotic enemy. Some elements of Slavic myth and custom that have survived in current Bulgarian myth and folklore: Ladouvane, or the Singing to Rings, is a Bulgarian fertility ritual. Traditionally, young girls drop their rings, together with oats and barley (symbols of fertility), into a cauldron of spring water. The rings are tied with a red thread to a bunch of ivy, crane’s bill, basil, or some other perennial plant, and the cauldron is left out overnight. Ritual dances are performed around the cauldron and the girls’ fortunes are told. In western Bulgaria, the Central Balkan Range, and along the Danube River, Ladouvane is observed on New Year’s Eve. In the rest of the country, it is observed on Midsummer Day. Emiliya Panaiotova, Beatris Georgieva, Ekaterina Kovacheva BULGARIA ________________________________________

Slavic culture, customs and beliefs

Slavs were completely subordinate to the cycle of the seasons. Therefore, the major holidays were associated with the vernal and autumnal equinox and the summer and winter solstice. Some old rituals have survived into our times (like painting Easter eggs, decorating a Christmas tree, etc. adopted in Christianity). Among those old Slavic rituals we can mention: 1) Drowning Marzanna – the ritual held at the spring equinox and intended to provide people with happiness and prosperity throughout the coming time. It consisted in drowning a straw effigy (sometimes setting fire to it before throwing into the water) to bid farewell to winter and greet spring. Its participants used rattles

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

and whips to make as much noise as possible while the effigy was being destroyed. Apart from performing this ritual people would clean their houses thoroughly and go to the woods to look for green branches heralding the advent of the new season. 2) Swaćba – the wedding ceremony. The oath was taken in the presence of Swat or a tribal priest called Żerca. The promise was uttered before the gods. The marriage meant fraternizing of two families and striking up formal friendship between them. At the end of the ceremony there was a feast, during which the couple ate a meal from one plate. 3) Birth – Women, just before giving birth called God called Rod and his helpers Rodzenice asking for good fortune for their child. Just after the birth of the child, old women were preparing a ritual meal, part of which was intended for Rodzenice and domestic ghosts. They also told fortunes to the newborn 4) Postrzyżyny – Old Slavic ritual, associated with reaching by a young boy adulthood. In accordance with the tradition, when a male boy turned 7-10 his father cut his long hair. Until that age he was in his mother’s charge and was treated like a child. After postrzyżyny the boy’s father was given charge of his son and the boy began to learn the work and ceremonies typical of men. 5) Stypa- Today it is a solemn meal in honor of the deceased on the day of their funeral. Formerly it was believed that the deceased also need food, so their families went to the graves and organized dinner there. It was also popular to bury food near the grave. Although the ancient Slavs treated everyone as equal and having their say, they differed in terms of their assets. Someone’s wealth could be recognized by the robes they were wearing. The thicker the robe was, the more wealth his owner possessed as he could afford a larger amount of material. Another interesting phenomenon is Slavic morality when it comes to receiving visitors from another tribe. Everyone was obliged to treat a traveler with great respect and offer them lavish hospitality. According to the tradition the traveler moved from one

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Slave’s house to another and in case he complained about the treatment he received from the previous host, the next host came to his defense and challenged him to combat. Slavic religious system was based on polytheism. They saw a divine power in nature. Some gods were of less or more importance for them, which depended on the type of work they had. For example, farmers valued soil and fishermen prized water. It was believed that after death all souls went to a new world called Nawia ruled by god Weles. Weles grouped souls according to their merits and actions and gave them either happiness or misery. It is a very challenging task to describe the Slavic culture as it is so varied and extensive. In my opinion, our ancestors’ beliefs, customs and rituals are extremely interesting. References: • Stanisław Szczur, Historia Polski /Średniowiecze/, Wydawnictwo Literackie 2002; • Andrzej Chwałba, editor, Obyczaje w Polsce /Od średniowiecza do czasów współczesnych/, PWN 2008; • Anna Chrypinski, editor, Polish Customs, Friends of Polish Art, Detroit, MI, 1977; • Marija Gimbutas, The Slavs, Preager Publishers, New York, 1971; • Sophie Hodorowicz, Polish Customs, Traditions, & Folklore, Hippocrene Books, New York, 1993; • Anstruther J. Sekalski, Old Polish Legends, 1997; • Wikipedia, the on-line encyclopedia Students who wrote the works on Slavic ancestors: Luiza Grabowska, Ola Około-Kułak, Iwona Norberczuk, Katarzyna Hajdas, Małgorzata Karbowska, Klaudia Zielińska, Paweł Kamelak, Scherley Stylianos, Julia Radulska, Mikołaj Teperek, Joanna Krupa, Dominika Sztaba – POLAND ________________________________________

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Old Bulgarian Religion

Prior to Christianity Bulgarians had a different religion.

Our ancestors believed not only in the celestial bodies but also in a supreme God-Creator. The Bulgarians used the strange and unknown word EDFU. So far scholars had only one real fact to rely on the name TANGRA in an early Bulgarian inscription of the 9th c. It turns out that, like the Persians, who called God with three parallel names, the Bulgarians called him Tangra, but also Edfu. An interesting question arises: what are the regions in which the Creator was called with the two names of Tangra and Edfu? Something similar, existed in one single region of the East Pamir and Hindukush , where, according to historical sources, the Bulgarians lived before they migrated to Europe. The notion of TANDRA/ lightening/ is very popular there and is connected with the supreme God of thunder. Parallel to it a second name of God is also commonly used Hudo-ETH. The use of these notions in the region of Pamir is not accidental there was in these parts an enormous temple of the Sun, classified among the seven largest temples in the world. And the Sun itself, was called with names like Adhu and Edh, cognate with the Sanskrit notion Aditya (Sun), and especially the epithet EDDH burning, blazing. Such data indicate that the roots of the religion of the Bulgarians can be found in the region of Pamir and Hidukush where they lived before moving to Europe. Two relics of this forgotten religion were discovered: – a bronze rosette from Pliska, dedicated to the seven celestial bodies and marked by the typical Bulgar symbol IYI, and two stone slabs with the same symbol and – drawings of the Sun and the Moon, found not far from the Bulgarska Morava river. To the same religion we can attribute also three newly deciphered runic inscriptions from Murfatlar, two of which are dedicated to the Sun and Jupiter. The third one consists of the single word EFE, which could be a term of address to the god Edfu of the type EDFE or some parallel name of the same

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god. The history of the religious cult of the seven celestial bodies is very interesting. It appears for the first time in the Shumer-Accadian civilization where the names of the Sun, the Moon and the five planets, known to the Ancient world, are always accompanied by the word DINGIR god, akin to the Elam word TANRU. The Sun is called Dingir-UTU (Sun God) by the Shumerians, the Moon is called Dingirsin (Moon God), etc. From this very part of the world the cult of the celestial bodies spread to the East and the West among the ancient peoples Assyrians, Indo-Iranians, Hittites, Celts, Romans, etc. There are also words like DINGIR and TANRU or the like: the Assyrian word TANRA heavenly body, the Indian TARA star, the Hittite TARA heavenly light, the Celtic TARAN god of thunder, the Anglo-Saxon THUNDER, the Pamir word TANDRA lightening, and the Turkic word TENGRI (god of the bright blue sky). Old Bulgarian religion, with its devotion to the seven celestial bodies and the Supreme God, called Tangra and Edfu, is part of this religious system. Elina Krasteva, Aleksandra Hadrian, Denitsa Kovacheva, Gabriela Markova BULGARIA ________________________________________

Slavic tribes within the lands of Poland and their beliefs

The first basic social communities on the Polish lands were families. The families living together on a small area formed small communities called “opola”. Depending on the area they lived in, “opola” formed tribes (e.g. Polanie, Wiślanie, Bobrzanie, Goplanie, etc.). Each of the tribes was ruled by a tribal assembly who chose a commander if the tribe was in danger. Later the chiefs wanted to be in charge of greater areas. Their ambitions led to the unification of the tribes into larger communities. Lots of lavic ribes lived in the Polish lands. The greatest

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

included Wiślanie (on the upper Vistula), Polanie (on the river Warta), Mazowszanie (on the middle Vistula), Goplanie (in the Kujawy region), Lędzianie (on the river San and the river Wieprz), and multiple Silesian tribes. Slavs believed in various forest and field creatures, imperfect like humans, but stronger and smarter. Trees were the most important as they possessed a hidden source of power and long-lasting life. The trust in trees was caused by the fact that forest provided Slavs with food, shelter and protection against enemies and wild animals. They even divined what the future held from the rustle of trees. The oak was always extremely important for Slavs – it was a symbol of man’s power. The second in terms of importance was the birch as its sap was believed to have special nutritional properties. The Rowan scared away bad ghosts and symbolized the rebirth of life after winter. The lime was the tree of women – the tree of fertility. They also praised hazel, and its nuts were used as a sacrifice for the gods. The willow and alder were water demons’ trees. They were considered bad and damaging and said to be used by witches. Aspen stakes were believed to kill vampires and werewolves. There was a belief that a tribe called Neurowie lived near Polesie and turned into wolves for several days every year. Slavs believed in souls, both human and animal. A soul could have the shape of a bird, butterfly, bee or a phantom. The phantoms were souls of bad people, dead abandoned children, drowned men, suicides, etc. After death, some souls went to Nawia – the land of happiness, and some flew to the Sun, where they melted. Sometimes souls came back to the world of the living and appeared in various forms. On particular days Slavs would commemorate their ancestors by lighting fires for them and sharing their meals with them. When a husband died his wife was beheaded and burnt at the stake together with him. Ghosts and demons were believed to live in houses, farms, rocks, water – simply everywhere. Our ancestors found godly powers in nature; their religion was based on nature’s rights. Apart from the nameless gods and powers, they also

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had their chief gods who were known by particular names. When Mieszko I came to power in Poland and adopted Christianity in year 966 Christian priests put up a fight against old pagan beliefs. Kasia Hajdas, Sandra Stolarewska, Natalia Badyga POLAND ________________________________________

Beliefs and Myths of Ancient Poland

The Polish pantheon of pagan gods exists in direct relation to many Slavic supernatural beings found among the peoples inhabiting Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Balkans, including Rus people. The major gods are: • Dadźbóg – Sun god, possibly a culture hero and a source of wealth and power; • Jaryło- God of vegetation, fertility and spring; also associated with war and harvest; • Marzanna- Goddess of harvest, witchcraft, winter and death; • Piorun – God of thunder and lightning, the supreme god, the only Slavic deity who was equated with the Christian God; • Swaróg- God of fire, sometimes described as a smith god; • Świętowit – God of war, fertility and abundance depicted as a four-headed god with two heads looking forward and two back. Victory in battle, merchant travels and a successful harvest all depended on Świętowit; • Trygław – God depicted as a three-headed man sometimes with bands of (gold) blindfolds over his eyes, or a man with three goat heads similar in nature to the Trinity in Christianity; • Weles- God of earth, waters, and the underworld. He is the opponent of the Supreme thunder-god Piorun, and the battle between two of them constitutes one of the most important myths of Slavic mythology; • Zaria- Goddess of beauty. She was greeted at dawn as “the

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brightest maiden, pure, sublime, honorable.” She was also known as a water priestess that protected warriors. • Zory – Three (or two) guardian goddesses that represent the morning, evening and midnight stars. Zory serve the sun god Dadźbóg, who in some myths is described as their father. The Morning Star opens the gates to his palace every morning for the sun-chariot’s departure. At dusk, the Evening Star closes the palace gates once more after his return. The Midnight Star holds the dying sun in her arms until he is restored to life the following morning. The three goddesses are also associated with marriage, protection, and exorcisms. Various elements of old myths are revealed in tales and songs of legendary heroes like legendary founders of certain tribes such as the story about Lech, Czech and Rus or about quite historical persons like Krak the dragon slayer -prince and founder of Kraków, the ruler of the tribe of Lechitians (Poles). In the legend of Lech, Czech and Rus, three brothers went hunting together but each of them followed a different prey and eventually they all travelled in different directions. Rus went to the east, Czech headed to the west to settle on the Rip Mountain rising up from the Bohemian hilly countryside, while Lech travelled to the north until he came across a magnificent white eagle sitting perched on a tree guarding his nest, upon a background of a brilliant red sun. Startled but impressed by this spectacle, he decided to settle there. He named his settlement Gniezno (from the Polish word for ‘nest’ – gniazdo) and adopted the White Eagle with a red background as his coatof-arms which remains a symbol of Poland to this day. According to the legend of Krak, around the year 700 AD the legendary Polish hero, prince Krak, destroyed a gigantic dragon by giving it a sheepskin full of saltpeter which caused it to drink water until it burst. Polish tribes also worshipped different river and nature spirits – supernatural beings like, among many others, Strzygi – little creatures that would stalk forests at night and attack night-time travellers and people who simply wander off into the woods at night, eating out their insides, Rusałka – a water-nymph, Topielec – a spirit of human soul that died drowning, responsible for sucking people into swamps and lakes

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as well as killing the animals standing near the still waters, Karzełki – live in underground workings and are the guardians of gems, crystals, and precious metals; they will lead people back when they are lost underground; to people who are evil or insult them they are deadly; pushing them into dark chasms or send tunnels crashing down upon them, Polewiki – field spirits that appear as deformed dwarfs with different coloured eyes and grass instead of hair; they appear either at noon or sunset and wear either all black or all white suits, they lead wandering people in a field astray, give them diseases or ride them over with their horses if they are found asleep; if a person falls asleep on the job after drinking Polewiki might murder them; Domowiki – seen as the home’s guardians that sometimes help with household chores and field work; they do not do evil unless angered by a family’s poor keep of the household, profane language or neglect; some people even treat them as part of the family and leave them gifts like milk and biscuits in the kitchen overnight; the favorite place for these spirits to live is either the threshold under the door or under the stove. The Domowik maintains peace and order, and rewards a well-maintained household. Peasants feed him nightly in return for protection of their house. When a new house was built, the Polish homeowner would attract a Domowik by placing a piece of bread down before the stove was put in. Luiza Grabowska, Aleksandra OkoloKulak, Gabriel Wojciechowski, Klaudia Zielinska, Scherley Stylianos, Milena Cyprynowska POLAND ________________________________________

The Traditional Religious Beliefs and Practices of Ancient Turks

Faith in God had a central place in all the historical Turkish societies from eastern borders of Asia to Central Europe. Even though the word “Tanri” (God) took such forms as “tangara” with

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the Yakuts, “teri” with the Kazan Turks, “ter” with the Soyons and “tenggeri” with the Mongols, it retained to present day its fundamental form in every religious system accepted by Turkic peoples. Though the Turks attained the concept of a sublime and abstract God, in the beginning they would think of it as being in the sky, which covers the world and governs everything and hence as a SkyGod, the Creator and the Absolute Power. The political power and sovereignty has its origin in God. There were no temples, pictures or statues for the Sky-God, who is ancient and eternal and it has no human characteristics. It gives luck and power to the Khans, on whom the organization of society, and the destiny of people depend. Ancient Turks also considered Earth-Waters (Yer-Su) sacred. The belief in “Yer-Su” related to the mountains, forests, rivers etc. and this later transformed into a “Cult of Homeland”. Through history, the Turks also respected fire and saw within it a cleansing and sacred power. The cult of fire among the Turks is closely related to “the cult of family hearth” which in turn is related to “the cult of the ancestor”. The term “Yer-Su” (Earth-Water) implies that in addition to trees, fire, water, mountains, the earth, rocks and stones have a sacred meaning and importance. In the Orhun inscriptions, “the blue sky” and “the black earth” form the two main cosmic fields and complement each other. The tradition of honoring and presenting sacrifices to ancestors is one of the most important elements of the traditional Turkish religion. It is the sense of gratitude felt for the ancestors, which makes up the foundation of the cult of the ancestors. Not all ancestral spirits or graves become the subject of the cult but only the most respected reach that level. Because of this, it becomes necessary to differentiate “the cult of the dead” from “the cult of the ancestors”. Even though there is no systematic individual worship in the traditional Turkish religion, prayer was carried out individually. The cloth pieces tied to the trees were a kind of worship, each representing a bloodless sacrifice. This tradition has survived to present day. Animal sacrifices for Sky-God and other sacred things were also part of the tradition. A type of religious, mystical and magical authority called “kam”

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or “shaman” by the Turkic people also had an important place in the traditional Turkish religion. Shaman, who could be a man or women, is a master of trance, who feels his sprit rising to the sky, going underground and wandering around in an ecstasy by means of his and her personal methods. It was believed that they had the ability to be mediators between God, people and the sprits. However they did not rule over the social and even religious life of the community. Hence it is not possible to call Shamanism a religion but a summation of ecstatic and therapeutic methods from the archaic ages on. Reference: “The Religion of Ancient Turks”, Prof. Dr. Harun Gungor, The Turks, Vol.1 p777, Yeni Turkiye Yayinlari, Istanbul, 2002.

Old Turkic Deities

Sky God – Tengri. The ancient Türks believed that 17 Deities – Tengri, Yer-Sub, Umai, Erlik, Earth, Water, Fire, Sun, Moon, Star, Air, Clouds, Wind, Storm, Thunder and Lightning, Rain and Rainbow, ruled our Universe. Mongols believed that 99 DeitiesTengris, ruled our Universe. From ancient and medieval written sources (Türkic, Mongolian, Chinese, Byzantian, Arabian, Persian etc.), it is clear that between Türkic and Mongolian deities the superiority belonged to Tengri. The faith in Tengri of ancient Türks and Mongols was continuous, and it was preserved partially by the Altai peoples to the present time. The Türkic peoples named the Sky God almost identically: Tatars – Tengri; Altais – Tengri, Tengeri; Turks – Tanri; Khakases – Tigir; Chuvashes – Tura; Yakuts – Tangara; Karachai-Balkars – Teyri; Kumyks – Tengiri, Mongols – Tengeri, etc. In the beliefs of the ancient Türks and Mongols all existing on the Earth is subject to Tengri – the incarnation of a celestial beginning, the Creator of a Universe, the ‘Spirit the Sky’. It was Tengri who first of all appeared as a Supreme deity located in a celestial zone of the Universe, ruling the fates of entire peoples, and their rulers, the

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Khagans, Khans etc. In the Orkhon stone inscriptions was imprinted the belief expressed by Bilge-Khagan of the role of Sky – Tengri: ‘All human sons are born to die in time, as determined by Tengri’. The Kuk-Tengri (Blue Sky) is a non-material Sky, as opposed to the usual, visible sky. The appearance of Tengri is unknown. The words ‘Tengri’ and ‘Sky’ for the ancient Türks and Mongols were synonyms. The epithet ‘Kuk’ was also given to some animals, such as a horse (kuk at), ram (kuk teke), bull (kuk ugez), deer (kuk bolan), dog (kuk et), wolf (kuk bure). This epithet was not for a hue of the animal (skewbald), but it’s belonging to Sky, Kuk – Tengre, i.e. of a divine origin. Yer (Earth) and Tengri (Spirit of the Sky) the Türks perceived as the two sides of a single beginning, not opposing each other, but mutually complimentary. A man is born and lives on the land. The Earth is his habitat. After the death the Earth swallows him. But the Earth gives the man only a material shell, and to be creative and to differ from others, living on the earth, at birth Tengri gives a Kut (Soul) to the man, and takes it back after death. There is an element of dualism here, but Tengri is supreme Yer-Sub. The word Yer-Sub for ancient Türks had two meanings. One is a Great Deity. Another is the visible world, an image of the native Land. d Umai (Ymai, Mai, Omai). In the believes of the ancient Türks and Mongols Umai was a female Deity associated with benevolent deities and spirits. She was considered to be a favorite wife of Sky God Tengri, living in the heavenly zone. The Earth. The great Sky God Tengri was a dominating deity in the Universe and, undoubtedly, was believed to be a father, a ruler. The deity Earth was considered to be a mother and a wife of Tengri. She appears as a force of nature, She is one of the main deities, only Sky was higher. Water. Ancient Türks believed deity Water was born earlier than deity Earth. Therefore She was believed to be a senior sister of Earth. Per ancient mythologies it was believed that the beginning of

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the Earth started from Water. Fire. Ancient Türks believed deity Fire was a grandson of Sky God Tengri and a son of the Sun. His brother was Lightning. Therefore, in spite of the fact that Fire was born and has grown on the Earth, after death It rises to the Sky as smoke, to again return to the Earth. Sun. (Koyash). Sun for the ancient Türks was an esteemed God. The ancient Türkic mythologies said that the Sun is the son of Tengri, and His mother is Earth. Therefore, it circles between the father and mother. The ancient Türks and Mongols worshipped power and vital force of the god Sun. It was not possible to imagine life without energy and influence of the Sun. Winged horses as a symbol or personification of the Sun were widely spread in the cosmogonic myths of the Türkic peoples. In addition to the horse and birds with the symbol of Sun were also connected such animals as ram, deer, bull. Moon (Ai). Ancient Türks’ mythology regarded Moon as a daughter of Sky God Tengri and Earth. Ancient Türks perceived goddess Moon dually: Moon frightened them and at the same time they loved Her. The moon was represented as a Lady and as a symbol of the night Stars. The ancient Türks and Mongols revered stars. For them were brought sacrifices. The Star deities, in the opinion of the Türks, influence the human happiness, richness, cattle, and others, and each star corresponds to a Kut of a man on the Earth, and when the man dies, his star also falls on the Earth. A happy man, protected by a fate, was called ‘a man with a star’. The ancient Türks knew many stars, but the most popular, which they continuously encountered in practical life, were: Thunder and Lightning. Ancient Türks believed that Great Sky God Tengri controlled Thunder and Lightning. By His order deity Thunder and Lightning punished malicious forces. The Türks believed that a thunder is an angry voice of Tengri, and lightning are heavenly arrows, which strike malicious spirits. LITERATURE

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Chapter III. Deities 1. Malov.S.E. Monuments of Ancient Türkic writing, M.L., 1951. Pp 37-39. 2. Klyashtorny S.G. Mythological scenarios in Runic monuments // Turkological Collection. M., 1981. P. 131. 3. Magazine Baikal. Sacred Tale. Ulan-Ude, 1989. No.6 4. Liu Mau-Tsai. Op.cit Bdl. S.42.458. 5. Potapov L.P. Altaic Shamanism. L. 1991, Pp. 264-267. 6. Potapov L.P. Altaic Shamanism. L. 1991, Pp. 37-38. 7. Potapov L.P. Altaic Shamanism. L. 1991, Pp. 291. 8. Gladyshevsky A. Newspaper ‘Soviet Khakassia’, 22 November 1991. 9. Chokan Valikhanov, Selected Works, M., 1986. p. 305. 10. Chokan Valikhanov, Selected Works, M., 1986. p. 226. 11. Rashid ad-Din, Collection of Chronicles, M., 1952, Vol. Book 2, p 14. 12. Chokan Valikhanov, Selected Works, M., 1986. p. 306. 13. The Byzantian Historians. Trans. S. Destunis, SPb., 1860, p. 376 (In Russian.) * (Translated by Norm KISAMOV, From his book Tengrianizm-Relegion of Türks and Mongols Neberezhnye Chelny, 2000; Chapter 3 Deities ; Pp. 71-95) Yunus Emra Yalçın, Enver Avcıoğlu, Aslı Kevser Kulu, Meryem Derya Dolgun TURKEY ________________________________________

Our Ancestor´s Religious: The Ancient Hispanic TARTESSOS

To the Southwest, Valley of the Guadalquivir, the first indigenous State, of which there are testimonies protohistoric by his contact with Greek merchants, and which was probably destroyed by

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the Carthaginian expansion. DIVINITIES Astarte, the goddess of the Canaanites, companion of Baal: astral deity, boaters Guide, dispensing of life and life in the most protective beyond the image of the goddess Phoenician gods Resheb or Hadad and Baal Safon Bes was a mountain sacred to him, but is ignored if it was visited by the natives, only by the Phoenicians, or by both populations at the same time. Melqart was an island consecrated to him next to Huelva; It was possibly a site sacred to the outdoors, as all these threads and the sacred Islands. RITES The essential ritual consisted of the ex-voto offering. It is a ritual that is identical in Etruria, Rome and Greece archaic. The votive offerings are made to the procedure of melted wax, system brought by the Phoenicians or perhaps by the Greeks. In the funeral rituals is easy to track the phenomenon of religious acculturation: the ashes were deposited in urns or holes, busta, or places of cremation, with or without mound, or silicernia, or deposits of objects or offerings associated with the fire, nature, most probably ritual, performed on or around the grave. The kind of simple burial is the URN deposited into a hole and bone cribaban, because the urn contains ashes clean already deposited in the ballot box, which is usually covered with a plate, as Achilles did with the ashes of his friend. The hole is filled with ashes or coals, and later to land first. The bustum or the luculi were the places where the bodies were burned. The silicernia or deposits of offerings are sets of objects which are deposited in the necropolis, not part of any funerary regalia. IBERIANS In the East and peninsular South, the Mediterranean coast and the Valley of the Ebro. DIVINITIES Gods little is known about the world of the gods of the Iberians, what little that is known is due to the writings of ancient

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historians and philosophers, and some other archaeological remains.Sacred animals animals such as bulls, wolves, lynxes, or vultures, were part of this world, whether as gods, symbols, linkages with the mortal world and its ‘spirits’, or the divine world.The bull would represent the virility and strength. The Lynx was linked to the world of the dead. The vultures were the souls of the Warriors killed in the battles to the world of the gods. Not is known much more, because that has endured little information on these matters. The indigenous Pantheon can be divided into three categories of deities: 1.- Astral nature deities. They form the substrate of IndoEuropean religions: the Sun and the Moon 2.- Celtic gods. Equal than in other areas of the peninsula and beyond, as in Gaul and Britain. The most important seems to have been Lug, which with the astors tion was assimilated to Mercury. Other important deities were the Matres, goddesses of fertility, the nourishing Earth and water, whose cult was widespread among the Celts and Germans. 3.- Lesser divinities. With a likely local cult, whose character seems to indicate a substrate or type animist or totemic origin and that appear linked to natural accidents (mountains, forests, etc.) or territorial type ( astors, villages, cities, etc.).

RITES Burials the Iberians used the rite of cremation, known by the Phoenicians or the transpirenáicos peoples to introduce the urnfield culture.The ashes were stored at cinerarias polls of pottery in the shape of Cup, with cover and without decoration. Others were shaped box with legs ending with claws, with lid and decoration of animals. The polls were brought into pits dug in the ground with a funerary regalia. The Iberians, to mark the site of the Tomb, built burial mounds of varied dimensions, although there was much more elaborate burials for the upper social classes. Barrows with ceramic containers at the foot of the defunct, as the Lady of Baza, which sits in a kind of winged

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throne, and saves and protects the remains and the funerary regalia have been found. Other mounds deposited weapons of the deceased, that he incineraba and was introduced in an ornate ceramic vase. Shrines places of worship as urban shrines have been identified. Also sacral spaces have been identified as household shrines another feature is the use of caves or Caverns by way of shrines, which deposited small statuettes, votive offerings, called as a votive offering to a deity. These figures are both women priestesses and warriors men, on foot or on horseback, others are sacrificing any animal with a knife, or showing their respect with his hands high, or with open arms. CELTIBERIANS In the peninsular Centre and the Valley of the Ebro. NECROPOLIS The necropolis are located in flat areas, (vegas or gentle sloping Plains, which are currently exploited for agriculture), in proximity to waterways (rivers and permanent streams) or in ancient sites of room, abroad and in the vicinity of the Habitat and visible from these. Burial space one of the aspects that has drawn attention, is the peculiar layout of burial space. They are characterized by the aligned arrangement of the graves forming parallel streets, cobbled sometimes, length variable and formed by large stones as a stele indicating the location of a tomb. The number of burials varies significantly, so some necropolis reach the 5,000 graves, others only reach 100. While the majority of objects deposited in tombs could have a practical function in the world of the living, some of them have a social and symbolic value to the value of purely functional, thereby indicating the status of the holder. It highlights the role played by weapons and particularly by the sword. The prestige of the sword, with rich decorations often have handles and their pods and as a weapon of struggle, led indicator of the Warrior status and the privileged position, within the celtiberian society to become, owner, emphasizing the military character of the society. . The deposited regalia maintains a constant and is that small parts were brought into the interior of the urn and the large pieces were placed outside; without urn burials, the remains were

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wrapped in some leather, fabric or perishable material which has not survived and the pieces of the regalia were available around. Andrea Pereda, Paola Pinzon, Francisco Gonzalez SPAIN ________________________________________

STUDENTS’ CREATIVE WORK The Myth of the Hero slaying the Dragon

The hero slaying the dragon is one of the few myths that have survived for thousands of years in almost all the cultures of the world. Numerous songs, ballads and fairy tales retell the story of a dragon that created a serious disturbance in the community, and had to be vanquished by the hero. This study attempts to analyze and compare the Romanian ballad Iovan Iorgovan, the hero who set to slay the dragon, with different versions of the ancient myth as part of the Indo-European cultural complex. Dragons are mythical characters having the body of a very large serpent with one or several heads, spitting fire through their mouths, with many tongues and sharp fangs, and sometimes having a set of bat-like wings. In the various European traditions they are monstrous and fierce symbols of the chaos in Nature, belonging to the pre-cosmic era. Gods or heroes had to reassert their sovereign power over the dragon’s force of destruction and chaos, and thus create or restore the cosmic order. As an obstructer of waters, the dragon has been vanquished by the god of storms, who thus frees the rain and returns fertility and prosperity to the community. The Romanian tradition describes the dragon, ‘balaur’, as a huge and strong serpent, with wings and golden scales, having three or nine and sometimes twelve heads, blowing fire through his mouths. Killing him was the greatest achievement of the legendary Iovan, or the fairy tale hero “Făt Frumos”/ Prince Charming. In a cosmogonic legend Fârtate, the

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world creator, punished the dragon for his continuous mischief by telling him to coil nine times around the Earth to protect it from floods, which reminds us of Midgard, the Teutonic dragon that also coiled around the Earth, and also reinforced the monster’s connection with water and floods. As I mentioned above, Romanians believed that after having lived under the threshold for seven years, the dragon came out and went to the sky as stormy clouds, an image reminding us of the Indian dragon Vrtra. The serpents/dragons ruled the wells and the springs, and the rainbow was their road. Their most widespread image is that of a strong storm, which is in accord with their description in other Indo-European traditions.The Romanian word for dragon is ‘balaur’, with roots in the I-E *bolä, Skt. bala ‘physical power’, found in Dacian language in names like Balius, Decebalus; in modern languages we find: Romanian bală, ‘monster, fierce beast’, Albanian bollë, ‘snake’, Serbian. blavor, ‘snake’, but also ala in Serbian or hala in Bulgarian, a female dragon, a creature closer to lamia. The slaying of the dragon myth is generally interpreted as the symbolic victory of order over chaos, of growth over stagnation during the annual cycle, of rebirth over death. It is a myth that has to be recited and enacted cyclically in order to maintain its magic force. According to Calvert Watkins the dragon represents the chaotic world and it must be subdued in order to restore order; this is interpreted as a sovereignty fight. As the obstructer of waters the dragon generates draughts, and the hero must fight with it in order to free the waters, and ensure an abundance of crops. This is considered a fertility myth, which must be re-enacted every spring. In conclusion, by comparing the motifs that are common to the IndoEuropean versions of the myth and the Romanian ballad we find several common motifs such as: the hero fights the dragon, using a wooden club, which makes him heroic and recognizable, whether it is Thor’s ‘Crusher maul,” or Indra’s “whizzing club,” or Iovan’s “buzdugan,” the leitmotif of the ballad: “Iovan Iorgovan / Brat de buzdugan”; “Iovan Iorgovan / Wielder of the wooden club”; the dragon tries to discourage the hero from fighting by threatening the community with the consequences of his death, the fly that would kill horses and cattle, as in the most of the ancient

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Indo-European versions according to which something comes out from the dragon’s head, from his teeth, the Spartoi and the earthmen as in the Greek documents; or, from each of the Vrtra’s heads comes out in some versions a herd of cows, in other versions birds, or wives, as in the Iranian source. The difference is that in the ancient European versions the dragon’s head produces an army of fighters, and in the Romanian ballad an army of aggressive and dangerous horseflies; the Romanian hero rebuffs the dragon by acquainting it that he will teach people how to fight the flies, thereby taking up the leadership role of a sovereign, imparting the divine instruction to people. In the Romanian ballad the hero’s fight with the dragon does not free the waters explicitly, but the hero has to cross the Cerna river, as Herakles had to cross the western Ocean, or Indra had to cross ninety-nine streams. The fragment relating the magic offerings to the Cerna River conveys information about certain consecrating rituals at the river crossings, particularly since in most of the ancient myths such crossings of waters symbolize entering into a magic world. The Romanian ballad retains the main motif of the ancient myth, that of the hero, Iovan Iorgovan, the godlike presence, strong, powerful and young.

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Mircea Eliade, The Encyclopedia of Religion, Ed., New York, 1987. Vrabie, Gheorghe. Romanian Popular Ballad, Bucharest, 1966. Romanian Popular Ballads; Stelian Carstean anthology. Bucharest, 1997 Watkins, Calvert: How to Kill a Dragon; Aspects of I-E Poetics, Oxford U. P., New York, 1995. West, M. L. Indo-European Poetry and Myth, Oxford U. P. 2007 Kerenyi, C. The Heroes of the Greeks, Thames & Hudson, 1952; reprinted, 1997 Noolen, Lars. Animal Symbolism in Celtic Mythology, paper presented at the Univ. of Michigan, 1992. Bailey, James and Ivanova, Tatyana. An Anthology of Russian Folk Epics. M.E. Sharpe, Inc. Armonk, New York, 1998. Saineanu, Lazar. Romanian Fairy-Tales, Bucharest, 1978

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Dundzila, A. V. Maiden, Mother, Crone: Goddesses from Prehistory to European Mythology and their Re-emergence in German, Lithuanian, and Latvian, Wisconsin, 1991 Dumezil, Georges. The Destiny of the Warrior, Chicago, 1970 Propp, Vladimir. RÄ&#x192;dÄ&#x192;cinile istorice ale basmului fantastic, Univers, Bucharest, 1973 Emile Benveniste & L. Renou: Vrtra et Vr(th)ragna; etude de mythologie indo-iranienne; Cahiers de la Societe asiatique, III, Paris, 1934. Andreea Rotaru ROMANIA ________________________________________

Bulgarian Customs

Laduvane.The Laduvane takes place on the New Year's, St. George's day, Midsummer and St. Lazar's day. With this ritual the young girls foretell who the lad they are going to marry will be and ask Lada, the goddess of love and marriage to show them what he will be like. On this day the girls bring water from the spring or the well in a white cauldron. This water has different names depending in the day in which the ritual is performed - quiet, untouched or colorful. After they bring the water the girls gather in a house and each of them leaves her ring or a bunch of flowers with a ring around them, or a bracelet in the cauldron. They leave the cauldron under the roses or some other kinds of flowers during the night under the stars. In the morning one of the lasses or a young child dressed as a bride takes the rings and the flowers out of the water and the rest of the girls are singing short songs. They sing about a fore-coming marriage, happiness in the marriage, social status and qualities of the future husband: "a ripe and overripe quince" (the girl will be old when she gets married); "alone you are on a stone" (she will marry an orphan); "a yellow veil gathers splinters" (the girl will get married). Each girl takes some oats from the cauldron

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and puts it under her pillow. They believe that whoever the boy they dream about that night is that will be the one they are going to marry. Their health during the next year is foretold by whether or not the water is freezing in the cauldron.The celebration ends with a big horo. Sandy Angelova BULGARIA ________________________________________

Dacians – Myths

Being very old, the mythology of the Dacians is born from the desire of the humans to find their place in the world. It contains very few moralizing motifs and doesn't have a manipulator function. Even the moralizing function is meant to protect the nature that men tried to be in balance with, and doesn't contain social elements like the more recent mythologies do. As an example, the symbols and representations that the Dacian mythology contains do not try to create a doctrine of submission to some political leaders and there's no desire to impose any kind of subconscious order or respect for a certain social class. The myths of the Dacians are closely related to their way of life. The harsh living conditions of the mountain areas, the loneliness and wilderness of the geography lead to a set of myths related to the primary elements of the nature. Weather, long distances and the threat of the wilderness are an important part of this mythology and of the dacian magic practices. The dacian rituals and magic were performed by both men and women, but there was a distinction in roles between the two sexes. The men could become wizards that controlled the primary forces of the nature, a kind of guardians of the world and the nation, while the witches took care of enchantments, fertility and relations between people. In “Getica”, the player will find spells based on real incantations and magic formulas, as they were taken from the folklore. The ancestral myths have been altered by the adoption of Christianise as the official religion. Like in any other assimilation process, the Christians have inte-

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grated the local beliefs into their own system, but gave the old myths a negative, malefic value, in order to turn the people away from them. The Christian priests do not deny the ancient rituals, but rather they describe them as satanic manifestations, which is more effective than saying they are inventions or superstitions. The myths that form the basis of the Getica world have been found in this altered form, but we carefully removed the parts that can be easily recognized as Christian additions, in order to present the original form of the dacian beliefs. Nicoleta Ilie ROMANIA ________________________________________

Holidays â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the Common Spirituality CARNIVAL - SPAIN

The carnival is a public celebration that takes place immediately before the Christian Lent, with variable time (from late January to early March in the year), combining elements such as costumes, parades and street parties. Despite the great differences that its conclusion presented in the world, their common characteristic is to be a period of permissiveness and a lack of control. The origin of its conclusion seems likely to pagan festivals, such as those performed in honour of Bacchus , the god of wine, Roman Saturnalia and the Lupercalia, or to be made in honour of the ox Apish in Egypt . According to some historians, the origins of this festival date back to ancient Sumerian and Egypt, more than 5,000 years, with celebrations alike at the time of the Roman Empire , where the custom spread throughout Europe, being brought to America by the Spanish and Portuguese navigators in the fifteenth century. Carnival is mostly associated with Catholicism, and to a lesser extent with the Eastern Orthodox Christian, usually Protestant cul-

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tures do not celebrate the carnival or have modified traditions, like the Danish Carnival. The largest Carnival celebration in the world is that of Rio de Janeiro , but many other countries have major celebrations, such as being held in Italy in the Venice Carnival in Colombia with the Carnival of Barranquilla, in Spain with the Carnival Santa Cruz de Tenerife , the Cádiz Carnival and Carnival of Aguilas which are also the only Spanish carnivals to have the category of International Tourist Interest. The anthropologists found in the surviving elements of ancient carnival festivities and cultures, as the Feast of Winter (Saturnalia), celebrations Dionysian Greek and Roman (Bacchanalia), the parties pre-Hispanic Andean cultures and African American . Some authors consider that rural society, heavily structured by Christianity, the time of "carnival" offered masquerades pagan rituals following a period of permissiveness that was opposed to the repression of sexuality and severe Lent liturgical formality. Lara Cesco González Rebeca Ordoñez Torre I.E.S. Santa Clara Santander-SPAIN ________________________________________

POLISH TRADITIONS

DROWNING OF MARZANNA A folk custom that has survived in Poland is burning or "drowning" an effigy of Marzanna in celebration of the end of winter. Typically it takes place on the day of the vernal equinox. The rite involves setting fire to a female straw effigy, drowning it in a river, or both. The effigy can range in size from a puppet to a life-size dummy. Symbolically, this ritual represents the end of winter through the burning or drowning of death — by destroying death, the people were ridding themselves of the long,

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dark days of winter, and welcoming the rebirth that came with spring. Joanna Krupa POLAND ________________________________________

TURKISH TRADITION

SEKER BAYRAM, or the “sugar festival,” is celebrated by Muslims at the end of Ramazan, the fasting month for Muslims. It lasts three and a half days. It is a national religious holiday in Turkey. Schools and government offices are closed during those days. It is traditional to wear new outfits during Bayram (meaning festival), so parents get new clothes for their children. Many children are excited about wearing their new clothes on the first day of the festival. The house is completely cleaned a few days before the festival. The First Day: The first day of Seker Bayram is the most important. Everybody wakes up early and the men go to the mosque for the special Bayram prayer. After returning from the mosque, all of the family members dress up nicely, mostly with new clothes, and another important tradition is practiced: the Bayram visits. Ramazan Visits: Young people visit their elders first. The other relatives, neighbors and friends are also visited. Due to those visits, the traffic is quite busy on the first day of the festival. Bayram visits are kept very short—ten to fifteen minutes. Mostly candies, chocolates, Turkish coffee and cold beverages are offered to visitors. People who cannot visit their friends and family members in other towns make telephone calls or send cards celebrating the festival. Children normally love Bayram visits and would like to visit as many elders as they can because it’s traditional for elders to give pocket money to the children. Children can easily collect pocket money for one month. The best part for the children is that there is no restriction on how much they can spend and how they spend it. Therefore, amusement parks are set up in almost every town during the festival. Ramazan Tipping: Kapicis (doormen or superintendents of apart-

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ment buildings), trash collectors, and Ramazan drummers often knock on doors during the Seker Bayram festival expecting gifts or tips. Cemetery Visits: Another tradition practiced during the festival is visiting the graves of deceased family members. The visits to graveyards start one day prior to the festival and continue during the festival. Gifts and Congratulations: If you visit your Turkish friends, a box of candy or chocolate would be the most appropriate gift to take. The phrase for wishing your Turkish friends’ a happy holiday is “Iyi Bayramlar” (ee-yee-by-rahm-lahr), which means literally “good festivals” or “I wish you a happy festival.” Ramazan Names: Another tradition in Turkey is to give boys born during Bayram the name “Bayram,” just like giving the name “Ramazan” to boys born during Ramazan. Another name for the festival is “Ramazan Bayrami.” In Arabic, the holiday is called “Id-ul Fitr.” The name “Seker Bayram” or “sugar festival” probably comes from the tradition of exchanging sweets during the holiday. Typically shops are closed on the first day of the festival, but they open up again on the second day. When you visit Turkish friends or encounter children during Seker Bayram, you’ll often see them kiss your hand and place it on their forehead as they bow to you. It’s a Turkish tradition for children to show respect for elders in that way. They put the back of your hand against their forehead to show you that you have a position “at the top of their head.” The correct response is to kiss the child on both cheeks as a sign of love and sympathy for them. You’ll then often see the children put out their hands afterward, expecting a bit of pocket change! It’s traditional to give the child a coin or some coins when they do that. The sincerity of the act they just performed is another question entirely! Yunus Emre Yalçın , Enver Avcıoğlu , Ali Emre Öztürk Yahya Turan Anadolu öğretmen lisesi TURKEY ________________________________________

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CĂLUŞUL - ROMANIA

The ”Căluşari” were the members of a romanian fraternal secret society who practiced a ritual acrobatic dance known as the căluş. According to the Romanian historian Mircea Eliade, the Calusari were known for "their ability to create the impression of flying in the air”which he believed represented both the galloping of a horse and the dancing of the fairies (zine). Indeed, the group’s patron was the "Queen of the Fairies" (Doamna Zinelor), who was also known as Irodiada and Arada, and who Eliade connected with the folkloric figure Diana Due to their connection with the fairies, the Calusari were believed to be able to cure the victims of fairies and for around two weeks - from three weeks after Easter till Whitsunday - would travel to all the local communities where they would dance, accompanied by a few fiddlers, in order to do so.In their dance, the Căluşari carried clubs and a sword, as well as a flag and a wooden horsehead. They swore on the group’s flag to treat each other as brothers, to respect the customs of the Calusari and to remain chaste for the next nine days. Upon their return home, their flag was fixed into the ground, with one member climbing up in and crying out "war, dear ones, war!". The origins of the Calusari are unknown, although the first written attestations are from the 17th century musical notations of Ioan Căianu. Eliade noted that "Although the oath taken is made in the name of God, the mythico-ritual scenario enacted by the calusari has nothing in common with Christianity" and that, in the 19th century at least, there was clerical opposition to the group, with its members being excluded from taking communion for three years in some regions.The Romanian historian of religion Mircea Eliade believed that the term Căluşari originated with the Romanian word for horse, cal, from the Latin caballus. The generally accepted derivation of Căluş is from the old Latin double form "collusium, collusii", meaning both "a dance group" and "a secret society", however other derivations have been proposed.

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The Romanian word căluş also means "a small piece of wood placed in the mouth to prevent talking", and derivation from this word has some support from the presence of the mute figure in some groups, and the ritual silence that used to be observed by the entire group. Others see căluş as a diminutive of cal "horse", in turn derived from the Latin caballus, and point to the horse's mythical associations with fertility and war, as well as the imitation of horses found in certain Căluş dances, although these dances do not currently play a principal role in the ritual. Another theory is that it derives from "Coli-Salii", the Roman priests dedicated to the worship of Mars. The căluş is a male group dance, although there are records of traditions from Oltenia region that included 1-2 young girls, now obsolete. Dancers wear white trousers and white tunics, with brightly coloured ribbons streaming from their hats. Bells are attached to their ankles, and dances include the use of sticks held upright whilst dancing, or pointing at the ground as a prop. Like many morris dances, in many traditions căluşari dancers include a fool, known as the "nebun", or "mute". The dance includes the following elements. • The starting figure of walking (plimbări), or a basic step, in a circle moving counter clockwise. • More complex figures (mişcare) performed in place between walking steps. • Figures are formed from combinations of elements, often have a beginning-middle-end structure. Radu Badea ROMANIA ________________________________________

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POLISH TRADITIONS

ALL SAINTSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; DAY All Saintsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Day (1st November) is a festival which has been celebrated in Poland for many centuries. It is a national holiday, and a day when people all over Poland visit the graves of loved ones to place candles and flowers on them. The special candles, which can burn for many hours, are placed there so that departed souls can find their way through the darkness. Cemeteries are lit by many hundreds of these candles and at night the cemeteries can often be seen glowing from long distances. Many Poles travel long distances to visit family graves and to remember the dead. The holiday is also known as the Day of the Dead. Marta Gierycz POLAND ________________________________________

BABA MARTA OR MARCH GRANDMA BULGARIA

The month of March, according to Bulgarian folklore, marks the beginning of springtime. Therefore, the first day of March is a traditional holiday associated with sending off winter and welcoming spring. In Bulgaria, "mart" is the word for March and "baba" means grandma. The mythical character of Baba Marta personifies the spring, the sun that can easily burn the fair skin of people's faces. According to the national belief Baba Marta is a grumpy old lady whose mood is unpredictable. The common belief is that by wearing the red and white colours of the martenitsa people ask Baba Marta for mercy. They hope that it will make winter pass faster and bring spring. Baba Marta is a pagan tradition. Pagans worldwide celebrated the coming of the spring each year, thousands of years before Christ's birth. Spring was renowned as a time of renewal and fertil-

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ity representing new life and a fresh start after the cold winter. Martenitsa is usually worn pinned on the clothes, near the collar, or tied around the wrist. The tradition calls for wearing the martenitsa until the person sees a stork or a blooming tree. Hristo Itzov BULGARIA ________________________________________

POLISH TRADITIONS ŚWIĘCONKA

Another tradition dear to the heart of every Pole is the blessing of the Easter food, or the "Swięconka" when people express their gratefulness for all God’s gifts of both nature and grace. The usual fare on the Easter table includes ham and sausage, cakes of all kinds - particularly babka; eggs - some shelled or some decorated. There is usually a sugar Paschal Lamb too. The food is brought to the church and blessed by the parish priest on Holy Saturday. After the blessing, the food is usually set aside until Easter morning when the head of the house shares the blessed egg, symbol of life, with family and friends. Having exchanged wishes, all continue to enjoy a hearty meal. This centuries old custom is indeed richly symbolic and beautiful. It is one in which the whole family can participate and help prepare. The Easter season in Poland ends on Monday when the traditional "Smigus-Dyngus" custom is observed. It is a humorous Easter time custom. The young people break the solemnity of Easter by a burst of frivolity. After getting the girls out of their houses, the boys douce them with water. The girls reciprocate in kind. In cities this custom is practiced with more gentility, by using a sprinkle of water or fragrant cologne. Paulina Krolak POLAND ________________________________________

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MUCENICII - ROMANIA

On March 9th, in Romania is celebrated the day of the Forty Martyrs of Sebaste (Locally known as Mucenici). Now let's take a short look into the pages of history. The Forty Martyrs of Sebaste or the Holy Forty were a group of Roman soldiers in the Legio XII Fulminata (Armed with Lightning), who have become martyrs for their Christian faith in 320. They were killed near Sebaste, in Lesser Armenia, victims of the persecutions of Licinius, who, after the year 316, persecuted the Christians of the East. According to bishop Basil of Caesarea, forty soldiers who had openly confessed themselves Christians were condemned by the prefect to be exposed naked upon a frozen pond near Sebaste on a bitterly cold night, that they might freeze to death. Among the confessors, one yielded and, leaving his companions, sought the warm baths near the lake which had been prepared for any who might prove inconstant. One of the guards set to keep watch over the martyrs be held at this moment a supernatural brilliancy overshadowing them and at once proclaimed himself a Christian, and placed himself beside the thirty-nine soldiers of Christ. Thus the number of forty remained complete. At daybreak, the stiffened bodies of the confessors, which still showed signs of life, were burned and the ashes cast into a river. This celebration overlaid the start of the agricultural year and it generated a traditional holiday. During this day house cleaning is a must, the unnecessary objects and the garbage are burned, but only with fire brought from the house, so that the warmth of the family invade the nature too. Also, during this day, the Gates of Heaven are opened and numerous rituals are performed so that warm weather may come. Some believe that the Martyrs were drowned and flowers rose to the surface. As a result, some desserts are made in the figure 8 to look like garlands. Others believe that the figure 8 denotes a stylized human form of the martyrs themselves.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A COMMON GROUND

In the Muntenia and Dobrogea regions of Romania, the dough is smaller and cooked in water with sugar, cinnamon and crushed nuts, symbolizing the lake where the Martyrs were cast. Horia Popescu ROMANIA ________________________________________

IN THE NIGHT OF SAN JUAN - SPAIN

It is a very old festival in which they celebrate the arrival of the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere whose rite is leading a fire. The purpose of this ordinance was "to give more power to the Sun" from those days, was becoming more "weak"-the days are getting shorter until the winter solstice. Symbolically, the fire also has a function "cleansing" in the people who watched. This festival is celebrated in many parts of Europe , but is especially strong in Spain, Portugal Norway, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland in South America, Brazil have Festas Junin, Bolivia, Chile and Venezuela the night of San Juan. The Night ok San Juan is, likewise, connected to ancient tradition and Spanish legends as Legend of the Enchanted: In essence, the legend recounts the emergency of a beautiful young woman combing her long hair with a comb of gold, about the Night of San Juan and a near a castle, cave or other natural area full of powerful symbolism. The encounter with her may lead to a viewer's enchantment, which generally tends to be a shepherd or farmer. Meanings The "history" of the enchanted, in itself, is rooted in a time when the knowledge and the very history of the company was transmitted in a human oral and reflect past events difficult to explain today. La Enchanted reminds the nymphs of classical mythology (young female figures of great beauty that appear next to water). Many of them also can sense the precedents of the fairy tales (young, physical

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and spiritual beauty are haunted by some evil power and are waiting for a hero brave to break his spell with a beautiful action.) The similarities between the stories suggest a contact culture , perhaps from the prehistory . Ulysses and the Sirens (Attic pottery, British Museum). Symbols Cave Associated with the earth and the underworld, the meaning symbolic of the caves has traditionally been related to the mysteries of birth and death . As input to the underworld or the world of the dead, were used since the Palaeolithic as burial sites. But the caves are also representations of the generator womb of Mother Earth, which made them places of birth of the gods, heroes, spirits and other mythical beings. In turn, this confluence of life and death is like the best locations to perform the rites of initiatory death.Its symbolic importance of intercultural and inter-temporal is remarkable, since the same Jesus Christ is buried in a cave and Orpheus seeking his beloved Eurydice touring a cave (Hades). Mirror. Is related to the moon, another symbol female, and appears in numerous legends and fairy folk character magic and mythology. Raises appearances of either the past or visions of the future. Comb Anthropologically, the symbol of the comb is closely related to the boat (for rowing). There is a great linear relationship between the two and represent the mutual penetration of the elements water and fire. The comb is an attribute of fabulous beings of feminine nature, as lamias and sirens ; it is the ratio of naked tail comb of fish and the consequent meaning mortuary. Diana Bonilla del Campo ﾃ］gela Arambarri Ateca I.E.S. Santa Clara Santander-SPAIN ________________________________________

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POLISH TRADITIONS

SOBÓTKA (NOC ŚWIĘTOJAOSKA – ST. JOHN’S NIGHT)

A centuries-old celebration taking place during the summer solstice, on June 23 is Sobótka (Noc Świętojaoska). It is a holiday of joy and love, fertility, fire, sun and moon. It is an archetype of the pagan magical practices that were supposed to clean the ground and water from demons and ensure abundant crops. These actions included adorning houses with green twigs, feasting, singing and dancing by fires and bathing in a river or lake. One of St. John’s customs still popular today is throwing wreaths into the water. This is an omen for men and women waiting for love. A wreath should be thrown into the river so that stagnant feelings for ex-partners could be taken away with its current. A single woman’s wreath should be picked up by a single man. Otherwise its owner will not know love all year round. And if a man does not pick up any wreath, solitude awaits him till the next year. Paula Jankowicz, NataliaMikolajczyk POLAND ________________________________________

The wolf and hind myth

Our nations history is rich and blessed , there are always a bunch of legends, myths and stories, a source of knowledge but because, along with documents and archaeological discoveries of great significance, scraps of Herodotus, Strabo, Homer and Ovidius ... strengthen through this treasure of divine blend of truth and legend, the reality of myth, beliefs and conclusions of the undeniable continuity and roots of our people in these places, considered to be holy, to be protected by Zamolxis Sacred Earth, the God of the Dacians God of Light, also

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known as God Mosh, Nevada god, god of the rocks. Myth 'Wolf and Hind "said the beast ancestor, was a lone gray wolf, which came down from heaven and was united with a deer, a doe appears. According to this myth, Dacia was born under the sign of the wolf, so it was destined for defensive wars, invasions and immigrations, cultivation of mystery and reverence. Since ancient times, the Dacians were known as "wolves of the Danube", "wolf warriors of light", "the wolf country", "beasts", "wolf children." Strabo says that in the past is ancient Dacian "you" (the woman if she was daie) or "DAV", meaning "wolf" or "those who are like wolves." In fact, the entire nation was represented by symbols Thracian characteristic, they are "surging" in Religion and Religion Deer Wolf, also appeared in cult Hind holy faith. It is known as the Dacians have faith that they are immortal, they having no fear of death, smiling face death, they were known as "immortal wolves and wolf myth and the myth of the deer, the deer sacred, the myth of eternal life, rebirth, immortality myth Dacians expanded spectrum since ancient times worldwide. The whole "world" of the Dacians is tied to symbols, they strengthen your faith in connection with divinity, thus shaping the idea that they are protected by divinity, by the very fact that there is something in the divine covenant with His chosen people. Many manuscripts,documents, notes, evidence brought to light by archeologists, reinforce the confession. A banner is the undisputed symbol of the Dacians, dragons, around which the warriors gathered in case of danger, before they turn to fight, and that was worn by knights twins. Along dragons, there were caul, flags Dacians. Dragons or dragon, dragon Dacians was a wolf's head with open mouth, the body of a snake with wings and neck who had stuck a thorn, and the slightest breath of wind that dragons 'driving out' sounds scary sharp, though coming from another world. This was frightening for dragons enemies, was the voice of caves and cliffs, and the synthesis of wolf and snake has the attributes of strength and pride, fear imposed by dragons Dacian warriors and respect ... that is why the battle cry against the Dacians and the occurrence of these dragons , install a sense of fear and respect required, indescribable, if we accept as "beasts" on Dacian war-

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A COMMON GROUND

riors. Geto-Dacians were renowned warriors everywhere admired for their courage and fearless, for lack of fear in the face of death, the determination to learn and be instructed to fight, their daring and skill with wielding weapons (bow, arrow), discipline who gave evidence, but were especially admired for studying ancestral battle cry, shout that instilled fear. There are not enough documents and evidence, but more distant from the notes, it seems that Dacia emblem, and most likely this dragons but cauls, three were in their chromatic colors, the rainbow is a symbol of the covenant and the connection with divinity, and these three colors in the master plan was because they had faith symbols defined in the Dacians, as follows: red represent morning, afternoon, yellow and blue signifies significance was dusk. It is said that when he offered Burebista Dacian banner ready to fight should be uttered these words: "To hit the enemy with the power of wolf fangs, get the snake and strain among juveniles, to go over them like a bird in flight. The flag that will be with him in the-flag fight will lift him above the cliff cities, to see him far away from those who believe that race is not afraid of wolves. "The proof of the wisdom of the ancient Dacian fortresses testify and traces of Dacian, built on hills, or other raised the exhortations grow to be the second front, setting, because, they say that everything would be commanded Burebista great masters of raising Only the cities telling them: "Let them pick the most high places, who knows where that comes danger and his mother to provide the victory." One thing is for sure, Dacians wolves hunted in a while and no deer and no doe, because they had faith in Religion wolf, the wolf as their strength and power was given to the deity, and faith in the Holy Religion Hind, doe is about heaven, symbol of love and kindness. And beautiful legend says that the union and love between the Beast and Wolf would have been born Holly Hind Dacia and why she is immortal, for, and shall protect and guard Zamolxis, cyclic, it's time for rebirth. Ovidiu RoĹ&#x;ca ROMANIA ________________________________________

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The Night Of The Magic Kings

In Spain, compared with the recent introduction of Santa Claus in the usual Christmas due to the influence of American culture and foreign countries, it is traditional for Christmas gifts to children they may bring the Kings the night of 5 to 6 January. Before, the children must send a letter to the king asking for the presents they want and indicate the credit for those who deserve to receive gifts. On the night of January 5th children must leave their shoes in the house somewhere. The next day the gifts are there, or in the case of a wrong, coal in place. On January 6 festive often in Spain, even when regional party depends on the authorities of each region was established. There is therefore considered a national holiday. Adults also receive gifts. The breakfast is typical of Kings Rosc贸n in many places also taken the day before picnic or dinner. In Spain these roscones usually contain a Christmas figurine. In some Latin American countries adopted the custom of the Spanish that children (and by extension, older) receive gifts of the Magi, or the day before, that is, on the night of January 5 or the morning of January 6. It is normal for children to write a letter to the king asking for the gifts they want and ensuring their good behaviour during the year since, according to tradition, children who misbehave receive fresh coal instead of gifts. Most postal services accept these cards. More recently has also begun the practice of writing through e-mail or even directly to their website. Magic children receive like the usual Anglo-Saxon about Santa Claus it is often wise menappear in gift shops and malls, where children have the opportunity to take a picture sitting on their knees and submit the letter with their requests directly. The representation usually consists of a stage with thrones and the characteristic symbols, such as pictures or drawings of camels, the star, a mailbox and Eastern-looking ornaments. In the thrones is where they feel the kings, is commonly characterized

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employees. Sometimes represent the three kings of tradition, but depending on the circumstances or the size of the stage, may include only one. They also include a page, signature character in charge of leading the children from where they expect their parents to kings and to collect the cards. In some places, the authorities organized the so-called Three Kings on January 5, during which the characters are usually on horseback or in carriages, wearing robes and crowns, instead of the Phrygian dress completely unknown. The next day, Jan. 6, is a public holiday. That day the children enjoy their gifts. In Spain, the Kings put the gifts which the children have left their shoes. Sweets are also left to give to the Magi and even food or water for the camels, which is the means of transport. Other customs of the January 6 This tradition originated in Spain in the typical twisted roll of kings (also called rosca de Reyes) taken on that day and that hides a little surprise inside. Miguel Crespo Puras Laro GarcĂa Bolado I.E.S. Santa Clara Santander-SPAIN ________________________________________

Bulgarian Customs

Fire-dancers.This is a custom that can be seen only in some villages between Strandzha and the Black Sea, around Bourgas. It is observed on the holiday of St.Konstantin and Elena , and sometimes on some of the local village fairs and the church/patron saint's days. A basic element of the custom is the dance in fire ( glowing embers). The whole village takes part in the celebration but it is only the firedancers that participate in the ritual dance. They are chosen by the saint who is patron of the holiday. The dancers are able to "see" his face, to "hear" his voice and his spirit is transferred in them and on

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his behalf they can interpret omens , give advices and scorn people. Fire-dancing is inherited. Only the head fire-dancer is the one to pass the strength and inspiration to the other fire-dancers. Head firedancer could become only the son or the daughter of the present one and only if he is either too old or after he has passed away. The head fire-dancer house is s sacred one because there is the so called "stolnina" or "konak"/"rasting place",which is a very small chapel where the icons of st.Konstantin and Elena are kept as well as those of the the Virgin Mary , st.George , st.Pantaleimon, and some wood-cuts from the Holy Sepulcher and red pieces of cloth decorated with a sun. There is also the sacred drum which sets the beat of the dance. It is also believed that the drum has magical powers and it can sure the one who carries it if he happens to be ill. This drum is not to be used in any other case. On the very day of the holiday after the service in the church, the people make their way to the "konak" led by the head fire-dancer and the priest. There the head fire-dancer censes the icons and the other firedancers and passes to them the spiritual strength and inspiration of St.Konstantin. They start beating the drum and play a special fire-dancing song on a pipe. Some of the fire-dancers get "caught" (a state of religious trance) and start dancing with the saint's icon in their hands. After that everyone sets off for the spring which bears the name of the saint and there they set up a big feast with prepared at home boiled mutton. After sunset they all return to the central square where they build up a big fire around which they play a horo to the accompaniment of the pipe and the drum. When the fire goes out and turns into glowing embers , the firedancers start dancing on them. The fire-dancer dances bare-footed on the embers and while he is dancing he may see and foretell the future. Sandy Angelova BULGARIA ________________________________________

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POLISH TRADITIONS STYPA

A feasting celebration connected with All Souls’ Day is Stypa. It is a gala banquet organized after the death of a loved or wellknown person and dedicated to their memory. During the celebration the family members recall the merits and achievements of the deceased and exchange their ideas about passing away. The old custom of “Pępkowe” Young fathers who want to celebrate the enlargement of the family, to express happiness about the birth of their child, and share it with their family members and friends, organize parties known colloquially as “pępkowe.” The young dad, according to tradition, is endowed by the guests with a small tree that he should plant and a cigar that he should ritually smoke. Sto Lat! - May you live a hundred years “Sto lat” is a traditional song sung at birthdays and name days in Poland much like the "Happy Birthday" song in the United States. However, "Sto Lat" is more versatile as it can be also heard at special events and occasions such as anniversaries, patriotic events and award ceremonies. Sto Lat Sto lat, sto lat, niech zyje zyje nam. Sto lat, sto lat, niech zyje zyje nam. Jeszcze raz, jeszcze raz, niech zyje, zyje nam. Niech zyje nam! Sto Lat (English version) Good luck, good cheer, may you live a hundred years. Good luck, good cheer, may you live a hundred years. Good luck, good cheer, may you live a hundred years. One hundred years! Tadeusz Kawecki, Aleksandra Kejne REFERENCES: Hryo-Kuśmierek, Renata and Zuzanna Śliwa: Encyklopedia tradycji polskich, Poznao, Poland: Podsiedlik- Raniowski i Spółka, 1990; Ogrodowska Barbara: Polish Rituals of the Annual Cycle, Warsaw , State Ethnographic Museum, 2001. Teamwork by students from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilioskiego in Warsaw, classes: ILB1, ILC1 and IILC2 POLAND ________________________________________

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SÂNZIENELE / THE FAIRIES

The custom of Fairies and its origins are lost deep within the midst of time. This is a local habit who’s original name was lost. We only managed to save the roman name of Sanziana, which is actually related to the name of Sancta Diana, and the slavonian one, “Dragaica”. The English word for Sanziene is Fairies. The celebration of the Sanziene (held on the 24th of June, the day John the Baptizer was born) is related to the cult of crop gathering, the cult of vegetation and fertility and it holds a fascinating mixture of Christianity, paganism and witchcraft. The Sanziene/ Fairies are also plants with yellow flowers with a pleasant smell. They grow in fields and at the edge of forests. Accompanied by music and the shouting of the younger men, girls gather these flowers in bouquets and knit them in circular shapes. These bouquets are then brought to the village and are put behind doors windows and balconies. The flowers are also being spread amongst the vegetables in the garden because it is believed that they will protect the owners and the house it’s self from evil spirits and that they will also bring luck prosperity and good health. During the Fairies night, old women also go to place known only by them to gather healing plants. Most of these herbs are than sent to the church where they are blessed and therefore are purified by the negative influence of the “iele” (evil fairies who live in the forests). Only then they will be safe to use for healing. The Fairies were also considered by girls to be a mean through whom they could find out who their husband is going to be, and when will they get married. Also, there is a custom that says that the bouquets that were previously gathered by the girls should be thrown over the house and if they remain there then soon there shall be a wedding. Another tradition says that before going to sleep, in the night of the Fairies, girls should put under their pillow one of the flowers she has gathered and she will dream the man she will marry. During

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A COMMON GROUND

the same night, right before sunrise, girls must go to the stables and throw a bouquet at the cattle and if the flowers shall get stuck in a young cowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s horns than the man she will marry is going to be young. If not, the future husband will be an old man. During the same night, at sunset, young men meet outside the village and set big fires around which they sing songs about love and magic. The next day, girls who soon shall be married dress up in white clothes wearing yellow flowers behind their ears, and set a traditional ring dance, to celebrate the upcoming event. Ovidiu RoĹ&#x;ca ROMANIA ________________________________________

Bulgarian Customs

Kukeri.On New Year's Eve and Zagovezni in Bulgaria special rituals called Mummer's games take place. The Mummer's games are performed by men only. They put on special masks hand-made by each of the participants. Most of the masks are constructed by wood. Different colored threads are glued on it as well as pieces of multicolored fabrics, mirrors and other shiny elements. The masks representing a ram, a goat or a bull are considered the strangest. Their necessary part of the Mummer's games proves the thesis that the origin of the mummer's games is connected to the ancient Dionysius' games. The impact that the masked mummers make gets even bigger by the sound of the copper and bronze bells that hang on them. Some of the masks have two faces. On one of the sides the nose is snub and the face is good-humored and on the other the nose is hooked and the face is ominous. Those masks symbolize the good and the bad which coexist in the world and are inevitable. A very important thing for the symbolic of the masks is the color of the decoration. The red is the most used one - a symbol of the fertility of the reviving nature, of the sun and the fire; the black color embodies the earth and

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her goddess mother and the white is a symbol of water and light Sandy Angelova BULGARIA ________________________________________

IN TURKEY BAYRAM MEANS FESTIVAL

Eid al-Adha (“Kurban Bayramı”, i.e. “Sacrifice Bayram”), Dhu al-Hijjah 10-13 What is Eid al-Adha? At the end of the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Muslims throughout the world celebrate the holiday of Eid al-Adha (Festival of Sacrifice). In 2010, Eid al-Adha will begin on November 16th, and will last for three days. What does Eid al-Adha commemorate? During the Hajj, Muslims remember and commemorate the trials and triumphs of the Prophet Abraham. The Qur’an describes Abraham as follows: “Surely Abraham was an example, obedient to Allah, by nature upright, and he was not of the polytheists. He was grateful for our bounties. We chose him and guided him unto a right path. We gave him good in this world, and in the next he will most surely be among the righteous.” (Qur’an 16:120-121) One of Abraham’s main trials was to face the command of Allah to kill his only son. Upon hearing this command, he prepared to submit to Allah’s will. When he was all prepared to do it, Allah revealed to him that his “sacrifice” had already been fulfilled. He had shown that his love for his Lord superseded all others, that he would lay down his own life or the lives of those dear to him in order to submit to God. Why do Muslims sacrifice an animal on this day? During the celebration of Eid al-Adha, Muslims commemorate and remember Abraham’s trials, by themselves slaughtering an animal such as a sheep, camel, or goat. This action is very often misunderstood by those outside the faith. Allah has given us power over animals and allowed us to eat meat, but only if we pronounce His name at the solemn act of taking

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life. Muslims slaughter animals in the same way throughout the year. By saying the name of Allah at the time of slaughter, we are reminded that life is sacred. The meat from the sacrifice of Eid al-Adha is mostly given away to others. One-third is eaten by immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor. The act symbolizes our willingness to give up things that are of benefit to us or close to our hearts, in order to follow Allah’s commands. It also symbolizes our willingness to give up some of our own bounties, in order to strengthen ties of friendship and help those who are in need. We recognize that all blessings come from Allah, and we should open our hearts and share with others. It is very important to understand that the sacrifice itself, as practiced by Muslims, has nothing to do with atoning for our sins or using the blood to wash ourselves from sin. This is a misunderstanding by those of previous generations: “It is not their meat or their blood that reaches Allah; it is your piety that reaches Him.” (Qur’an 22:37) The symbolism is in the attitude – a willingness to make sacrifices in our lives in order to stay on the Straight Path. Each of us makes small sacrifices, giving up things that are fun or important to us. A true Muslim, one who submits his or herself completely to the Lord, is willing to follow Allah’s commands completely and obediently. It is this strength of heart, purity in faith, and willing obedience that our Lord desires from us. What else do Muslims do to celebrate the holiday? On the first morning of Eid al-Adha, Muslims around the world attend morning prayers at their local mosques. Prayers are followed by visits with family and friends, and the exchange of greetings and gifts. At some point, members of the family will visit a local farm or otherwise will make arrangements for the slaughter of an animal. The meat is distributed during the days of the holiday or shortly thereafter. • Eid ul-Fitr (“Şeker Bayramı”, i.e. “Bayram of Sweets” or “Ramazan Bayramı”, i.e. “Ramadan Bayram”), Shawwal 1-3 Yunus Emre Yalçın , Enver Avcıoğlu , Ali Emre Öztürk Yahya Turan Anadolu öğretmen lisesi TURKEY

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POLISH TRADITIONS Wigilia

Among Poles, wherever they are, the most beloved and beautiful of all traditional festivities is that of Christmas Eve. It is then that the Wigilia, or Christmas Eve Dinner is served. It is a solemnly celebrated occasion and arouses deep feelings of kinship among family members. For days in advance, Poles prepare the traditional foods and everyone anxiously awaits the moment when the first star, known as “Gwiazdka”, appears in the sky. For that is when the feast to commemorate the birth of the Christ Child begins. There is always a thin layer of hay under the white tablecloth in memory of the Godchild in the manger. Before sitting down at the table, everyone breaks the traditional wafer, or Opłatek and exchanges good wishes for health, wealth and happiness in the New Year. The Opłatek is a thin, unleavened wafer similar to the altar bread in the Roman Catholic Church. It is stamped with the figures of the Godchild, the blessed Mary, and the holy angels. The wafer is known as the bread of love and is often sent by mail to the absent members of the family. The dinner itself differs from other evening meals in that the number of courses is fixed at twelve in honour of the twelve disciples. An extra place is set at the table for an unexpected guest. This belief stems from the ancient Polish "A guest at home is God at home." The Wigilia is a meatless meal. A traditional Wigilia menu includes a mushroom soup or red borsh, pickled herring (śledzie), fried fish, pierogi, beans and sauerkraut (groch i kapusta), dried fruit compote, babka, assorted pastries, nuts and candies. After the meal the members of the family sing Polish Christmas Carols called “kolędy” while the children wait impatiently around the Christmas tree for the gifts to be exchanged. Polish Christmas Carols are numerous and beautiful, especially when sung in Polish parishes at the Christmas Eve Mass. This

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Mass is called “Pasterka”, which means the Shepherds Watch, and there is a popular belief in Poland that while the congregation is praying, peace descends on the snow-clad, sleeping earth and that during that holy night, the companions of men - the domestic animals - assume voices. But only those who are free from any question of guilt may hear them. Christmas Day itself is spent in rest, prayer, and visits to various members of the family. During the Christmas season a priest visits homes and blesses them to spare them from misfortune. Klaudia Zielinska POLAND ________________________________________

HOLIDAYS - SIMILARITIES: Romania - Bulgaria

Both countries celebrate the coming of Spring, on 1st of March. In Bulgaria is called Martenitsa, while in Romania is called Martisor. In Bulgaria, Martenitsa is represented by a small piece of adornment, made of white and red yarn and worn from March 1 until around the end of March. Martenitsi are always given as gifts. People never buy martenitsi for themselves. They are given to loved ones, friends, and those people whom one feels close to. They are worn on clothing, or around the wrist or neck, until the wearer sees a stork or swallow returning from migration, or a blossoming tree, and then removes the Martenitsa and hangs it on a blossoming tree. In Romania, Mărţişor, marţ and mărţiguş are all names for the red and white string from which a small decoration is tied, and which is offered by people on the 1st day of March. The string can also be black and white, or blue and white) Giving this talisman to people is an old custom, and it is believed that the one who wears the red and white string will be strong and healthy for the year to

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come. It is also a symbol of the coming spring. Usually, women wear it pinned to their clothes for the first 12 days of the month, until other spring celebrations, or until the bloom of certain fruittrees. In some regions, a gold or silver coin is hanged from the string, which is worn around the neck. After wearing it for a certain period of time, they buy red wine and sweet cheese with the coin, according to a belief that their faces would remain beautiful and white as cheese, and rubicund as the red wine, for the entire year. Romania : The tradition of Mărţişor is very old, going back more than 8 000 years ago, according to archaeological research in Romania. In ancient Rome, New Year's Eve was celebrated on March 1st - 'Martius', as the month was called in the honour of the god Mars. Mars was not only the god of war but also an agricultural guardian, who ensured nature's rebirth. Therefore, the red and white colours of Mărţişor may be explained as colours of war and peace Romania - Spain Both countries are celebrating, on 24th of June, the Birth of John the Baptist. Saint John the Baptist Day is celebrated in many villages and towns in Spain. Many events take place on the evening of June 23. People in Catalonia celebrate Saint John the Baptist Day by: • Lighting bonfires, jumping over small fires (correfocs) and setting off fireworks. • Writing wishes or sins on a piece of paper and burning the paper. • Diving or bathing in dew, a stream, a river or the sea. • Staying awake all night near a small fire. • Watching the sun rise on the morning of June 24. • Collecting and cooking with the herbs thyme, rosemary and verbena.

In Western Christianity The Nativity of St John the Baptist, though not a widespread public holiday outside of Quebec, is a high-ranking liturgical feast,

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

kept in the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Lutheran Churches. Since in the Roman Rite it is celebrated since 1970 as a Solemnity, in the 1962 form of that liturgical rite as a feast of the first class and in still earlier forms as a Double of the First Class with common Octave. It takes precedence over a Sunday on which it happens to fall. The Reformed and free churches give this celebration less prominence. The day of a Saint's death is usually celebrated as his or her feast day, but Jesus himself and the Virgin Mary and Saint John the Baptist, while not being exceptions to this rule, have in addition a feast day that celebrates their earthly birth. The reason is that St. John was (Lk 1:15), like Jeremiah (Jer 1:5) and the Blessed Virgin, purified from original sin before his very birth, though not in the instant of conception as in the latter case. The feast of the Baptism of the Lord commemorates John's baptism of Jesus. In Eastern Christianity In the Eastern Orthodox Church and other Eastern Christian Churches, St John the Baptist is usually called St John the Forerunner, a title used also in the West ("Πρόδροµος" in Greek, "Precursor" in Latin). This title indicates that the purpose of his ministry was to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ. In the East also, the Feast of his Nativity is celebrated on June 24. It is a major feast day and is celebrated with an All-Night Vigil. It has an Afterfeast of one day. The feast always falls during the Apostles' Fast. In Romania, on 24th of June, we also celebrate Dragaica, while the Spanish people celebrates the longest day of the year. ‘Sanzienele’ or 'Dragaica' is a Romanian tradition with prechristian roots which is celebrated on June 24 – which coincides with the Orthodox holiday Ioan Botezatorul (St. John the Baptist). It is a midsummer tradition which celebrates nature and fecundity. Sanzienele are also called Dragaica in some regions of the country (Muntenia, Oltenia). The word “sanziene” is also used for a plant with golden flowers, which are gathered into wreaths and placed in the house (actually also thrown on the roof) to protect the

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house and its inhabitants from evil spirits. The legend goes that Fairies are young girls who give their magical powers to flowers and herbs during this period. During this time, young women can find their destined one – if they put the Sanziene flowers under their pillow during the night before the holiday, they will dream their future husband, the tradition goes. The Fairies night (June 23rd to June 24th) is considered a mystical moment, when the nature is at it peak and displays its most vital force. The traditional belief is that miracles can happen during the Sanziene night, when the skies can open. Dragaica is known as the Goddess of Agriculture, tradition keeped since neo-lithic age, when agriculture was discovered, and where the woman had a very important role, being capable of an unbelieveble patience, and watch a grass wire grow up. LEGENDS : Bulgaria: This is only one of the many legends, and perhaps not even the best known one, attempting to offer an explanation of how the tradition of creating and wearing martenitsa started. Khan Kubrat's (632–665) five sons went hunting accompanied by their sister Huba. When they reached the Danube river they saw a silver stag. Mesmerized, the men did not dare shoot at it. The stag crossed over to the opposite bank of the river showing them a ford. A bird flew bringing them bad tidings. Their father, the founder of Old Great Bulgaria was on his deathbed. In his last hours Kubrat's last will was to tell his offspring—Bayan, Kotrag, Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek—not to sever the still tenuous link between the different Bulgarian tribes. His sons vowed to defend Bulgaria. Soon after their father’s death, the Khazars invaded the land. The Khazar's Khan Ashina conquered the capital Phanagoria. Huba, Kubrat's daughter, was captured by Ashina. Hoping to give her brothers a chance to freedom, Huba attempted suicide but was stopped by the guards. Her brothers kept their vows in different ways. Bayan stayed with his sister and recognized the supremacy of the Khazars. Kotrag went northwards, to the River Volga, while Asparukh, Kuber and Altsek went south to search for a new land

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

without oppressors. The brothers who left secretly arranged with Huba and Bayan to send word by a golden thread tied to the leg of a dove if they were able to find a free land. One day a falcon sent by Asparukh flew into Huba's room and she and Bayan quickly made plans to escape. Just as they were looking for a place to cross the Danube River, Khazar pursuers spotted them and rushed toward them. Trying to find a ford, Huba let the falcon free. She tied a white thread to its leg and handed it to her brother. Just as the bird was about to take off, an enemy arrow pierced Bayan and his blood stained the white thread. While Huba and Bayan managed to reach the newly discovered land by Asparukh (present-day Bulgaria), they were both mortally wounded. Asparukh rushed to the side of his dying brother and sister but he could not save them. After their death he tore the pieces of white-and-red blood stained yarn and adorned his soldiers with them. Remembering the deads All the countries that participated at the project meeting, have a holiday that celebrates the deads. It's an ocasion to remember them, show our love for them. We celebrate it on Saturdays, and on Sundays we go to the Church. By: Diana Bonilla, Angela Aranbarri ,Laro García Miguel Crespo Ana Núñez Pérez SPAIN ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 2

THE CONTEMPORANEOUSNESS OF THE MAJOR ETHICAL SYSTEMS OF ANCIENT REGARDING THE MORAL VALUES, THE MEANING OF LIFE AND HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS

METHOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS COLEGIUL NAŢIONAL OCTAV ONICESCU

DIDACTIC PROJECT DATE:13. 02. 2011 LESSON’S DURATION: two course hours (50+50 min.) INVOLVED STUDENTS: students from the XIth and XIIth grade LESSON’S CONTENT: pedagogical experiment– „The contemporaneousness of the major ethical systems of ancient regarding the moral values, the meaning of life and human relationships” LESSON TYPE: lesson for the use of knowledge and information gathered up till now SOURCES OF INFORMATION: „philosophy”Orhan Pamuk – „My name is Red”, Ed. Curtea Veche, Bucuresti, 2006 Henryk Sienkiewicz „Quo vadis?”, Editura Leda, Bucuresti, 2004

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Sherlok Holmes, ed Best Publishing, 2004 THE BIBLE: Mircea Eliade, Maitreyi, Ed. Cartex, Bucuresti, 2005 Gregorio Maranon, Don Juan, Ed. Humanitas, Bucuresti 2008

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES : 1. At the end of the activity, students will be capable of : O1 – development of the European identity by identifying the common religious and folk values for all the participating countries. O2 – to discover the source of these values; O3 –to develop interdisciplinarity. RESOURCES:

PROCEDURE: complex analysis of literature, heuristic conversation, debate, expressive lecture, speech MATERIALS: literature books, pupils portfolios, work papers, bibliographic material

MANAGEMENT: individual, independent and frontal activity

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: - books of criticism - normal receptive abilities of students from the 10th grade - literature hall, equipped with tables for team activities

DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (philosophy, religion, literature, foreign languages, sciences

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Objec Lesson’s Activity’s -tives steps content

O1, O2

1. mana- The required gement materials are beingprepared

Didactic strategy

Evaluation

2. anchor R e l i g i o n ConversationFrontal activityThe teacher tests oral knowledge teacher asks the information that pupils own related to the the students three great values of the Christian man, valutesting toidentifythe ing the Decalogue: The justice( “don’t steal, moral values don’t kill, don’t crave your fellow ‘s house, promoted by wife, nor his slave, nor his bull, nor his donChristianity key, nor any other object belonging to your fellow”.)The Truth(“Do not crookedly testify against your fellow.”)The good ( “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, ,” You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name Discover T h e There will be mentioned philosophers such as oral ing the Philosoph Platon, who’s philosophy has good as moral source of y teacher ground; Aristotel, who considered that pleat h e s e identifies sure was only for animals and slaves, but confolk and t o g e t h e r sidered happiness as an activity for the soul religious with stu- according to virtuosity. According to him, dents the happiness is achieved rationally, doing for values a n t i q u e example, good deeds, through which the indiworld val- vidual rises above his well being, and acts for ues, that is the society’s well being. Epicur, moderated the source hedonist, claims that happiness is a spirituof modern al pleasure, and that a pleasant life is a moral val- decent, wise and honest one. Radical hedonists believe that happiness means pleaues sure, and the means of obtaining it, do not matter, nor the consequences.On the other hand, stoics support the idea that life should be according to nature, understanding the necessity of what is happening to you, and complying to it.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

O1, 4 O3 Directing of teaching

The science The students bring illustrated examples oral teacher creates on how these principles are met in the contact everyday life. between antique ideas and the contemporary ones

O1, Directing The litera- Ledbyteacher,thestudentsidentifysimilarities oral O2 of teaching ture teacher between Aristotel’s idea of happiness and identifies, Sherlock Holmes, who worked for the along with Scotland Yard, on his own will, only for the the students, good of the others.Epicur’s theory, could be European encountered in Orhan Pamuk’s novel, ”My works of lit- name is Red”. One of this novel’s plans, catches the passion for thumbnail art, and the need erature, in for the landmarks of this art to remain which you unchanged. When the rules of European paintcan find ingslowlyenterthemoslemworld,theUncle’s these antique painting( left unfinished after his death), was cultural prin- strictly created for the spiritual pleasure of the ciples. character, as any art form is meant to be.On the other hand, Don Juan, belongs to the doctrine of radical hedonists, so that beyond the feminine eternal which he seeks in each and every oneoftheseducedwomen,helooksforobtaining pleasure.A character that overlaps the Stoic Theory, is the honest Iov, from the Old Testament, who, after each Divine intervention in his life, said:” God gave, God took, may Lord’s name be blessed”. Maitreyi, also accepts his destiny and distinguishes this way from the European Allan, who ends up by acceptinghisdrama,afterbeingexiledfromhis lover’s family. Petronius, one of the characters from “Quo vadis” , also accepts death as a necessitytowhichhemustcomply,andhissuicide, is just a way of avoiding the humiliation of being killed by Nero, who he considered to be inferior from the spiritual point of view.

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YAHYA TURAN HIGH SCHOOL (IN HATAY/REYHANLI)

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE:05.03.2011 LESSON’S DURATION: 50’ + 50 INVOLVED STUDENTS: 9th, 10th,11th grade LESSON’S CONTENT: The Contemporaneus of the major ethical systems of ancient regarding the moral values, the meaning of the life and human relationships. LESSON TYPE: The use of knowledge and information gathered for the Project subjects. SOURCES OF INFORMATION: The Glorius Qur’an , Marmaduke Pickthall ,İstanbul , 2002 Aşk-ı Memnu (The Forbidden Love) – Halit Ziya Uşaklıgil , 2010 Les Misérables- Victor Hugo- 1999

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: At the end of the activity, Students will be capable of: O1: Development of the European Identity by identifying the common religious and folk values for all the participating countries. O2: To discover the source of these values. O3: To develop interdisciplinarity. RESOURCES: PROCEDURE: speech, debate, expessive lecture. MATERIALS: The Literature books, Bibliographic Materials work Papers MANAGEMENT: Individial, İndependent and frontal activity

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: The books of criticisms Normal Receptive abilities of students Team Work

DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team Teaching (Philosophy, religion, Literature, Foreign Languages, Sciences)

Objec Lesson’s -tives steps

O1, 02

Activity’s content

1. Mana- T h e gement r e q u i r e d materials are being repaired

Didactic strategy

Evaluation

2. Anchor R e l i g i o n ConversationFrontal ActivityThe Oral Knowledg teacher asks teacher asks the students “ How do you e testing the students to feel when you do a favour to someidentify the one?” moral values And teacher reminds the words from promoted by Quran The Beneficent 60. “ Is the reward of goodness aught save goodQuran ness?” Then He gives information about Joseph Surah in Quran :”32- She said: This he on whouse account ye blamed me. I asked of him an evil act, He proved continent, but he do not my behest he verily shall be imprisoned, and verily shal lbe of those brought low. 33- He said : O my Lord! Prison is more dear than that unto which they urge me, and if Thou fend not off their wiles from me I shall incline unto them and become of the foolish.”

72 O2

National College Octav Onicescu T h e First the teacher is going to start to men- oral Philosophy tion The Islam philosopher; t e a c h e r Yunus Emre spoke out for “dignitas e x p l a i n s hominis” and put forth an image of man The source not as an outcast, but as an extension of of moral God’s reality and love: We love the created values with For the Creator’s sake.And then He talks help of the about ; values of The mystic “infatuation” with God led him to the ancient believe, as did Sophocles, that: times. Many are wonders of the world, And none so wonderful as Man. Epicurus “It is impossible to live a pleasant life without living wisely and well and justly (agreeing “neither to harm nor be harmed” and it is impossible to live wisely and well and justly without living a pleasant life.” In Kant’s terms, a good will is a will whose decisions are wholly determined by moral demands or as he often refers to this, by the Moral Law. Human beings view this Law as a constraint on their desires, and hence a will in which the Moral Law is decisive is motivated by the thought of duty. A holy or divine will, if it exists, though good, would not be good because it is motivated by thoughts of duty. A holy will would be entirely free from desires that might operate independently of morality. It is the presence of desires that could operate independently of moral demands that makes goodness in human beings a constraint, an essential element of the idea of ‘duty’. So in analyzing unqualified goodness as it occurs in imperfectly rational creatures such as ourselves, we are investigating the idea of being motivated by the thought that we are constrained to act incertainwaysthatwemightnotwantto,orthe thought that we have moral duties.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

O1, O2

The science The students give examples on how Oral teacher have the these principles are met in everyday students elicit the contact life. between antique ideas and the contempary ones.

The Literature The teacher lead the students similarities teacher identi- between Kant’s Ethics Yunus Emre’ love fies, along with philosophy and Les Misables ;Les Miserables, where Jean Valjean, the s t u d e n t s escaped galley slave, embittered by the E u r o p e a n injustice of his sentence, is offered hospitalWorks of liter- ity by an abbé whom he planned to rob. In ature, in which the dead of night, he steals the abbé’s silver you can find candlesticks and flees. Apprehended the morning by the police and brought these cultural next back to confront his host, Jean Valjean is principles. already visualizing the torments reserved for escaped galley slaves, when the abbé says to the gendarmes, “I gave him the candlesticks, you can let him go.” Jean Valjean was never the same againAşk-ı Memnu is the story of the transition of Turkish society into modern life. It is about an extra-marital love affair and the difficulty of the status of women in the Ottoman period. Bihter, an attractive lady married to Adnan who is much older then herself, falls in love with Behlül and experiences a passionate affair with him. However Behlül, a moody adventurist, is bored with this relationship after a short while and falls in love with Nihal, who is the stepdaughter of Bihter. A short time before the marriage of Behlül and Nihal, the family finds out about the ‘forbidden love’ affair of Behlül and Bihter. Bihter cannot take the pressure and commits suicide. This leads to a chain of events which leaves everyone in solitude Bihter is similiar to Tolstoy Anna Karina, and Madam Bovary (Gustave Flaubert) The teacher has the students create the contact Ask Memnu with Kant’s good will, duty , moral law.

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LESSON PLAN – POLAND

SUBJECT: The contemporaneity of the major ethical systems of the ancient regarding moral values, the meaning of life and human relationships. DURATION: llesson (45 minutes) CLASS: 1LB1 from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Poland DATE: 15 March 2011 REFERENCES: The Bible; John Burnet: Greek Philosophy ,A & C Black Ltd., London 1920; Chester G. Starr: A History Of The Ancient World, Oxford University Press 1999; Jan Kochanowski: Fraszki. Pieśni. Treny., Zielona Sowa 2010, Piotr Rowicki: Mity Greckie, Wilga 2010

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1) to develop the European identity by identifying the common religious and ethical values for all the participating countries, 2) to discover the source of these values, 3) to develop interdisciplinarity

PROCEDURES: Analysis of literature texts, heuristic conversation, debate, expressive lecture MATERIALS: References material, pictures, pupils’ portfolios

DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (history, literature, religious education, English, art, IT)

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Objec -tives

Lesson steps

1. Management

Activity’s description The lesson’s objectives and concepts are presented to students

Evaluation

2), 3) 2.Anchor The history teacher builds the context by oral knowledge talking with students about the effect of testing Persian and Peloponnesian wars on Greek people’s understanding of the world and their religious beliefs. 1), 2), 3.Teaching The English teacher asks students to read oral 3) about philo- the lesson material texts about great Greek s o p h i c a l philosophers and then summarize the views ethics; read- of these thinkers. ing comprehension practice 1), 3) 4.Brainstor The IT teacher discusses with students a oral ming con- statement by W. H. Auden: “had Greek versation civilization never existed we would never have become […] fully human.” 1), 2), 5.Teaching The religious education teacher lists The oral aboutamoral Ten Biblical Commandments and then 3) foundation in makes a conversation with students about Judaism and their importance in this day and age. Christianity; listening comprehension practice

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1), 3) 6. Previous The literature teacher checks students’ under- oral l e s s o n standing of his previous lesson by making knowledge students remember the philosophy of the testing to find golden mean presented in the mythological references to tale of Daedalus and Icarus, the reference to Greek philos- the Carpe Diem aphorism in Song XI by a ophy in common culture Polish Renaissance poet J. Kochanowski, as well as a modern version of the Decalogue in Kieślowski’s film series Decalogue (1988) 1), 3) 7. Short lec- The art teacher gives a brief speech on the oral ture on the views of Greek philosophers as regards art views of (e.g. the Pythagoras’s idea of mathematical G r e e k beauty and harmony, the Epicure’s idea of p h i l o s o - happiness and lack of suffering or the phers on art. Aristotle’s idea of imitating nature). Discovering The teacher asks then students to study picconnections tures of well -known works of art in groups to ancient and identify any antiquity features in them. philosophy in common art. Team work 1)

8 . S e t t i n g The English teacher gives students a writ- written homework ten assignment where they are supposed to to students express their thoughts on their favourite ancient thinker/s.

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BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

SANTA CLARA HIGH SCHOOL, SANTANDER CANTABRIA-SPAIN

DIDACTIC PROJECT FOR E-CLASS

DATE:15. 03. 2011 A-LESSON’S DURATION: two course hours (50+50 min.) In Spain we start at 13,00 until 14,15 Sain time. (Romania is one hour + than Spain (They start at 12,00 Romania hour) B-INVOLVED STUDENTS: students from the 4º ESO 1º Bach y 2º Bach grades C-LESSON’S CONTENT: pedagogical experiment– «The contemporaneousness of the major ethical systems of ancient regarding the moral values, the meaning of life and human relationships» D-LESSON TYPE : lesson for the use of knowledge and information gathered up till now F-SOURCES OF INFORMATION: a- Philosophy, prof.Eliseo Rabadá http://filosofia.org/filomat b- Science for our actual World prof.F J Alonso del Val VVAA. Ciencias de la tierra y del medio ambiente at link here http://www.educantabria.es/informacion_institucional/publicacion es/ciencias-de-la-tierra-y-del-medio-ambiente-un-enfoque-desdela-teoria-de-sistemas-y-la-sostenibilidad-2005. Un enfoque desde la teoría de sistemas y la sostenibilidad. c-History of Philosophy E Rabadán Copleston History of Philosophy Vol I and Russell Bertrand History of Western Philosophy d-Psychology, prof Eliseo Rabadán. Rojas,. ¿ Quién eres? Temas de Hoy, Madrid, 2001. Psicologia joven http://www.psicologiajoven.com/ e-Catholic Religion, prof Gema Gutiérrez Sañudo The Bible f-History of Art , prof Mª Pilar Ruiz de la Cuesta g-ITC technical advisory for all the teachers activities, profs.

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Jesús Matía and Ana Nuñez http://tic-eso.blogspot.com/ http://blogs.ua.es/gonzalo/category/blogs-wikis-y-webquest/ h- invited teachers from Santa Clara (working upon this now) school?

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: a. At the end of the activity, students will be capable of : Objective 1- development of the European identity by identifying the common religious and folk values for all the participating countries. Objective 2- to discover the source of these values; Objective 3 - to develop interdisciplinarity Objective 4 - to improve technical manage on new ITC working

RESOURCES: PROCEDURE: complex analysis of literature, heuristic conversation, debate, expressive lecture, speech MATERIALS: literature books, pupils portfolios, work papers, bibliographic material MANAGEMENT: individual, independent and frontal activity

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES: - books of criticism - normal receptive abilities of students from the 4º ESO, 1º Bach y 2ºBach grades - literature hall, equipped with tables for team activities

DIDACTIC STRATEGY Team teaching (philosophy, religion, literature, foreign languages, sciences, psychology, History

1.man- The required agement materials are being prepared

Evaluation

Didactic strategy

Activity’s content

Lesson’s steps

Objectives

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Obj1, 2 . anchor R e l i g i o n Conversation oral O2 knowledge teacher asks Frontal activity the students The teacher tests the information that pupils testing to identify own related to the three great values of the the moral Christian man, valuing the Decalogue: The values pro- justice (“don’t steal, don’t kill, don’t crave moted by your fellow ‘s house, wife, nor his slave, nor his bull, nor his donkey, nor any other Christianity object belonging to your fellow”.) The Truth (“Do not crookedly testify against your fellow.”) The good ( “Honor your father and your mother, so that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you, " You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name

Obj2 Discover T h e There will be mentioned philosophers oral ing the Philosophy such as Plato, who’s philosophy has source of t e a c h e r good as moral ground: Justice related to welfare, centered in The Idea of a hont h e s e i d e n t i f i e s est government by the wise men on the t o g e t h e r folk and State. The Good defined as equilibrium religious with students and harmony between all parts of socithe antique ety by education with dialectic model. values world val- Happiness for individual soul correues, that is sponding to Happiness State searching the source of to the aim of avoiding abuses with conm o d e r n traries equilibrium by the practice of Wise and Justice ideals. moral values

Obj1 , Obj 3

Obj1 , Obj2

National College Octav Onicescu Aristotle, who considered that pleasure was only for animals and slaves, but considered happiness as an activity for the soul according to virtuosity. He also proposed Justice as one of main virtues or values. According to him, happiness is achieved rationally, doing for example, good deeds, through which the individual rises above his well being, and acts for the societyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well being. We need to understand the relevance of other Greece models confronting what is known as Pericles Democracy at Athens: Sparta, and the Tyranny, and Military ruled States. The SophistsÂ´ Schools, mainly Gorgias, and Protagoras, as defenders of the Hobes based models of State as opposite to values in present-days European Union member States. Epicur, moderated hedonist, claims that happiness is a spiritual pleasure, and that a pleasant life is a decent, wise and honest one. Radical hedonists believe that happiness means pleasure, and the means of obtaining it, do not matter, nor the consequences. On the other hand, stoics support the idea that life should be according to nature, understanding the necessity of what is happening to you, and complying to it. 4 Directing The science The students bring illustrated examples oral of teaching teacher cre- on how these principles are met in everyates the con- day life. tact between antique ideas and the contemporary ones. Directing The literature Led by teacher, the students identify of teach- teacher iden- similarities between Aristotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s idea of ing tifies, along happiness and Sherlock Holmes, who with the stu- worked for the Scotland Yard, on his dents, own will, only for the good of the others.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

E u r o p e a n Epicur’s theory, could be encountered in works of lit- Orhan Pamuk’s novel, ”My name is Red”. erature, in One of this novel’s plans, catches the passion which you for thumbnail art, and the need for the landcan find marks of this art to remain unchanged. When these antique the rules of European painting slowly enter cultural prin- the moslem world, the Uncle’s painting (left ciples. unfinished after his death), was strictly created for the spiritual pleasure of the character, as any art form is meant to be. On the other hand, Don Juan, belongs to the doctrine of radical hedonists, so that beyond the feminine eternal which he seeks in each and every one of the seduced women, he looks for obtaining pleasure. A character that overlaps the Stoic Theory, is the honest Iov, from the Old Testament, who, after each Divine intervention in his life, said:” God gave, God took, may Lord’s name be blessed”. Maitreyi, also accepts his destiny and distinguishes this way from the European Allan, who ends up by accepting his drama, after being exiled from his lover’s family. Petronius, one of the characters from “Quo vadis” , also accepts death as a necessity to which he must comply, and his suicide, is just a way of avoiding the humiliation of being killed by Nero, who he considered to be inferior from the spiritual point of view.

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1ST SCHOOL, SOFIA, BULGARIA

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE 28.02.2011, 7 March, 14 March LESSON DURATION: 120 minutes. GRADE LEVEL: 10-12 /advanced/ INVOLVED STUDENTS: XII grade, LESSON CONTENT: “The contemporaneousness of the major ethical systems of ancient regarding the moral values, the meaning of life and human relationships” TOPIC: / Moral Values in Religion, Philosophy, Literature and Modern Society / LESSON TYPE: Use of Knowledge and information gathered / discussion / DIDACTIC STRATEGY-team teaching SUBJECT AREAS: History, Religion, Philosophy, Psychology, Literature, Foreign languages, Music, LESSON OBJECTIVES: 1. To better understand the moral values, discover their sources and develop Europe identity by identifying the common religious and moral values for the participating in the project countries. 2. To promote fluency through discussion. 3. To give students practice in giving their own opinion. STUDENTS SHOULD: HistoryUnderstand the historical perspective. Language ArtsWriting- Gather and use information for research purposes. Reading- Use reading skills and strategies to understand and interpret a variety of informational texts. Listening and Speaking - Use listening and speaking strategies

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

for different purposes- presenting a view, analyzing opinion, Thinking and Reasoning- Effectively use mental processes that are based on identifying similarities and differences. Working with Others- Contribute to the overall effort of a group. Display effective interpersonal communication skills Estimated Time-This should take three 40-minute class periods, plus additional time for extension activities. MATERIALS NEEDED: • Textbooks and books, Web sites, YouTube. necessary to complete the lesson plan • Internet access for conducting required project research. • Access to word processing and multimedia presentation software such as Power Point (optional). •http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/2702687/25 great friend_songs_celebrate_friendship_pg2.html?cat=2 ASSESSMENT SUGGESTIONS: 1. Students could earn participation grades for class discussion activities. 2. An accuracy or completion grade could be given for the Reading Guide. 3. A scoring guide, peer evaluation, or self evaluation could be used to assess each group’s project and ten-minute presentation. Encourage students to work as a class to develop the scoring guide, peer evaluation form, or self evaluation form based on the project guidelines. 4. If procedure number eight is completed as a written response activity, a completion or accuracy grade could be assigned. PROSEDURE LESSON1: Introduce the topic, the aims of the lesson and the activities. Give information on the topic and distribute the tasks. Students listen to some information about history, religion and Greek philosophers in ancient times and analyze what they have learned. 1. Assign students to work in pairs or small groups. Each group of students randomly selects a topic to present more information about.

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2. Provide class time and Internet access for students to use the Web site links to find answers to the questions. 3. When all students are ready, take time to discuss the questions as a class. 4. Please note that based on class size, you may have to assign the same topic and related assignment to more than one group. Most assignments are broad enough to allow for multiple groups to complete the same project. 5. Provide groups with time to organize and begin work on their mini-projects. 6. When projects have been completed, provide each group with five- ten minutes to present the project they have created. 7. Encourage students to ask questions about the projects and what the groups learned while conducting their research. 8. When all projects have been presented, display them in the classroom or another area of the school for others to see. To connect the learning, ask students to respond in writing or through a class discussion to questions.

LESSON 2 1. The history teacher introduces the topic and presents the objectives of the lesson. 2. The teacher of religion asks the students to identify the moral values promoted by Christianity The teacher presents the major Christian values and students express their opinion. / teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s instructional input and guided practice; the students try new skills and work with new ideas / 3. The philosophy teacher identifies together with students the ancient world values that are the source of modern moral values. Presentations and discussion about some philosophers and their ideas about moral values, their ideas about happiness and meaning of life. / Plato, Aristotle, Epicure, stoics and others/ 4. The teacher of literature identifies with the students the European literature where you find these moral principles.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Novels and poems by great writers and the moral values / values of truth, love, peace, right conduct, and non-violence …/ stories by Yordan Yovkov, Aleko Konstantinov , Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra „Don Quijote de la Mancha“ ,Orhan Pamuk, “My Name Is Red” Quo Vadis , Henry Senkevich, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus written by Mary Shelley 5. Moral Values in Modern Societies. Students discuss the meaning of life, happiness, friendship, respect and tolerance for a world without violence. /Students discuss the problems of finding a human rights paradigm that is morally acceptable worldwide. They simulate the debate leading to the UN Declaration Human Rights. Groups represent different countries and discuss major categories of human rights. / Optional / Students consider the consequences of bioethics. They discuss and discover the differences between ethics and morals and discuss where the concepts of good and bad come from in society. After that they research how technology has changed the major ethical issues today and write an essay on their findings us homework. 6. Moral Values and Art and Music. A Discussion about how art and music influence us to respect moral values and become better people. Students listen to some songs about friendship , love and happiness.

RESEARCH WORK

Epicur Epicurus: the pleasure and wisdom (“Letter to Menoiceus). Epicurus’s Morality can be summed up in these four tips: find that pleasure that is not followed by pain, prevent pain that does not cause any pleasure, saves you accept the pain of a greater suffering in the future or that you will purchase in much more pleasure, watch the pleasure you miss of greater pleasure in the future or that will cause pain. Epicur’s prefer so-called “stable pleasure”, quiet, durable, free

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of worries and emotions. Happiness is to live without care and suffering. This ideal is easy to do because our natural needs(hunger, thirst) are not numerous, nor pretentious. Desires that rage, usually men (wealth, power, glory) are not necessary. Quote: „With bread and water wise its dispute with the gods happyness. „ Epicur. In fact, wisdom is for Epicur „the first and greatest asset” from which comes all the other virtues (prudence, temperance, courage and justice) that can not lead to happiness. He starts from the fact that all beings strive, by nature, to bypass the pain and live the pleasure that leads to happiness. Quote: „Every pleasure is good and pain is bad”. Therefore, pleasure for the wisest becomes the highest good and pain the only evil that must be awared of. What is pleasure? It is a joy to the soul and for the body an pleasure excitement. It is not totally accurate. For Epicur , pleasure is the lack of any sign of pain , overall the result is a deep silence of the soul (Ataraxia). Răducanu Mircea ROMANIA ________________________________________ Epicurean and Stoic Views of Happiness

Epicureanism and Stoicism, the two dominant philosophies of the Hellenistic and early Roman periods, have undergone a revival in popularity, not only amongst academic philosophers, but also amongst lay people and psychologists. This may well because both are practical philosophies, whose aim is not simply to establish what is true, but to live wisely and happily. What it means to live happily, though, is not always clear. As many writers (Adler, 2000) have pointed out, the Greek concept of eudaimonia, while it is frequently translated as “happiness” does not correspond exactly to the modern notion: we tend to think of happiness as a feeling, whereas for most Greeks it was more of a state of well-being or good fortune. Nevertheless, we should not assume that Aristotle’s view was universally held, and when Hellenistic philosophers talk about happi-

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

ness, we may assume that they include the component of “feeling happy”, since if happiness or eudaimonia is ultimately desirable (the Summum Bonum) then good feelings must be at least part of it. When we look at Stoic writings, the problem of definitions becomes more severe. Although the Stoic sage is often described as eudaimon (happy), the goal in terms of a state of mind was apatheia. This has been translated as “apathy”, but “tranquility” is probably a better translation, since apatheia is the absence of all types of pathos, or mental disturbance. The situation is further complicated by the fact that some Stoic writers admit the possibility of eupatheia, or “good emotions”, such as affection and cheerfulness. The Stoic view of happiness, then, appears to be a long-term state of mind, which is free from disturbing passions but which may take pleasure in certain benign emotions. In Epicureanism, the problem of defining happiness seems at first to be simpler. Happiness, for Epicurus, is the result of pleasure: “we call pleasure the alpha and omega of a happy life” (Menoecus, 61). However, Epicurus’ idea of pleasure may not be exactly the same as what we normally understand by the word. Pleasure, in Epicurean terms, is “the absence of pain in the body and of trouble in the soul” (Menoecus, 7). This surprisingly negative definition of what we normally perceive as a positive quality provides a good point for comparing Epicurean and Stoic views of happiness. Trouble in the soul Epicurean philosophy holds that “trouble in the soul” is caused by two factors: superstitious beliefs and unnatural desires. In the former category, the most prominent is the fear of death. We might object here that since Epicureans (like almost all Hellenistic philosophers) believe in following Nature, it is natural to fear death. However, it can be argued that what Epicurus advises us to avoid is not the momentary animal fear that occurs when we are in a potentially lethal situation; it is a more abstract fear brought about by the idea of death. The argument is that we only properly fear unpleasant states, and this implies awareness; since there can be no awareness after we die, there is nothing to be afraid of: Accustom yourself to believe that death is

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nothing to us, for good and evil imply awareness, and death is the privation of all awareness; therefore a right understanding that death is nothing to us makes the mortality of life enjoyable, not by adding to life an unlimited time, but by taking away the yearning after immortality. (Menoecus, 3) Fear of the gods or fate are also brought about by irrational beliefs. Epicurus rejects the popular view of the time, which held that gods were temperamental creatures liable to punish mortals for a variety of reasons, and advocates a scientific approach to natural phenomena: â&#x20AC;&#x153;If we had never been molested by alarms at celestial and atmospheric phenomena . we should have had no need to study natural scienceâ&#x20AC;? (Principal Doctrines, 11). Pain in the body Since Epicureans define pleasure (in part) as the absence of pain, it is not surprising that avoiding pain is a prime concern. Consequently, even some pleasures are to be avoided if they bring pain, while some pain is to be accepted if it results in greater pleasure; i.e., the elimination of more pain in the long run (Menoecus, 5; Principal Doctrines, 8)2. A further consideration (which appears to contradict the previous assertion) is that although pain is obviously to be avoided, it is not unbearable, since, according to Epicurus, intense pain is short-lived, while chronic pain is generally mild (Principal Doctrines, 4). While this may have been a valid observation when Epicurus was writing, since any illness capable of producing extreme pain was likely to kill the patient pretty quickly, it is hardly true now; thanks to modern medicine, people can suffer intense and chronic pain without dying. Epicurus also seems to ignore the possibility of torture (which certainly was common in his day). To be fair, Epicureans were concerned with practical measures to help people to be happy under normal circumstances; they did not claim to have a method which would provide happiness under all conditions. The Stoics, however, had more ambitious plans; they wanted to prove that a wise person could be happy no matter what pain he or she was subjected to. The reasons for classifying pain as ultimately unimportant are twofold. The first is that it is not under our control, or in other words, adiapho-

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

ra. Indifferent things cannot be a source of real happiness, and so cannot inflict real unhappiness upon us. The second reason is that people “are disturbed, not by things, but by the principles and notions which they form concerning things” (Enchirideon, 5); thus, from a Stoic point of view, it is not the pain that upsets you, but the idea that the pain is bad. If this seems ludicrous, we may consider the great variety of responses to pain. It has often been observed during wars that civilians who are wounded seem to feel more pain than soldiers, who, although aware of the pain, are often quite cheerful. References Adler, Mortimer (2001). Aristotle’s Ethics: the theory of happiness. The Radical Academy. 3This is actually implied by the idea of eupatheia. 7 (2002 January 10). Annas, J. (1995) Prudence and Morality in Ancient and Modern Ethics. Ethics 105. 241-257. Epicurus (2000a). [trans. Robert Drew Hicks] Letter to Menoecus. The Internet Classics Archive. (2002 January 10). Epicurus (2000b). [trans. Robert Drew Hicks] Principal Doctrines. The Internet Classics Archive. (2002 March 7). Epictetus (2000). [trans. Elizabeth Carter] Enchirideon. The Internet Classics Archive. (2002 January 10). Irwin, T.H. (1998) “Stoic Inhumanity”. In Juha Silvola & Troels Engberg-Pedersen (eds.) The Emotions in Hellenistic Philosophy. Dordrecht: Kluwer. Rorty, A.O. (1998) “The Two Faces of Stoicism: Rousseau and Freud”. In Juha Silvola & Troels Engberg-Pedersen (eds.) The Emotions in Hellenistic Philosophy. Puţaru Roxana ROMANIA ________________________________________

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STUDENTS’ CREATIVE WORK

EUDAIMONISM “Eudaimonia” is a central concept in ancient Greek ethics, along with the term “arete”, most often translated as “virtue”, and phronesis, often translated as “practical or moral wisdom.”[4] In classical Greek, eudaimonia was used as a term for the highest human good, and so it became the aim of practical philosophy, including ethics and political philosophy, to consider what it really is and how it can be achieved. As a result there are many varieties of eudaimonism. Two of the most influential forms are those of Aristotle[1] and the Stoics. Aristotle takes virtue and its exercise to be the most important constituent in eudaimonia but does acknowledge the importance of external goods such as health, wealth, and beauty. By contrast, the Stoics make virtue necessary and sufficient for eudaimonia and thus deny the necessity of external goods. Aristotle says that eudaimonia means ’doing and living well’. It is significant that synonyms for eudaimonia are living well and doing well. Aristotle points out, saying that eudaimon life is a life which is objectively desirable, and means living well, is not saying very much. Everyone wants to be eudaimon; and everyone agrees that being eudaimon is related to faring well and to an individual’s well being. The really difficult question is to specify just what sort of activities enable one to live well. Aristotle presents various popular conceptions of the best life for human beings. The candidates that he mentions are a life of pleasure, a life of practical activity and a philosophical life. One important move in Greek philosophy to answer the question of how to achieve eudaimonia is to bring in another important concept in ancient philosophy, “arete” (“virtue”). Aristotle says that the eudaimon life is one of “virtuous activity in accordance with reason”.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Aristotle’s ethical theory is eudaimonist because it maintains that eudaimonia depends on virtue. However, it is Aristotle’s explicit view that virtue is necessary but not sufficient for eudaimonia. While emphasizing the importance of the rational aspect of the soul, he does not entirely ignore the importance of other ‘goods’ such as friends, wealth, and power in a life that is eudaimon. He thinks that one is unlikely to be eudaimon if one lacks certain external goods such as ‘good birth, good children, and beauty’. So, a person who is extremely ugly, or has “lost children or good friends through death”, or who is all alone, is unlikely to be eudaimon. Eudaimonia depends to some extent on something over and above excellence of reason, and on good fortune in life and body. Epicurus’ ethical theory is hedonistic. (Hedonism is the view that pleasure is the only intrinsic good and that pain is the only intrinsic bad. An object, experience or state of affairs is intrinsically valuable if it is good simply because of what it is. Intrinsic value is to be contrasted with instrumental value. An object, experience or state of affairs is instrumentally valuable if it serves as a means to what is intrinsically valuable. To see this, consider the following example. Suppose you spend your days and nights in an office, working at not entirely pleasant activities, such as entering data into a computer, and this, all for money. Someone asks, “why do you want the money?” and you answer, “So, I can buy an apartment overlooking the Mediterranean, and a red Ferrari.” This answer expresses the point that money is instrumentally valuable because it is a means to getting your apartment and red Ferrari. The value of making money is dependent on the value of commodities. It is instrumentally valuable: valuable only because of what one obtains by means of it. Epicurus identifies the eudaimon life with the life of pleasure. He understands eudaimonia as a more or less continuous experience of pleasure, and also, freedom from pain and distress. But it is important to notice that Epicurus does not advocate that one pursue any and every pleasure. Rather, he recommends a policy whereby pleasures are maximized “in the long run.” In other words, Epicuric claims that some pleasures are not worth having because they lead to greater pains, and some pains are worthwhile when they lead to

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greater pleasures. The best strategy for attaining a maximal amount of pleasure overall is not to seek instant gratification but to work out a sensible long term policy. Stoic ethics is a particularly strong version of eudaimonism. According to the Stoics, virtue is necessary and sufficient for eudaimonia.. However, the Stoic concept of arete is much nearer to the Christian conception of virtue, which refers to the moral virtues. However, unlike Christian understandings of virtue, righteousness or piety, the Stoic conception does not place as great an emphasis on mercy, forgiveness, self- charity and self-sacrificial love, though these behaviors/mentalities are not necessarily spurned by the Stoics .Rather Stoicism emphasizes states such as justice, honesty, moderation, simplicity, self-discipline, resolve, fortitude, and courage (states which Christianity also encourages). The Stoics make a radical claim that the eudaimon life is the morally virtuous life. Moral virtue is good, and moral vice is bad, and everything else, such as health, honour and riches, are merely â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;neutralâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.[8] The Stoics therefore are committed to saying that external goods such as wealth and physical beauty are not really good at all. Moral virtue is both necessary and sufficient for eudaimonia. Matei Ana Maria ROMANIA ________________________________________ BULGARIA - FUNDAMENTAL ETHICAL CODES

Every great religion of the world has a code of ethics. The goal of a sound code of ethics is to provide a set of fundamental ethical rules (or commands) that help the individual or group do what ought to be done in face of (sometimes problematic) ethical situations. To hope to do right things, we must go beyond ethical codes and think critically about the ethical issues that may confront us. Ethical relativists have argued that there can be no univer-

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS â&#x20AC;&#x201C;A COMMON GROUND

sal/absolute ethical standards, since different individuals or communities have different social codes and ethical values. Underlying such theoretical misgivings is the notion that what is right (or wrong) depends on the individual who does it and where it is done, and whether or not a certain community approves. So, we are left with the problem of deciding whose ethics and what values to instill and enforce. Ethical absolutists have argued, on the flipside, that a code of ethics for judging and guiding communal action may be grounded on the notion that it is hard to deny that some moral values exist. But although ethical relativism or ethical absolutism may each be proposed as a convenient solution to the problem of how to do things right, each dispenses with doing right things. There is no way to convince someone (whether an ethical relativist or ethical absolutist) who does not share our ethical views that our view is right. And by itself each purported solution fails to elucidate the right view, since we must additionally show how we are to choose between competing ethical views. Furthermore, we are not always sure of, or in agreement about, the credibility of the ethical position, nor on how the position would work in ambiguous or new cases. In the Divine Command theory the right act is one done in obedience to the law (or will) of God (e.g., Ten Commandments of the Old Testament). Ethics and morality are more tightly bound together here because in the Divine Command theory, a superior being lays down (or dictates) the original law or rule and the right act is one that conforms to or is done out of observance of that rule. But this leaves us puzzled about how a person could ever have strong ethical convictions and yet, for instance, not be moral in the religious sense. For example, consider an atheist who believes that right actions are those that produce the greatest possible balance of happiness over unhappiness (i.e., suppose the atheist is a Classical Utilitarian). In this case, the precepts of right (and wrong) are not motivated by religious moral considerations. So, even if we believed that there is no God and morality (or suspended judgment about these notions altogether), there still may be ethicsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; there still may be a difference between right and wrong. Thus, we may

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challenge the contention that if there is no God, everything is permitted. Finally, those who take ethics and morality to be more tightly bound together so that ethical questions are inseparable from moral ones may take the terms ethics and morality to be used synonymously to suggest the same or similar meaning. This is because the term ethics comes from the Greek (ethos) and the term moral comes from the Latin (mores) and the meaning of both terms derives from the shared notion of custom or tradition (returning us to the problem of deciding whose ethical customs and what traditional values to instill and enforce). To be sure, critical thinking may not be sufficient to guarantee ethical behavior, but it can be a contributor to that goal—filling a long-standing and vital gap in religious upbringing. We can conclude that there certainly is more to ethics than simply giving-out instructions or recipes—maintaining that what is right (or wrong) may be found in a code of values—to guide choices and actions and determine the purpose and course of religious life. For ethics plunges us into the most important activity known to humans, since it has to do with how we are to live and why. As the philosopher Socrates notes,…it is no ordinary matter that we are discussing, but the right conduct of life. However, since ancient times religious culture has been too concerned with the how (enter the need for ethical codes) and has dispensed with the why (enter the need for critical thinking). What we need today, therefore, in a world full of conflicts along religious fault lines, is a religious culture in which critical thinking is fomented—since it does not really make sense to follow recipes for merely doing things right (i.e., following rules or instructions efficiently) when what we want to do are right things. Aleksandra Angelova,10v and Gabriela Tomi-Markova, 9v BULGARIA THE MORAL VALUES OF ANTIQUITY IN OUR DAYS

The moral theories must answer to the question concerning the purpose of human actions. So over time, philosophers have found that happiness is the goal of all our actions.

BETWEEN RELIGIONS AND ETHICS –A COMMON GROUND

Epicure’s conception resembles that of Aristip without even being identical. Epicure focus on the negative form of pleasure, the absence of pain, while Aristip focus on the positive part of pleasure, on its actual presence. The suppression of pleasure is not pain, as the absence of pain is not pleasure. Aristip’s thinking is attached to the body pleasure, while Epicure’s thinking is’s attached to the being’s consciousness. These moral theories applies in our day to day life, Aristip’s theory being the most common in which most people do not take account of the river that will follow after pleasure, leaving everything to chance. Epicure’s Theories are rarely found in which people are making things they don’t like so later they can experience the real pleasure later. An example of Aristip’s theory is going to a movie one day knowing that the other day you have an important test at school. You go to the movie without thinking of the consequences that will follow after the test which you didn’t had time to study. Epicure’s example is the opposite, knowing that tomorrow you have a test , you better stay home and study than going to the movies, knowing that to study is something we don’t like we are doing it knowing that we get a big grade and have a bigger pleasure. Boboc Constantin Eugen, XIIC National College O.Onicescu ROMANIA ________________________________________ GREEK PHILOSOPHERS

Greek philosophers taught us a lot about being good and just, about freedom, knowledge and happiness. • Aristotle argued that knowledge comes from experience and the greatest good is happiness, and good and sensible action in the ideal life. • Socrates argued that only a conversation can be a source of truth and wisdom. • Cyrenaics believed that the pleasure of the moment is the

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only goal in life • Plato called to live in accordance with the law and talked about the necessity of respecting our leaders. He was a promoter of sound education for the young. Neoplatonism said that one has to attain union with God to be good, which makes me think about the Ten Commandments of God that we use in our everyday lives . I think that today’s people value each pleasurable moment of their lives but they also like to speculate on what will happen in the future and about their later lives. They allow themselves to make rush decisions as suggested by the ancient Greeks. I think that the thought about life in the moment is the closest to my own views because I’m spontaneous and I do not wonder too much about what will happen tomorrow. Taking advantage of every moment gives us an opportunity to learn, grow, love, evolve. Being happy and content in the moment will keep us from needless worry about the future or hurting other people. Life with too much structure, too much direction, too much pressure inhibits our ability to be alive in the moment. Our heart, body, mind and soul operate optimally when they are free. Scherley Stylianos class 11B1 POLAND ________________________________________ PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAS NOWADAYS

Since the ancient times people have been looking for a recipe for good and happy life. They have been wondering what ingredients are needed to become a good man, what real wisdom and freedom is and what justice means. There have been various ideas over the centuries. Why don’t we take a look at what the greatest Greek philosophers advised? Protogoras claimed that for good and wise life people need rules of some kind. Pythagoras advised vegetarianism as the best way that

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can lead a human being to become good and righteous. The proof was the fact that without killing animals we live in peace and harmony. In contrast, the sophist called Thrasymachus said that there is nothing to wait for but to be the stronger and take what we need because there is no justice in this world but only the rule of the more powerful ones. He is said to be the first promoter of egoism as the way to achieve happiness. However, another philosopher, Empedocles, thought that strength is not important at all because everything that happens around us is caused either by love or strife. Socrates advised conversation that can result in reaching wisdom but cynics claimed that to become a better person you need to avoid pleasure and enjoyment. After these ideas, came Plato’s ideas about four main virtues that are wisdom, courage, temperance and justice; whereas, for Aristotle the highest good was happiness, or perfect and reasonable activity in a perfect life. The idea of self-control and calmness was brought by stoicism and afterwards Epicurus argued that to become wise you need to experience things. Neoplatonism closes the list of Geek concepts by showing the union with God as the way to happiness and wisdom. As it was presented Geeks provided us lots of ideas, thoughts and concepts. What’s really interesting most of them are still up-todate because there are many people who consciously or not live in the way advised by the philosophers. Lots of teenagers want to experience everything like Epicurus. They don’t take any advice from their parents. On the other hand, many older people with life experience try to live in a stoic way. Observing people proves that none of the Greek concepts is the most popular or right. Everything depends on the place, time and very often the age of people. The idea that appeals to me most is the Plato’s concept about four main virtues but I’m aware of the fact that it might change with time and situation. Milena Cyprynowska class IILC1 POLAND ________________________________________

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I THINK THAT...

In my view, the rules of conduct proposed by most of the Greek philosophers are correct because the problems touched by them are timeless. We all need common-sense thinking and we have to understand the eternal laws governing the world. Pythagoras, who was an early Greek thinker, believed that after death of the body the human soul doesn’t die but it may live in the body of an animal. That is why he advocated vegetarianism and thought that animals and people are equal and everyone has the right to be happy. Now there are a lot of vegetarians who think the same as Pythagoras and don’t eat meat. I agree with the thinking of Socrates, who believed that wisdom and truth come from conversation so people must talk to each other to prevent wars. Talking with different people is a remarkable experience as you can learn a lot from them. I also partly hold with Aristotle who believed that knowledge comes from experience. Man learns most from their experience. We make mistakes and try not to repeat them any more. However, we also gain knowledge in school, from television and books. I am also in agreement with the CARPE DIEM thought of Epicurus reminding us that life is not an eternal right. Nowadays our life is a continuous race. We live in a hurry, we do not have time for anything. We are not nice to each other, sometimes even hostile. We never know what can happen to us, our friends or relatives so I think we should give mutual support to each other in difficult situations, enjoy the smallest trifle and live every day to its fullest. Joanna Krupa and Klaudia Zielińska classes IILC2 and ILBI POLAND ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 3

THE GREAT PARADIGM OF HUMANISM – RENASCENCE ENLIGHTEN, HUMAN RIGHTS – STAMP OF MORALITY

METHODOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

OCTAV ONICESCU NATIONAL COLLEGE ON-LINE LESSON

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE:May: 2011 LESSON’S DURATION: 2 course hours(50+50 min.) CLASS: project team LESSON’S CONTENT: „The great paradigm of humanismRenascence Enlighten,Human Rights- stamp of morality LESSON’S TYPE:lesson ment for applying and revaluating the knoledge gathered to this day MATERIAL INFORMATIV: „History – school courses Literature – Dante – Divina Comedia Petrarca – The Rhymes Erasmus de Rotterdam – Laus StultitiaePhilosophyJ.J.Rousseau – Bazele inegalitatilor dintre oameni Kant- Bazele metafizicii moravurilor Documente programatice ale revolutiilor burgheze

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Charter of Fundamental Rights

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: O1 – the identification of humanist values in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment wich form the foundation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights O2 – the identification of the similarities between the humanist values and the religious values O3 – the identification of these values in the everyday’s life O4 –achieveing interdisciplinarity RESOURCES: PROCEDURAL: conversation, debate, expressive reading, presentation of heuristic texts MATERIAL: pupils portfolios, worksheets, bibliographic material ORGANIZATIONAL: activitate frontală, individuală si in echipe de lucru frontal, individual and team activity TEACHING STRATEGY: a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading (of some fragments); heuristic conversation; learning by descovering; questioning. b) Forms of organising student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams. Objec The -tives leson’s stages

O1, O2

1 Organiza tional time

The content of the activity

Materials required for the lesson are being prepared

Teaching strategy

Evaluation

2 The literature Conversation oral Assessm teacher asks the Frontal activity students to iden- The teacher checks the knoledge ent tify the values owned by the pupils regarding the promoted by humanist values found in ‚The Renaissancehu Devine Comedy’, ‚The Rhymes’ and ‚The prise of the Follly’. manists

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O2 Uncov The philoso- The concepts of equality, freedom e r i n g phy teacher and respect for human dignity in of the identifies the thephilosophical systems of Kant, c o n - concepts of Rousseau, Locke J. are reviewed. cept Freedom, Equality and Justice O1, 4 The history Students provide examples of repreO3 Leadin teacher identi- sentative texts and compare their g fies these con- comments andidentify those values learn- cepts in the pro- in everyday life both religious and ing grammatic doc- secular uments of the bourgeois revolutions and in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights O1, Leading The art history The pupils comment on the images O2 learning teacher ilus- that are being shown on the wall. trates the great moments in humanist art.

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Didactic Proposal for Subject 3:

The great paradigm of Humanism Renascence, Enlightenment, Human Rights- stamp of morality. Didactic programme for 12 may 2011 E-Class Number two Santa Clara school team for Comenius Between Religions and

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Ethics. A common ground By Philosophy teacher: Eliseo Rabadรกn Fernรกndez Introduction to Renaissance Humanism (XVI aC), Rationalism and Empirism (XVII aC) until Enlightment(XVIII aC) and French Revolution Citizens Rights (XIX aC). Ethics and moral values, civic and individual rights after the ending of Middle Ages teo-centered view of life Related OBJECTIVES D.3 : Nrs. 1-2-3-4-5 & 6 total time : 30 minutes 5 minutes for the explanation of the scientific and politic developments which has deeply changed Europe : 5 minutes oral exposition A- a.1)The Copernican Revolution in Astronomics: Johannes Kepler three Laws. a.2) Humanists: Erasmus of Rotterdam,Luis Vives in Spain, Italian humanists such as Pico della Mirandola. Politics after Niccolo Macciavelli view of the Prince as ruler. 5 minutes oral exposition B- England and the Habeas Corpus: all men must have the oportunity to prove their innocence in any judgment. Bill of Rights, after stablishing of the first Parliamentary Monarchy in Europe, after the triumph of Oliver Cromwell, and the Glorious Revolution in 1988. Locke : liberalism and tolerance, a first reference in modern Europe for ethical present values 5 minutes oral exposition C- Copernican revolution in Philosophy: b.1) Kant as a synthesis of rationalism and empirism: God, Soul, and World as the last limits for human reason b.2) considered by Enlighted Men as the only way to advance under the light of reason: sapere aude, be brave enough to know the Truth by the only light of your own reason. Not revealed but natural reason. b.3) Reject of authority based argumentation, and continuing the attack to Metaphysical Universals, started by Ockam: Universals as flatus vocis. 5 minutes oral exposition D- Enlighted men and technic advances preparing the first

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industrial revolution next XIX Century d.1-The roots of Romanticism , mainly with German Enlightmen such as Novalis, Lessing,(remember his book Nathan the Wiseman),Herder, Schiller, Hölderling. Remember that European Union Hymn, based on the Beethoven Ninth Symphomy, the Ode to Happyness is a poem writen by Schiller, a Romantic peot collaborating to German Encyclopaedia d.2) French Enlightmen: Voltaire, Rousseau, D´Alambert and the spreading of the movement of Reason all over Europe. 5 minutes oral exposition E-French Revolution: fall of French Absolutist Kings, and the reaction against Naopleonic model based upon Revolution principles of freedom, equalitarianism, fraternity. Laissez faire, laissez passer. The French declaration of Rights for Man and Citizen, means a breaking point on ethical , moral and political values in Europe. All of this must to suffer a strong rejection by other absolutist Kings wishing to maintain the Old Ancient Regime. SOURCES A) online http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/index.htm useful site to read, organize, starter level for introduction to History of Philosophy and names of Philosophers B) Bertrand Russell: A History of Western Philosophy C)Frederik Copleston: History of Philosophy, Vols. 4,5,6,7 D)The Oxford Companion to Philosophy. Editor Ted Honderich * Related items to E-sources 1- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_Renaissance with information upon Spain Renaissance Era about Music, Architecture, Literature, Religious main changes( Reformation/Counter-Reformation) 2- http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/enlightenment/ for the study of Enlightenment in Europe 3- Benito J.Feijoo, maybe the most important Spanish Enlightenment Philosopher site (in Spanish language)

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http://www.filosofia.org/bjf/bjf000.htm 4-Novalisand German Encyclopaedia http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/novalis/ 5-Terror and the French Revolution http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/terrorism/ 6-http://www.c18.net/ for the study of XVIII Century

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POLAND LESSON PLAN

SUBJECT: Influence of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment on universal standards of morality. DURATION: lesson (45 minutes) CLASS: 20 students from classes:1LB1, ILC1and IILC2 from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Poland DATE: April 2011 REFERENCES: Brotton, J., "Science and Philosophy", The Renaissance: A Very Short Introduction, OUP, 2006; Grendler, Paul F., ed. The Renaissance: An Encyclopedia for Students. (2003); Speake, Jennifer and Thomas G. Bergin, eds. Encyclopedia of the Renaissance and the Reformation. (2004); Israel, Jonathan. Enlightenment Contested: Philosophy, Modernity, and the Emancipation of Man, New York: Oxford University Press, 2006. OPERATIONAL: 1) to develop the European identity by identifying the common values and

OBJECTIVES standards of morality for all the participating countries, 2) to discover the source of these values and standards, 3) to develop interdisciplinarity, 4) to improve English language skills

PROCEDURES: Text analysis, heuristic conversation, discussion, expressive lecture, slide show

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MATERIALS: References material, pictures, pupils’portfolios, slides

DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (history, literature, ethics, English, art, science teachers)

Objectives 1), 2), 3), 4)

1), 2), 3), 4) 1), 2), 3), 4)

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Lesson steps

Activity’s description

1. Management The lesson’s objectives and concepts are presented to students

Evaluation

2.Warm-up com- The English teacher introduces the topic oral municative activity with a quotation by Terence: “I am a man, I Anchor know- consider nothing that is human alien to me", ledge testing I and incites students to talk about the key theme throughout the Renaissance period. 3. Anchor knowl- The ethics teacher discusses with stu- oral edge testing II dents the connections of the Renaissance Heuristic discus- to the ancient moral philosophies. sion

4.Teaching about The science teacher continues the con- oral scientific discov- versation with the words: “Yet the eries that resulted Renaissance was more than a "rebirth." in changes of It was also an age of new discoveries…” tremendous importance for all people 5.Short lecture on The history teacher provides students humanism and the with some historical background to the renaissance from Renaissance movement and humanism. historical perspec- Then she asks students 2 questions:1) “What is the renaissance sense of moraltive Listening compre- ity based on in comparison to the sense hension practice of morality of the middle ages?”2) What was the difference between The Renaissance and Humanism?

106 1), 2), 3), 4)

1), 2), 3), 4)

1), 2), 3), 4) 1), 2), 3), 4)

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National College Octav Onicescu 6. Previous Polish The literature teacher joins in the discussion oral lesson knowledge and motivates students to talk about the testing (in English) Renaissance in Poland by projecting the photos of important Polish people of this period onto the screen (Mikołaj Rej, Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski, Jan Kochanowski, King Sigismund I the Old) 7. Slide show The art teacher holds a slide show con- oral teaching about cerning Renaissance art and then asks stuRenaissance art dents to identify the distinguishing features and correspond- of this movement in selected works of art ing knowledge (e.g.Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and testing activity Raphael, Titian, Bramante)

8. Creating a bridge The history teacher introduces general hisbetween the 2 sub- torical and social background to the Age ject parts (1)The of Enlightenment Renaissance and 2) the Enlightenment) 9. Analytical activ- The English teacher makes students form oral ity Teaching about groups and analyze one of the 3 docuEnlightenment ments/publications: 1) The United States principles of Declaration of Independence,2) The French Declaration of the Rights of Man human rights and of the Citizen or the French "Declaration of the Rights of Woman and of the Citizen." Students must then compare the documents and identify common philosophical principles of the Age of Enlightenment and Enlightenment principles of human rights in the 3 of them. 10. Summing-up The English teacher starts a game “Do you oral know this figure?” to make students evoke activity Testing of the the names of the most renowned figures of previous knowl- the Renaissance and the Enlightenment edge and the and their achievements (e.g.Montesquieu, k n o w l e d g e Erasmus, F. Bacon, Olympe de Gouges, T. acquired during Jefferson, I. Kant, J. Rousseau, D. Hume, G. Leibniz, Descartes, J. Locke…) this lesson All the students and teachers are involved in this game.

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1st School, Sofia, BULGARIA

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DATE: May, 2011 LESSON DURATION: 90 minutes. GRADE LEVEL: 10,11th /upper-intermediate and advanced/ LESSON CONTENT: „The great paradigm of humanismRenascence Enlighten, Human Rights- stamp of morality” LESSON TYPE: Use of Knowledge and information gathered / discussion / DIDACTIC STRATEGY- team teaching SUBJECT AREAS: History, Religion, Philosophy, Literature, Foreign languages, Art, Music, LESSON OBJECTIVES: 1. To identify humanist values in the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, which form the foundation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; 2. To identify similarities between the humanist values and the religious values, to identify these values in our life. To promote fluency through discussion 3. To give students practice in giving their own opinion. 4. Interdisciplinary connections. Students to be able to identify major artists, leaders, thinkers, writers, and scientists associated with the Renaissance, and to understand their contributions to society. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES • Overhead projector and transparencies, • computers with internet access, • white board, • Textbooks or articles on the topic, web and print resources. • Art supplies including construction paper, paints, colored pencils and markers.

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• The map of Italy during the Renaissance. Copies of the following paintings, in any size: a. Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci b. An Angel with a Lute by an Associate of Leonardo da Vinci’s c. St. George and the Dragon by Raphael d. Primavera by Sandro Botticelli e. The Lion of St. Mark by Vittore Carpaccio PROCEDURES: Warm-up: Introduce the topic, the aims of the lesson and the activities. History / 10min. Introduce students to the general characteristics of the Renaissance period in Europe’s history. / The focus of this discussion is for students to develop a historical understanding of the Renaissance, and realize that contributions from important individuals during this time had an impact on the present as well as in the past. The students will learn to appreciate ideals and values expressed during the Renaissance through various mediums. By accessing prior knowledge and incorporating various skills and strategies, the students will cultivate an understanding of the advances in culture and life during the Renaissance. / The great achievements of the Renaissance • identify periods of significant cultural achievement • describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture, and adapt to change • be aware of the significant developments during this period • identify key individuals during this period Social studies 15 min. Renaissance and the rise of Humanism Desiderius Erasmus, Dante Alighieri, Francesco Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio. The philosophy teacher and students • define humanism and describe the views associated with it; • describe how societies preserve identity, transmit culture,

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and adapt to change; • describe various ways individuals and groups can influence legal systems and political structures; • explain the development and importance of government systems; • define humanism and identify Renaissance artists who were humanists; Desiderius Erasmus (1469?-1536), a priest who wrote books, The Praise of Folly 1509, condemned ignorance and superstition. He believed education could lead to more perfect societies. 2. Students are divided into three groups. Each group is given time to create and rehearse a 2-3 min skit about a Humanist. / Francesco Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Desiderius Erasmus/ - Skit must portray the scholar’s thoughts and opinions, adversities, political views, accomplishments, - Each group presents their skit to the class Literature 10 min. The literature teacher and students identify the values promoted by the Renaissance humanists in literature. - Decameron / struggle between life and death and the multiple ways in which life can assert itself, regardless of conventional moral attitudes and beliefs; themes about joyful and grim aspects of the human struggle to attain pleasure and preserve life itself. / Students learn that with Dante the genius of the modern world dared to stand alone and to create confidently after its own fashion. With Petrarch the same genius reached forth across the gulf of darkness, resuming the tradition of a splendid past. With Boccaccio the same genius proclaimed the beauty of the world, the goodliness of youth, and strength and love and life, not terrified by hell neither appalled by the shadow of impending death. Art 10min. The art teacher explains to students that during the Middle Ages (a period of European history from the third through 13th centuries), art and learning were centered on the church and religion.

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But at the start of the 14th century, people became less interested in thinking about God, heaven and the saints, and more interested in thinking about themselves, their surroundings and their everyday lives. The values and ideals popular during the European Renaissance can be described by the term secular humanism: secular, meaning not religious and humanism, meaning placing the study and progress of human nature at the center of interests. The rise of Humanism during the Renaissance can be seen in paintings created by Renaissance artists. Explain to students that they will be learning how to tell the difference between paintings from the Renaissance and earlier works of art, just by looking for evidence in the paintings themselves. Works of art created in the Renaissance are primary sources of information about how people lived in Renaissance Europe. Explain that students will look for specific clues to make judgments about whether a painting is a Renaissance painting or not. A discussion about art during the Renaissance, making sure to touch on such points as artists reverting back to the Ancient Greeks and Romans, artists painting to please their patrons List a few great Renaissance artists on the board, and ask which ones they are familiar with. (Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael) Observe and discuss works in different genres- such ad portrait, fresco,Madonna- by Italian Renaissance artists including: 1. Leonardo da Vinci: The Proportions of Man, Mona Lisa,The Last Supper 2. Michelangelo: Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel / A short discussion about what their prior knowledge about these two artists. Show the class the painting Mona Lisa. Discuss with them the perspective, the subject, and the circumstances surrounding the painting. / Students understand and appreciate the relationship between the arts and the times during which they were created. Music 5 min. A discussion about the main characteristics of renaissance music. Part two: the Age of Enlightenment

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The concepts of equality, freedom and respect for human dignity in the philosophical systems of John Locke, Rousseau, Immanuel Kant According to the German philosopher Immanuel Kant, the motto of the age should be “Dare to know.” A desire arose to reexamine and question all received ideas and values, to explore new ideas in many different directions-hence the inconsistencies and contradictions that often appear in the writings of 18th-century thinkers. By the end of this lesson students should be able to: • describe the main intellectual currents of the Enlightenment • outline ideas of key Enlightenment thinkers • explain the importance of science in Enlightenment thought o identify humanist values in the Enlightenment, which form the foundation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights; • Lead a discussion in which students are encouraged to connect political, economic, and religious issues and trends in today’s world to Enlightenment ideas / 10 min./ / Letter Concerning Toleration (1689) contains two fundamental assumptions: that religion is a matter for each individual, and that churches are voluntary associations. Letter Concerning Toleration (1693) deals with the proper extent of freedom of religious conscience. Locke based his ethical theories upon belief in the natural goodness of humanity. The inevitable pursuit of happiness and pleasure, when conducted rationally, leads to cooperation, and in the long run private happiness and the general welfare coincide. Immediate pleasures must give way to a prudent regard for ultimate good, including reward in the afterlife. He argued for broad religious freedom in three separate essays on toleration but excepted atheism and Roman Catholicism, which he felt should be legislated against as inimical to religion and the state. In his essay The Reasonableness of Christianity (1695), he emphasized the ethical aspect of Christianity against dogma. /

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• a discussion about the influence of the Enlightenment writers, such as Voltaire, Montesquieu, and Rousseau, / 10 min./ • a discussion about the bourgeois revolutions and The Universal Declaration of Human Rights / 10 min./ The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen The Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen of 1789 brought together two streams of thought: one springing from the Anglo-American tradition of legal and constitutional guarantees of individual liberties, the other from the Enlightenment’s belief that reason should guide all human affairs. Enlightenment writers praised the legal and constitutional guarantees established by the English and the Americans, but they wanted to see them applied everywhere. The French revolutionaries therefore wrote a Declaration of Rights that they hoped would serve as a model in every corner of the world. Reason rather than tradition would be its justification. John Locke’s writings on the nature of government in the late 1600s gave a more universal and theoretical caste to the idea of the rights of freeborn Englishmen, suggesting that such rights belonged not just to the English, but to all property-owning adult males. • Have artistic students make a political cartoon that shows a monarch, a bishop and an economic advisor discussing Enlightenment ideas from various points of view. / 10 min./ ________________________________________

RESEARCH WORK

RELIGIOUS RULES IN THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

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all is “do no kill”. We can read this rules inthe Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3.

“EVERYONE HAS THE RIGHT TO LIFE, LIBERTY AND SECURITY OF PERSON”.

Christianity became very popular among the slaves because Jesus Christ promised them that everybody will be equal in Heaven after they die. We can find the idea of equality in Epistle for Coloseni, where Saint Paul, the main ideologue of Christianity writes: “Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, neither men nor women, Barbarian nor Scythian , bond nor free. But Chris is all and in all”. We also find the idea of equality in Islam and Buddhism. With The Universal Declaration of Human Rights the freedom and equality that was promised in Heaven was brought on Earth. Freedom and equality are the most important rights in The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Further, The Declaration interdicts any type of discrimination. Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. Other articles about freedom or equality: Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person.

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Article 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. Article 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination Thereby, all monothesitic religions develop the great ideas about the right of life, freedem, equality, noin-discrimination – because all of us are equal in front of God (who can be Jessus Chris, Alah or Budha) whic aree all the great ideas of Enlightement, basis for The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Vlad Manole ROMANIA

The Humanism in Turkey

Yunus Emre Talat Sait Halman is currently a Professor in the Department of Near Eastern Languages and Literatures at New York University. Formerly he was on the faculties of Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Princeton University for many years.In 1971 he became Turkey’s Minister of Culture–the first person ever to hold this cabinet post–and created the Ministry of Culture.He is a poet, critic, essayist, translator, columnist, dramatist, and historian of culture and literature. He has published more that 40 books in Turkish and English. His books in English include, in addition to his extensive work on Yunus Emre, Contemporary Turkish Literature, Süleyman the Magnificent–Poet, Mevlana Celaleddin Rumi and the Whirling Dervishes (with Metin And),

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Modern Turkish Drama, Living Poets of Turkey, Turkish Legends and Folk Poems, and many volumes featuring the poetry of Orhan Veli Kanik, Fazil Hüsnü Daglarca, Melih Cevdet Anday et al, the short stories of Sait Faik, and plays by Güngör Dilmen and Dinçer Sümer. His poems in English have been collected in Shadows of Love / Les ombres de l’amour (with French translations by Louise Gareau-Des Bois) andALast Lullaby. In Turkey he has published, five collections of his original poems. His translations include the Complete Sonnets of Shakespeare, selected poetry of Wallace Stevens and Langston Hughes, the fiction of William Faulkner and Mark Twain, a book of Eskimo poetry, Eugene O’Neill’s “The Iceman Cometh”, Robinson Jeffers’adaptation of Euripides’“Me dea”, “Dear Liar” (Jerome Kilty’s dramatization of the George Bernard Shaw – Mrs. Patrick Campbell letters), Neil Simon’s “Lost in Yonkers”, a volume of ancient Egyptian poetry, and a massive anthology of the poetry of ancient civilizations. He has also published a volume of humorous poems and “Heroes and Clowns: The World of Shakespeare”, a one actor play about Shakespeare, as well as two anthologies of modern American verse. Some of his books have been translated into French, Hebrew, Persian, Urdu, and Hindi. From 1980 to 1982, he served as Turkey’s Ambassador for Cultural Affairs, the first and still only person to have held this ambassadorial post. Since 1991 he is a Member of the Executive Board of UNESCO. Prof. Halman is the recipient of Columbia University’s “Thornton Wilder Prize”, a Rockefeller Fellowship in the Humanities, an honorary doctorate from Istanbul’s Bosphorus University, and Turkey’s “Best Play Translation Award, 1989 and 1990″. In 1971, Queen Elizabeth II decorated him “Knight Grand Cross, G.B.E., The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”. “The world is my true ration,/ Its people are my nation”. Humanism is an abiding tradition in Turkish culture. Before adopting Islam and settling in Anatolia, the Turks had already acquired anthropocentric attitudes as a result of the vicissitudes they experienced in long periods of exodus and during relatively brief sojourns in Asia. Changes of locale, shifting cultural orientation, new religious allegiances, wars with many nations and communities, struggle for survival in the face of natural disasters helped to create among

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the Turks a sense of life’s impermanence as well as faith in human endurance against the ravages of a hostile world. Contact with diverse peoples diminished their ethnocentricity and gave them a faculty for latitudinarian relations. Cataclysmic social and cultural changes instilled in them a sense of reliance on man rather than institutions. The seeds of humanism which the Turks brought with them found fertile ground in Anatolia, where Sufism (Islamic mysticism) had firmly established itself. During their conversion to Islam and assimilation of its cultural concomitants, many Turks embraced the Sufi doctrine as well as its humanist concepts which were congenial to their pre-Islamic humanistic tradition. By the late 13th century, Islamic mysticism–particularly the Sufi philosophy of Rumi–had become widespread and vastly influential in many parts of the new homeland of the Turks. After several centuries of turmoil in Anatolia–with the ravages of the Crusades, the Byzantine-Selçuk wars, the Mongol invasions, strife among various Anatolian states and principalities, and frequent secessionist uprisings still visible or continuing–there was a craving for peace based on an appreciation of man’s inherent worth. Mysticism, which attributes God-like qualities to man, became the apostle of peace and the chief defender of man’s value. While the “ghazi” (warrior, conquering hero) spirit still served as the primary impetus to Turkish conquests, the intellectual tradition of mysticism, with its central concern for man’s dignity and worth, formed an antithetical, if not antagonistic, alternative to warfare and to inter religious strife as well as intra-religious sectarianism. The Turkish mystics articulated the idea that only one acceptable struggle may be undertaken: against man’s “internal enemy” which is selfishness, vanity, ambition, and faithlessness. They denounced war and discord as morally indefensible and ethically wrong. The humanistic mysticism of Anatolia in the late 13th century, with its concern for peace, brotherhood, man’s intrinsic significance, and humanitarianism, was the culmination–better still, the perfection–of the incipient humanism which the Turks had rought with them from Asia. The tradition of Turkish humanism is best represented by Yunus Emre (d. ca. 1320). His poetry embodies the quintessence of

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Turkish Anatolian Islamic humanism, and has served as a fountainhead of the humanistic concepts which have been at work, overtly or implicitly, in the intellectual life of the Turks in later centuries. Yemen BOZKAYA TURKEY ________________________________________

STUDENTS’ CREATIVE WORK

Declaration of the Rights of Man – 1789 Approved by the National Assembly of France, August 26, 1789 The representatives of the French people, organized as a National Assembly, believing that the ignorance, neglect, or contempt of the rights of man are the sole cause of public calamities and of the corruption of governments, have determined to set forth in a solemn declaration the natural, unalienable, and sacred rights of man, in order that this declaration, being constantly before all the members of the Social body, shall remind them continually of their rights and duties; in order that the acts of the legislative power, as well as those of the executive power, may be compared at any moment with the objects and purposes of all political institutions and may thus be more respected, and, lastly, in order that the grievances of the citizens, based hereafter upon simple and incontestable principles, shall tend to the maintenance of the constitution and redound to the happiness of all. Therefore the National Assembly recognizes and proclaims, in the presence and under the auspices of the Supreme Being, the following rights of man and of the citizen: Articles: 1. Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be founded only upon the general good. 2. The aim of all political association is the preservation of the natural and imprescriptible rights of man. These rights are liberty, property, security, and resistance to oppression.

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3. The principle of all sovereignty resides essentially in the nation. No body nor individual may exercise any authority which does not proceed directly from the nation. 4. Liberty consists in the freedom to do everything which injures no one else; hence the exercise of the natural rights of each man has no limits except those which assure to the other members of the society the enjoyment of the same rights. These limits can only be determined by law. 5. Law can only prohibit such actions as are hurtful to society. Nothing may be prevented which is not forbidden by law, and no one may be forced to do anything not provided for by law. 6. Law is the expression of the general will. Every citizen has a right to participate personally, or through his representative, in its foundation. It must be the same for all, whether it protects or punishes. All citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, are equally eligible to all dignities and to all public positions and occupations, according to their abilities, and without distinction except that of their virtues and talents. 7. No person shall be accused, arrested, or imprisoned except in the cases and according to the forms prescribed by law. Any one soliciting, transmitting, executing, or causing to be executed, any arbitrary order, shall be punished. But any citizen summoned or arrested in virtue of the law shall submit without delay, as resistance constitutes an offense. 8. The law shall provide for such punishments only as are strictly and obviously necessary, and no one shall suffer punishment except it be legally inflicted in virtue of a law passed and promulgated before the commission of the offense. 9. As all persons are held innocent until they shall have been declared guilty, if arrest shall be deemed indispensable, all harshness not essential to the securing of the prisonerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s person shall be severely repressed by law. 10. No one shall be disquieted on account of his opinions, including his religious views, provided their manifestation does not

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disturb the public order established by law. 11. The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write, and print with freedom, but shall be responsible for such abuses of this freedom as shall be defined by law. 12. The security of the rights of man and of the citizen requires public military forces. These forces are, therefore, established for the good of all and not for the personal advantage of those to whom they shall be intrusted. 13. A common contribution is essential for the maintenance of the public forces and for the cost of administration. This should be equitably distributed among all the citizens in proportion to their means. 14. All the citizens have a right to decide, either personally or by their representatives, as to the necessity of the public contribution; to grant this freely; to know to what uses it is put; and to fix the proportion, the mode of assessment and of collection and the duration of the taxes. 15. Society has the right to require of every public agent an account of his administration. 16. A society in which the observance of the law is not assured, nor the separation of powers defined, has no constitution at all. 17. Since property is an inviolable and sacred right, no one shall be deprived thereof except where public necessity, legally determined, shall clearly demand it, and then only on condition that the owner shall have been previously and equitably indemnified. Enver Avcıoğlu TURKEY TEAM ________________________________________

Declaration of the Rights of Woman, 1791

Written by Olympe De Gouges, 1791 “[Olympe] De Gouges was a butcher’s daughter… who wrote several plays and a number of pamphlets on the coming Estates General. In

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this work [Les Droits de la Femme] de Gouges states that the Declaration of Rights of Man and Citizen is not being applied to women. She implies the vote for women, demands a national assembly of women, stresses that men must yield rights to women, and emphasizes women’s education.”– Darline Gay Levy, Harriet Branson Applewhite, and Mary Durham Johnson, eds., Women in Revolutionary Paris, 1789-1795 (Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1980), p. 87. Note: De Gouges’s devotion to the cause of women’s rights led to her being charged with treason under the rule of the National Convention. She was arrested, tried, and later, in November of 1793, executed by the guillotine.

The Rights of Woman

Man, are you capable of being just? It is a woman who poses the question; you will not deprive her of that right at least. Tell me, what gives you sovereign empire to opress my sex? Your strength? Your talents? Observe the Creator in his wisdom; survey in all her grandeur that nature with whom you seem to want to be in harmony, and give me, if you dare, an exampl of this tyrannical empire. Go back to animals, consult the elements, study plants, finally glance at all the modifications of organic matter, and surrender to the evidence when I offer you the menas; search, probe, and distinguish, if you can, the sexes in the administration of nature. Everywhere you will find them mingled; everywhere they cooperate in harmonious tpgetherness in this immortal masterpiece. Man alone has raised his exceptional circumstances to a principle. Bizarre, blind, bloated with science and degenerated–in a century of enlightenment and wisdom–into the crassest ignorance, he wants to command as a despot a sex which is in full possession of its intellectual faculties; he pretends to enjoy the Revolution and to claim his rights to equality in order to say nothing more about it. Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen

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For the National Assemby to decree in its last sessions, or in those of the next legislature: Preamble Mothers, daughters, sisters [and] representatives of the nation demand to be constituted into a national assembly. Believing that ignorance, omission, or scorn for the rights of woman are the only causes of public misfortunes and of the corruption of governments, [the women] have resolved to set forth a solemn declaration the natural, inalienable, and sacred rights of woman in order that this declaration, constantly exposed before all members of the society, will ceaselessly remind them of their rights and duties; in order that the authoritative acts f women and teh athoritative acts of men may be at any moment compared with and respectful of the purpose of all political institutions; and in order that citizensâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;demands, henceforth based on simple and incontestable principles, will always support the constitution, good morals, and the happiness of all. Consequently, the sex that is as superior in beauty as it is in courage during the sufferings of maternity recognizes and declares in the presence and under the auspices of the Supreme Being, the following Rights of WOman and of Female Citizens. Article I Woman is born free and lives equal to man in her rights. Social distinctions can be based only on the common utility. Article II The purpose of any political association is the conservation of the natural and impresciptible rights of woman and man; these rights are liberty property, security, and especially resistance to oppression. Article III The principle of all sovereignty rests essentially with the nation, which is nothing but the union of woman and man; no body and no individual can exercise any authority which does not come expressly from it (the nation). Article IV Liberty and justice consist of restoring all that belongs to oth-

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ers; thus, the only limits on the exercise of the natural rights of woman are perpetual male tyranny; these limits are to be reformed by the laws of nature and reason. Article V Laws of nature and reason proscibe all acts harmful to society; everything which is not prohibited by these wise and divine laws cannot be prevented, and no one can be constrained to do what they do not command. Article VI The law must be the expression of the general will; all female and male citizens must contribute either personally or through their representatives to its formation; it must be the same for all: male and female citizens, being equal in the eyes of the law, must be equally admitted to all honors, positions, and public employment according to their capacity and without other distinctions besides those of their virtues and talents. Article VII No woman is an exception; she is accused, arrested, and detained in cases determined by law. Women, like men, obey this rigorous law. Article VIII The law must establish only those penalties that are strictly and obviously necessaryâ&#x20AC;Ś Article IX Once any woman is declared guilty, complete rigor is exercised by law. Article X No one is to be disquieted for his very basic opinions; woman has the right to mount the scaffold; she must equally have the right to mount the rostrum, provided that her demonstrations do not disturb the legally established public order. Article XI The free communication of thoughts and opinions is one of the most precious rights of woman, since that liberty assures recognition of children by their fathers. Any female citizen thus may say freely, I

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am the mother of a child which belongs to you, without being forced by a barbarous prejudice to hide the truth; (an exception may be made) to respond to the abuse of this liberty in cases determined by law. Article XII The gaurantee of the rights of woman and the female citizen implies a major benefit; this guarantee must be instituted for the advantage of all, and not for the particular benefit of those to whom it is entrusted. Article XIII For the support of the public force and the expenses of administration, the contributions of woman and man are equal; she shares all the duties and all the painful tasks; therefore, whe must have the same share in the distribution of positions, employment, offices, honors, and jobs. Article XIV Female and male citizens have the right to verify, either by themselves of through their representatives, the necessity of the public contribution. This can only apply to women if they are granted an equal share, not only of wealth, but also of public administration, and in the determination of the proportion, the base, the collection, and the duration of the tax. Article XV The collectivity of women, joined for tax purposes to the aggregate of men, has the right to demand an accounting of his administration from any public agent. Article XVI No society has a constitution without the guarantee of rights and the separation of powers; the constitution is null if the majority of individuals comprising the nation have not cooperated in drafting it. Article XVII Property belongs to both sexes whether united or separate; for each it is an inviolable and sacred rightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; no one can be deprived of it, since it is the true patrimony of natire, unless the legally deter-

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mined public need obviously dictates it, and then only with a just and prior indemnity. Postscript Woman, wake up; the tocsin of reason is being heard throughout the whole universe; discover your rights. The powerful empire of nature is no longer surrounded by prejudice, fanaticism, superstition, and lies. The flame of truth has dispersed all the clouds of folly and usurpation. Enslaved man has multiplied his strength and needs recourse to yours to break his chains. Having become free, he has become unjust to his companion. Oh, women, women! When will you cease to be blind? What advantage have you received from the Revolution? A more pronounced scorn, a more marked disdain. In the centuries of corruption you ruled only over the weakness of men. The reclamation of your patrimony, based on the wise decrees of nature-what have you to dread from such a fine undertaking? The bon mot of the legislator of the marriage of Cana? Do you fear that our French legislators, correctors of that morality, long ensnared by political practices now out of date, will only say again to you: women, what is there in common between you and us? Everything, you will have to answer. If they persist in their weakness in putting this non sequitur in contradiction to their principles, courageously oppose the force of reason to the empty pretentions of superiority; unite yourselves beneath the standards of philosophy; deploy all the energy of your character, and you will soon see these haughty men, not groveling at your feet as servile adorers, but proud to share with you the treasures of the Supreme Being. Regardless of what barriers confront you, it is in your power to free yourselves; you have only to want to... Marriage is the tomb of trust and love. The married woman can with impunity give bastards to her husband, and also give them the wealth which does not belong to them. The woman who is unmarried has only one feeble right; ancient and inhuman laws refuse to her for her children the right to the name and the wealth of their father; no new laws have been made in this matter. If it is considered a paradox and an impossibility on my part to try to give my sex an honorable and just consistency, I leave it to men to attain glory for dealing with this

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matter; but while we wait, the way can be prepared through national education, the restoration of morals, and conjugal conventions. ________________________________________

Form for a Social Contract Between Man and Woman

We, _____ and ______, moved by our own will, unite ourselves for the duration of our lives, and for the duration of our mutual inclinations, under the following conditions: We intend and wish to make our wealth communal, meanwhile reserving to ourselves the right to divide it in favor of our children and of those toward whom we might have a particular inclination, mutually recognizing that our property belongs directly to our children, from whatever bed they come, and that all of them without distinction have the right to bear the name of the fathers and mothers who have acknowledged them, and we are charged to subscribe to the law which punishes the renunciation of one’s own blood. We likewise obligate ourselves, in case of separation, to divide our wealth and to set aside in advance the portion the law indicates for our children, and in the event of a perfect union, the one who dies will divest himself of half his property in his children’s favor, and if one dies childless, the survivor will inherit by right, unless the dying person has disposed of half the common property in favor of one whom he judged deserving. That is approximately the formula for the marriage act I propose for execution. Upon reading this strange document, I see rising up against me the hypocrites, the prudes, the clergy, and the whole infernal sequence. But how it [my proposal] offers to the wise the moral means of achieving the perfection of a happy government! Moreover, I would like a law which would assist widows and young girls deceived by the false promises of a man to whom they were attached; I would like, I say, this law to force an inconstant man to hold to his obligations or at least [to pay] an indemnity equal to his

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wealth. Again, I would like this law to be rigorous against women, at least those who have the effrontery to have reCourse to a law which they themselves had violated by their misconduct, if proof of that were given. At the same time, as I showed in Le Bonheur primitit de l’homme, in 1788, that prostitutes should be placed in designated quarters. It is not prostitutes who contribute the most to the depravity of morals, it is the women of’ society. In regenerating the latter, the former are changed. This link of fraternal union will first bring disorder, but in consequence it will produce at the end a perfect harmony. I offer a foolproof way to elevate the soul of women; it is to join them to all the activities of man; if man persists in finding this way impractical, let him share his fortune with woman, not at his caprice, but by the wisdom of laws. Prejudice falls, morals are purified, and nature regains all her rights. Add to this the marriage of priests and the strengthening of the king on his throne, and the French government cannot fail. From Darline Gay Levy, Harriet Branson Applewhite, and Mary Durham Johnson, eds., Women in Revolutionary Paris, 17891795 (Urbana, University of Illinois Press, 1980), pp. 87-96. _______________________________________

YUNUS EMRE Poem

What is to be done, O Moslems? for I do not recognize myself. I am neither Christian, nor Jew, nor Gabr, nor Moslem. I am not of the East, nor of the West, nor of the land, nor of the sea; I am not of Nature’s mint, nor of the circling’ heaven. I am not of earth, nor of water, nor of air, nor of fire; I am not of the empyrean, nor of the dust, nor of existence, nor of entity. I am not of India, nor of China, nor of Bulgaria, nor of Saqsin I am not of the kingdom of ‘Iraqian, nor of the country of Khorasan

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I am not of the this world, nor of the next, nor of Paradise, nor of Hell I am not of Adam, nor of Eve, nor of Eden and Rizwan. My place is the Placeless, my trace is the Traceless ; ‘Tis neither body nor soul, for I belong to the soul of the Beloved. I have put duality away, I have seen that the two worlds are one; One I seek, One I know J One I see, One I call. He is the first, He is the last, He is the outward, He is the inward; I know none other except ‘Ya Hu’ and ‘Ya man Hu.’ I am intoxicated with Love’s cup, the two worlds have passed out of my ken; I have no business save carouse and revelry. If once in my life I spent a moment without thee, From that time and from that hour I repent of my life. If once in this world I win a moment with thee, I will trample on both worlds, I will dance in triumph for ever. O Shamsi Tabriz, I am so drunken in this world, That except of drunkenness and revelry I have no tale to tell.

YUNUS EMRE From „Divan-e Shams e Tabriz“

Yunus Emre was the most significant literary figure of Turkish Anatolia to assimilate the teachings of Islam and to forge a synthesis of Islam’s primary values and mystic folk poetry. His verse stressed the importance of the human worth and viewed Islam not in terms of rigid formulas but in terms of freedom of the conscience and fundamental ethos. Humanism is a system of thought which exalts man in his relations with God, nature, and society. The humanist accepts man as the criterion of creation, but the dogma of many major religions, including Islam, supports the concept that man’s existence on earth is devoid of significance or value. As elsewhere, mysticism and humanism in the Islamic world emerged as the dialectical antithesis to this theological interpretation and to religious formal ism. Yunus Emre, the first great Turkish humanist, stood squarely against Moslem dogmatists in

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expressing the primary importance of human existence and of res humanae:”I see my moon right here on earth,/ What would I do with all the skies?/ Rains of mercy pour down on me/ From this ground where I fix my gaze.” This is not a repudiation of a transcendent God. Rather, it is the internalization or humanization of God. The religious establishment in Yunus Emre’s day, like the transcendental philosophy of the medieval Christian Church, was preaching scorn for the human being, propagating a sense of the filth and the futility of human existence. In open defiance of this teaching of “contemptus mundi,” Yunus Emre spoke out for “dignitas hominis” and put forth an image of man not as an outcast, but as an extension of God’s reality and love: “We love the created/ For the Creator’s sake.” The mystic “infatuation” with God led him to believe, as did Sophocles, that: ”Many are wonders of the world,/ And none so wonderful as Man.” Yunus Emre captured the genius of the Turkish language in poems written in the vernacular, using verse forms originated by the Turks. While most of his contemporaries and successors, who were enamored of Arabic and Persian norms and values which came after massive Turkish conversions to Islam, preferred borrowed forms, meters and vocabulary, Yunus Emre had a penchant for indigenous forms, used simple syllabic meters, and ex pressed his sentiments and the wisdom of his faith in the common man’s language. Among his stylistic virtues were distilled statements, simple images and metaphors, and the avoidance of prolixity. Merve Akar, Asli Kevser Kulu, Melahat Atasever TURKEY ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 4

FUNDAMENTAL ETHICAL CODES (JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY, ISLAM, BUDDHISM) – SIMILARITIES AND DISPARITIES

RESEARCH ACTIVITY

CONCLUSIONS AND PHOTOS OF OUR SCHOOL VISITS TO A CATHOLIC CHURCH, AN ORTHODOX CHURCH, AND A SYNAGOGUE

Comparison table between Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church Roman Catholic Church

Eastern Orthodox Church

Pulpit

Yes

No pulpit

Icons

No icons

Yes

Baptismal font Iconostasis

Seats for faithful

Yes

No iconostasis

No baptismal font Yes (in front of the altar)

the Many seats for the faithful; they A few seats for senior believhear Mass in chairs or benches ers; the other faithful hear Mass standing

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Communion

It is customary in the West to Communion is given in a receive the Host placed directly spoon containing both the on the tongue, under the form bread and the wine and is of bread alone received standing Commemorative Yes No commemorative plaques plaques Figural paintings Yes No figural paintings Statues

Yes

Prie-dieus Confession

Yes No prie-dieus Believers confess kneeling by No confessional booths confessionals and kiss the where a priest sits to hear priest’s stole when they are confessions; the faithful confess their sins standing by absolved wooden structures, on which they lean their hands; during the confession the priest covers the sinner’s head with his stole

Pipe organ Gilding

No statues

Yes No pipe organ The existence of gilding A lot of lavish gilding; elabdepends on the architectural orate extensive ornamentastyle of the church building tion typical of baroque

Two teachers and class IILC2 from Zespół Szkół im. Jana Kilińskiego visiting the Orthodox church of Mary Magdalene in Warsaw A group of teachers and students from Zespół Szkół im. Jana Kilińskiego in St. Florian’s Cathedral (a Roman Catholic church) in Warsaw TYPICAL FEATURES OF A SYNAGOGUE

• There is no set architectural design and therefore exteriors and interiors of synagogues vary greatly. Historically, synagogues were built in the prevailing architectural style of their time and

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place. Most surviving synagogues are described as eclectic. • A synagogue has a large hall for prayer (the main sanctuary), and can also have smaller rooms for study and sometimes a social hall and offices. • It contains a “bimah”, a table from which the Torah is read, and a desk for the prayer leader (Hazzan). • A synagogue also contains an ark, where the Torah scrolls are kept. The ark is positioned in such a way that those who face it, face towards Jerusalem. It is reminiscent of the Ark of the Covenant which contained the tablets with Ten Commandments. This is the holiest spot in a synagogue and is often closed with an ornate curtain which hangs outside or inside the ark doors. • Another traditional feature is a continually lit lamp “the ner tamid” used as a reminder of the western lamp of the Temple in Jerusalem, which remained always miraculously lit. • It also features a large seven-branched candelabrum commemorating the full Menorah (the seven days of creation). • A synagogue may be decorated with artwork, but in the Rabbinic and Orthodox tradition, three-dimensional sculptures and depictions of the human body are not allowed, as these are considered to be a form of idolatry. • Public worship can take place in a synagogue only if at least ten adult Jewish males are present. • Orthodox synagogues have a partition “mechitzah” dividing the men's and women's seating areas, or a separate women's section located on a balcony. A group of teachers and students from Zespół Szkół im. Jana Kilińskiego visiting the Nożyków Synagogue In Warsaw Students from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Warsaw under the direction of Jarocka Florentyna (the Polish coordinator of the project “Between Religions and Ethics. A Common Ground.”) Natalia Mikolajczyk, Joanna Krupa, Patrycja Dabkowska POLAND

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Similarities Between Religious Rules and Ethical Rules

Religion’s main purpose is promoting the spiritual conscience and as a main task the creation of a link between human and divine, trying to transmit and interpret ate God’s Thought and Will, indicating and individualizing the Universal Law. The concepts about truth and belief which religion and Church transmits, or better-said impose to a human being from birth, depends on the Age in witch he lives. If religion aspires to direct people towards ,, The right path’’, we should ask ourselves: Does ethics depend on religion, or vice versa? Ethics, by definition ( from the ancient Greek ,,ethos’’) represents a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality—that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice, etc. The base of any ethical concept is the notion of good and evil, virtue, but also human vision and the relations between humans. Indeed the ethics has some standards which are applicable for everyone, while, secular ethics is based on human faculties such as logic, moral or human intuition which depend on the historical period which the human lives in.On the other hand, Christian ethics is based on the love for human in witch results the love for God. For a Christian the ethical problem means the salvation of the soul, but also the free will that is the capacity and responsibility of taking decisions independently.Ethics is not in a necessary relation with religion. It is true that most of the rules support high ethical standards. However, ethics is addressed equally to atheists and saints, so it can’t be confused with religion. Popa Artur ROMANIA ________________________________________

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Between Religions and Ethics- Common Rules

At the very bottom of religious rules, lay the 10 commandments. Religion, also having a pedagogical function, contributes to the individual’s development on both the social and intellectual level. And so, it allows him/her to persuade his desire for knowledge, for information, for overcoming the precise existence of the material world and also the ability to enter a spiritual dimension, bonded with divine power, beyond the objective aspects of the surrounding world. The human being, as both a spiritual and material figure, tends to always oscillate between a lay existence and a sacred one. Thus, in reality, you can not find a perfectly rational human being because he tries to respect the religious rule but at the same time, the ethical one, too. Generally, humans act in their advantage, choosing to do good, from an ethical point of view, not a religious one. All these ideas related to “truth” and “faith” that religion and the Church pass down to the people since the moment of their birth, depend on the age we live in and the level of culture. Ethical rules stand on the ideas of good and right, to whom the concept of morality is attributed to. Generally, ethics is considered an individual concept, but it be analyzed in rapport to the society. This way, the man shouldn’t act for his personal benefit , but he should conform to those ethical principles necessary for a good working of the society. Ethics applies, in equal amount, both to those who believe in religion and to those who don’t, thus it can never be mistaken for religion and it can’t be fully subordinated to it. Ovidiu Rosca ROMANIA ________________________________________

Judaism, Christianity, and Islam Similarities

There are a few common roots and many common elements to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam–the so-called Abrahamic religious her-

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itage. Here are a few major ones that these religions share similarities: Belief about God. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam are monotheistic religions, namely they believe that there is only one God. Jews and Muslims greatly stress the oneness and unity of God. The affirmation of the oneness of God by Christians is sometimes misunderstood, because Christians believe that the one God is triune (the Holy Trinity). However, this is not a denial of monotheism but an affirmation of the complexity of the Divine Being. All three religions believe that this God is the origin and source of all that exists. God cares about the entire creation and desires the well-being of all. God is just and has provided basic rules for our guidance so that we may be good and righteous, according to God’s intention. God is also merciful; by means of God’s grace we are given strength to be more like what we ought to be. Children of Abraham: Understanding human beings The three religions believe that human beings are the highest creatures here on earth. We are the children of Abraham. God created us full of mystery, which means potential for continuous growth, both as a species and as individuals. We are capable of both good and evil. When we grow in goodness, righteousness, and love we become more like what God intended human goodness to be. When we abuse our freedom and do harm to other people, ourselves, and the environment it means that we are going against God’s plans as we become evil-doers. Each person is capable, with God’s help, to turn away from evil, repent, and do good. We owe God our devotion, glorification, and obedience. The Future No matter how difficult the past and present may be, the three religions are hopeful about the future. Evil and suffering cannot ultimately prevail. God has provided a condition (or state of being) for which our three religions have different names, but we agree on the term Paradise. This future will bring about God’s unchallenged rule; unconditional bliss for all who live with God.

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Divine Human Encounter The three Abrahamic religions believe that God and human beings can and should communicate with each other. By revelation God communicates to people, among which the most important are revelation through prophets. These revelations are recorded in the Holy Scriptures of each religion. While the Holy Scriptures of the three religions are not the very same, nevertheless the younger two religions acknowledge God’s truth as found in the previous religions, and encourage respect to the Holy Books. While each of the three religions does not merely focus on one set of writings, the key Scripture of Judaism is the Torah, the key Scripture of Christianity is the Bible, which consists of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible) and the New Testament, and the key Scripture of Islam is the Qur’an. The duty of people is to read or listen to God’s Holy Writings and to respond with prayer, praise, and with an appropriate acceptance of God’s commandments in our life-style. God’s Guidance God did not leave us without guidelines for behavior. God provided us with sound basic rules to live by as well as a rational mind to learn how and when to apply those rules to our everyday life. All three religions, for example, abhor murder, the arbitrary killing of innocent people. Likewise, God wants us to be telling the truth and not to take from others what rightfully belongs to them. We are to respect the dignity of every person and help especially those who are not capable of helping themselves, such as widows, orphans, and the poor. All three religions believe in Golden Rule: doing to others what we wish others do unto us. All three religions foster modesty, moderation, and honest work. We are to submit ourselves to the will of God. All three religions closely link religion and morality. Religion is to be manifested by showing concern for the well-being and dignity of others, in a life of service to others, and in personal and social ethical behaviour Yunus Emre Yalçın TURKEY _____________________________________________

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Rules of our Life –Religious Rules and Ethical Rules

I am a citizen of the state with rights as all other citizens in the world. I have the right to free speech, I have the right to love, I have the right to vote, I have the right to make my own decisions, i have rights and they are present in each individual whatever religion, sex or ethnicity.I have the same rights as my mother, friends, neighbour, colleague, senator or president. I have the right to free speech which helps very much if you know how to put it at use.The freedom of thoughts, opinions or beliefs and the freedom of any kind of creations, through writing, images, sounds or any other means of comunications in public are sacred. The 10 commandments are 10 religious rules that have a significance in christianity and judaism.According to the 8th commandment (Don’t steal) God has taught us that you must not steal but only to make an honest living with you own hands and through your own work, not on the hard work of others. In this case, if you steal you will be punished according to the religious rules. Accoring to the Penal Code if you steal or try to steal somebody elses good you will be punished with jail time between 1 to 5 years.The sixth commandment (Don’t kill) is a „religious rule” that in our days it is punished by law with jail. The behaviour of each citizen has to corespond with the points contained within the Civil Code. You are not allowed to deny someone his freedom, to take it or to kill him because in this way you took him the right to live which God gave us. No one has the right to invade your privacy however close he is to you or your family. Between the common manners and traditional habits of a society, on one hand, and moral, as a study of ethics, on the other hand, there are a few important differences. First of all, moral and morality are formed on the individual’s freedom to decide over his way of life, while the traditional habits

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are given and imposed upon the individual like some models brought to actuality by history.Second, unlike habits, moral rules sustain themselves with rational arguments. If at the question: „Why do mourning persons have to wear black ?” you can’t answer anything else other than „because that is tradition”, at any question the like of „why is it good to tell the truth?, „why is it recommended to avoid exceses?” etc can be answered with diferent arguments. Finally, when habits and manners are always private, specific to a certain cultural climate and a certain historic period, marking the individuality of a human comunity, moral rules have a universality, and some of them are universally apliable.The claim of universality can be many times unfounded: slavery, the inferiority of women over men, the right of the parents to order their children and other social relationships of this kind were considered for a long time moral, but historical progress denied them. As I was saying „Don’t steal!” isn’t only a moral bound or a religious „commandment”, but a regulatory or legal prescription. Even though he is not afraid of the divine punishment and even though he has no remorse, the thief has to fear the „long and ruthless” arm of the law. What clear differences could be made between legal interdiction and the moral of theft? Source: The Holy Bible, Codul Penal, Constitutia Romaniei Ilie Nicoleta-Veronica, Constinescu Raluca-Irina ROMANIA ________________________________________

The Comparison between Christianity and Islam

The Coran is considered to be Allah’s revelation, while the Bible is God’s revelation. God is the creator, the Redeemer and the Sustainer of the sky and the earth, The One who has revealed himself in Jesus Christ.

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Allah is the god that Mohammed introduced as being the only true God. God: Between God and the man there is a connection bridge through Jesus Christ. God was born (He was embodied) as a man and died (as a man) for us! Allah is separated from creation; according to the Coran there is no connection between the man and God. God: The man has the free will with the help of Holy Spirit that can decide to live for Jesus Chris, or to reject the plan of God. God respects this decision of the man. Allah: The man is subjugated by Allah’s will unconditionally. The man himself has no free will, all being decided by Allah, who acts unpredictable and is the main reason for the good and the bad. God: The redemption’s purpose is to forever sharing with God. Allah: The purpose is the complete obedience to Allah. God: The fall of Adam in sin has consequences to all of his descendants. Through Adam’s sin, death entered in the world. Allah: The Coran does not know about a general fall in sin with consequences affecting all the people. God: The man is bad (The disobedience brought him a sinful nature) and can’t do good in front of God by his own forces. He cannot ransom his guilt (just) by doing good things in front of God. Allah: The man has to choose the good and stay away from the evil. God: 2000 years ago Jesus Christ was conceived through the Holy Spirit in the womb of Mary; God has took the man’s figure (Luke 1:35;1Tim 3:16) Allah: Jesus was put in Mary’s womb by Allah. Jesus Chris is just a man, not the “son” of Allah. George Alexandru Baicu ROMANIA ________________________________________

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One Ultimate. This is always present in a belief system: A singular being superior to mankind, or more than one being superior to mankind. In the case of a system having more than a dozen deities, there will be one that is dominant in some way, or there will be a hierarchy. If the singular omniscient being is not a being, it is represented somehow else; The Truth, Enlightenment, Oneness, Ultimate Reality, The Universe, Completion, Absolution, Perfection, whatnot. In the case of a god, this god is often merciful, forgiving, righteous, perfect, etc.; but s/he / they will also damn you to burn in hell, die, suffer for all eternity, suffer temporarily, grant you bad karma/dharma , or something similar. If you ask for forgiveness, or complete a purification ritual of some sort, you will be forgiven. Play Nice, Be Nice. In all religions, even ones considered to be “bad”, you are instructed to do several things: Keep promises, don’t lie, don’t steal, help people, take care of yourself, don’t hurt people; attend a place of worship regularly, or worship regularly, or otherwise frequently affirm your faith. By praying, meditating, asking for forgiveness, repenting, etc., you give praise to the Higher and improve your standing with the Higher and/or come closer to being with the Higher. All religions encourage good behavior, or moral behavior. Morality is generally taken as per the general meaning of ‘good’, but, in some rarified other religions, ‘bad’ is taken as the ‘right’ morality. I won’t comment. See this: In Judaism, see Leviticus 19:18 NIB. “What is hateful to you, do not do to your fellowman.” In Christianity, see Luke 6:31 NIB. “Do to others as you would have them do to you.” In Islam, see a hadith recorded by alBukhari, Sunnah: “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” In Hinduism:

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Mahabharata 5,1517: “Do naught onto others what you would not have them do unto you.” Buddhism’s Udana-Varga 5,18: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.”

Of course, there are many others. See Taoism, Jainism, Confucianism, Zoroastrianism, Baha’i, Wicca, Old Egyptian faiths, and many others. Life After Death, and Rewards. Either eternal Heaven, or eternal Hell. If you’re good in life, you’ll be rewarded in death. If you’re bad in life, you’re punished in death. In Eastern religions, it’s usually reincarnation, or a form of reincarnation. You assume the form of another being after you die, usually with no memory of what you once were. Sometimes you’ll be reincarnated many times until you reach perfection, or something similar. In some beliefs, depending on how you behaved in life, you will reincarnate as either another person (being the best possible outcome next to Perfection) or you will become an animal (not as good, but not the worst), or you will become some lesser creature (the weakest creatures, or the ones with the least senses, or apparent sentience, are those that were the worst.). One Mother, One Origin. In many religions, one man and/or woman or one group of people were created first, and from them, came the rest of mankind. Usually organized as tribes, clans, or something similar. Tribal lands were eventually either torn into sections or consolidated between families, depending on feuds and conflicts. These lands became the countries we know today. In many religions, the story goes, that at one time, everyone spoke one language, but mankind did something to incite the anger of the Higher, and the languages were scattered, and mankind stopped being able to communicate for a while. A Messiah, or a Sacrifice; A ‘Lamb’, or Ritual ‘Lambs’. In most cases, there is a singular or multiple case or cases of sacrifice by either the Higher to Man or from Man to the Higher, in

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which Man achieves the forgiveness of the Higher for wrongs done. In the case of Christianity, the Higher (God) made a sacrifice (Jesus Christ) in order to save Man from sin. This singular sacrifice, in some cases, becomes, instead, a series of ritual ‘sacrifices’, which aren’t actual sacrifices, but, actually, may be ritual bathing, ritual praying, or something similar. The End of Days. It’s just about unanimous that, at the end of the world, there will be a great battle between good and evil, and Final Judgment will be made. Several religions indicate the coming of a prophet, a messiah (in the case of Christianity, the Second Coming of Christ), or something or someone similar. Ahmet Hamdi Göçer, Yemen Bozkaya ,Ayşe Batıray TURKEY ________________________________________

Similarities and disparities between Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism

Here we compare four major world faiths: Christianity, Islam, Judaism and Buddhism according to the topics like origin of the name, founder, divisions, followers, holy books and other guidance, nature of God, Jesus Christ, Holy Spirit, important rituals, sin, salvation, heaven and hell. Later on we will find out what these world religions and non-theistic ethical systems have in common. Origin of the name Christianity comes from the Greek Christos - referring to Jesus Christ. Islam is derived from an Arabic word for 'submission' and also related to the Arabic word salaam, 'peace'. Judaism comes from the Hebrew: Yehudim, 'Judah', and Buddhism from the name of its founder: Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha.

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Founder The founder of Christianity is Jesus Christ (c. 4 B.C.-30 A.D.). Islam was founded by Mohammed (570 - 632 A.D.).The creator of Judaism is Abraham (First Patriarch, born c. 1800 B.C.), and Buddhism is based on the teaching of Gautama Buddha who lived some time between the 6th and 4th centuries BCE. Divisions There are three main groups in Christianity: Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic. The two main groups in Islam are: Sunni and Shia (The division occured due to a dispute as to the legitimate successor of the prophet Mohammed). There is also a mystical/ascetic movement in Islam known as Sufi. Judaism has several divisions among which the largest are: Orthodox, Conservative and Reform Judaism. Ethnic groupings include Ashkenazi (the majority) and Sephardi Jews. There are two divisions within Buddhism: Theravada and Mahayana. Within Mahayana, there is Zen Buddhism. Theravada ('way of the elders') is more similar to original Buddhism. Followers Estimates of the number of Buddhist followers by scholars range from 230 million to 500 million, with most around 350 million.There are around 2,100 million followers of Christianity, 1,300 million followers of Islam, and 14 million adherents of Judaism in the world.

Holy books and other guidance The holy book in Christianity is the Bible. Its writers were inspired by God and that is why it is referred to as the word of God. Other guidance is given by the writings of the early church fathers and ecumenical councils, including the Creeds. In Islam The Quran or Koran was revealed to the prophet Mohammed over a period of about 20 years. The Quran is considered as the final revelation given by Allah to mankind. The Hadith, which is a collection of sayings of the Prophet Mohammed, functions as a supplement to the Quran, giving guidance to Muslims for daily living. Judaism adherents act in accordance with

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the Hebrew Tanakh, similar to the Christian Old Testament, comprised of the Torah (Hebrew: 'Law'), Nevi'im ('Prophets') and Ketuvim ('Writings'). There is also the Talmud â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the collection of ancient rabbinic writings that explains and interprets the Tanah, and includes the Mishnah - a code of Jewish law. Buddhism has no single central text that is universally referred to by all traditions. The followers of Theravada Buddhism take the scriptures known as the Pali Canon as definitive and authoritative, while the followers of Mahayana Buddhism base their faith and philosophy primarily on the Mahayana sutras. The Pali Canon falls into three general categories: 1) Vinaya Pitaka ("Discipline Basket"), dealing with rules for monks and nuns, 2) Sutta Pitaka (Sutra/Sayings Basket) - discourses, mostly ascribed to the Buddha, but some to disciples, and Abhidhamma Pitaka, variously described as philosophy, psychology, metaphysics, etc. The Mahayana sutras are a very broad genre of Buddhist scriptures that the Mahayana Buddhist tradition holds are original teachings of the Buddha. Nature of God In Christianity there is one God who exists in three distinct persons (The Trinity): Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Islam has one God (Arabic: Allah), who is not a trinity. The Islamic view of God is called strict Monotheism. Jews believe in one God (known in English as 'Yahweh' or 'Jehovah'). The Buddhist view of God is that there are many gods, or no gods. A Buddha is someone who has realized the enlightenment that ends the cycle of birth and death and which brings liberation from suffering. Jesus Christ In Christianity Jesus Christ is the second person of the Trinity: "...true God from true God". He reconciled man to God, through his death on the cross as a sacrifice for the sins of all mankind. In Islam Jesus Christ is a prophet sent by Allah and born of the Virgin Mary, but not divine. He was not crucified but raised to Heaven by Allah and his mission is to proclaim the Gospel. According to Judaism Jesus Christ is an ordinary Jew, neither the Messiah nor a divine person. He was crucified for his claim to be divine. Buddhism

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rejects the biblical Jesus. Holy Spirit In Christianity, the Holy Spirit is the third person of the divine Trinity. The Holy Spirit in Islam is identical with the Angel Gabriel who appeared to the Prophet Mohammed giving him the Quranic text. In Judaism, the Holy Spirit is not a distinct person but a divine power which, for example, was given to the Prophets. There is not any holy spirit in Buddhism. Important Rituals All Christians observe the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. In Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, five more are added: Confirmation (Chrismation), Marriage, Penance, Holy Orders and Anointing of the sick. Prayer is also an important part of the faith. There are five important rituals in Islam (known as the pillars of Islam): 1) Shahadah - a profession of faith, 2) Salat - prayer five times daily, 3) Zakat - alms giving, 4) Sawm - fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan, 5) Hajj - pilgrimage to the Holy City of Mecca. Jewish rituals include the circumcision of newly born Jewish males, Barmitzvah - a ceremony marking the 'coming of age' of Jewish boys and observation of the Sabbath (Shabat). As in Christianity and Islam, prayer is important. The Jewish prayer book is called the siddur. Buddhism incorporates a variety of rituals and practices, which are intended to aid in the journey to enlightenment and bring blessings on oneself and others. The practice of meditation is central to nearly all forms of Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhists practice mantras - sacred sounds that are believed to possess supernatural powers. They are chanted as a part of meditation or during large public rituals for protection from evil and misfortune. Budhists also use Mudras - symbolic gestures, used symbolically in Buddha images and in practice to evoke particular ideas or buddhas in the mind during Buddhist meditation or ritual. The central daily rite of lay Buddhism is the offering of food. Theravada laity make this offering to the monks. Mahayana laity make it to the

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Buddha as part of the morning or evening worship. There are also weekly Observance Day rituals at the Theravada monastery when the monks administer the Eight Precepts to the gathered laity, the laity repeating them after the monks. The monks pour water to transfer merit to the laity; the laity pour water to share this merit with their ancestors. There are special rituals to mark, protect, and bless the occasions of major life transitions. Monks preside over ordinations, funerals, and death commemoration rites. Theravada monks also preside over birthday and new-house blessing rites. Ex-monks elders in the lay community perform the rituals for childbirth and marriage. Sin Christians inherit a sinful nature through their common ancestor Adam, who rebelled against God. Jesus Christ atoned for their sins through his death on the Cross. According to Muslims, there is no concept of original sin, nor vicarious atonement. All humans are born sinless, but human weakness leads to sin. Judaism rejects the doctrine of original sin. Atonement for sins committed is made through seeking forgiveness from God in prayer and repentance. Buddhism teaches that happiness or suffering in this life is the result of our deeds (karma) in past lives, or past actions in our present lives. Karma is an "intentional action, that is, a deed done deliberately through body, speech, or mind." It can either manifest its effects in this very life or in the next life or only after several lives. According to the idea of karma in Buddhism, an individual has free will, but he carries the baggage of deeds done in previous lives. Heaven, Hell, and Salvation For Christians, Hell is a place of everlasting punishment for the unrighteous. Heaven is a union with God, life forever in Christ. Catholics also believe in Purgatory, a temporary period of purification. Moral, loving, and faithful Christians who believe in Jesus and adhere to the teachings of the Church receive eternal life. The concept of an afterlife in Orthodox Judaism is usually referred to as Olam Ha-Ba, the world to come. The Jewish idea of heaven is generally known as Gan Eden, or as the Garden of Eden, and hell is

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called Gehinnom. All righteous people, not just Jews, get a place in the world to come, but not all places are equal. A person's status in Olam Ha-Ba depends on actions in this life. Before going to Gan Eden, many people first have to spend time in Gehinnom, which is described by some as a fiery place of harsh punishment and by others as a place where the soul contemplates its past life and repents misdeeds. Except for the worst human beings, the maximum stay in Gehinnom is one year, after which the soul ascends to Gan Eden. The moral foundation in Judaism and Christianity is a list of religious and moral imperatives that were given by God to the people of Israel from Mount Sinai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Ten Commandments: (1) I am the Lord your God; You shall have no other gods before me; You shall not make for yourself an idol, (2) Do not take the name of the Lord in vain, (3) Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, (4) Honor your father and mother, (5) You shall not kill, (6) You shall not commit adultery, (7) You shall not steal, (8) You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, (9) You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, (10) You shall not covet anything that belongs to your neighbor. In Islam there is hell known as Jahannam and Paradise. Those who observe the Five Pillars of Islam go to Paradise. Jahannam has several levels and a person may not necessarily spend eternity there. In Buddhism, after death, one is reborn in successive incarnations until he/she awakens (as the Buddha did) and becomes liberated from the cycle of life and death (samsara), thus reaching nirvana. Nirvana is not exactly a "state"- it is an awakening to truth. In this "place" one is free from suffering, attachments, and delusions. Although there is a concept of "hell(s)" in Buddhist cosmology, it is not considered a place of permanent damnation. It is understood more as state of mind that anyone can experience in his/her lifetime. Freedom from suffering and advancing toward enlightenment is possible by practicing the eightfold path. This eightfold path includes: (1) Right view or understanding, (2) Right thought, (3) Right speech, (4) Right action, (5) Right livelihood, (6) Right effort, (7) Right mindfulness and (8) Right contemplation or concentration.

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Religious groups as well as non-theistic ethical and philosophic systems, like Humanism and Ethical Culture, differ in their concepts of deity, other beliefs, and practices in varying degrees. However, all of the major world religions and philo-sophic systems have an Ethic of Reciprocity. In Christianity and Judaism, this is called "The Golden Rule." It is often expressed as "Do onto others as you would wish them do onto you." Both theistic ethics and secular ethics set up a structure of morals to help people live in a humane secure and happy society free of war and violence where everyone is equal, has inherent worth, and deserves respect and dignity. Every religion and system of ethics asks people to be good, ethical and moral persons. By corollary, it translates into "love yourselves and love everyone else". The language and style may be different but this is the basic message

References: Kai Nielsen, Ethics Without God, Amherst: Prometheus Books, 1990, Coogan, Michael D. (ed.) The Illustrated Guide to World Religions. Oxford University Press 2003, Harvey, Peter, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices. Cambridge University Press 1990, Esposito, John L., What everyone needs to know about Islam. Oxford University Press 2002, Cohn-Sherbok, Dan, Judaism: history, belief, and practice. Routledge 2003, Brodd, Jefferey, World Religions. Winona, MN: Saint Mary's Press 2003 Gabriel Wojciechowski, Monika Krolak, Magdalena Puc, Magdalena Zeitz POLAND ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 5

THE DISTORTION OF ORIGINALLY MEANINGOFRELIGION -TERRORISM

METHODOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS OCTAV ONICESCU NATIONAL COLLEGE ON-LINE LESSON

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE: 2 June 2011 LESSON’S DURATION: 2 course hours(50+50 min.) CLASS: project team LESSON’S CONTENT: „The distortion of originally meaning of religion –Terrorism" LESSON’S TYPE: lesson ment for applying and revaluating the knoledge gathered to this day BIBLIOGRAPHY: Hoffman, Bruce (1999). Inside Terrorism. Columbia University Press. Juergensmeyer, Mark (2004). Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence,Univeristy of California Press OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: O1 -the identifiation of causes of terrorism as a violation of the

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Humsan Rights and of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights O2 – the identification of the similarities between the humanist values and the religious values which are violated by terrorist acts O3 – achieveing interdisciplinarity RESOURCES: PROCEDURAL: conversation, debate, expressive reading, presentation of heuristic texts MATERIAL: pupils portfolios, worksheets, bibliographic material ORGANIZATIONAL: frontal, individual and team activity TEACHING STRATEGY: a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading (of some fragments);heuristic conversation; learning by descovering; questioning. b) Forms of organising student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams. Objec- The lesson’s The content Teaching strategy stages of the activity tives

Evaluation

1 Materials Organization required for al time the lesson are being prepared O1, O2 2 Assessment The Philosophy Conversation oral teacher asks Frontal activity the students to The teacher checks the identify the val- knoledge owned by the ues promoted pupils regarding the by religious humanist values found and ethics on in religious textes and the sacredness in Uniersal Declaration of life of Human Rights

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Uncovering The philosophy Definitions of terror- oral the meaning teacher identi- ism and errors of definof Terrorism fies the con- ition of terrorism cepts of Terrorism O1, O3 4 Leading The history Students provide oral learning teacher identi- examples of represenfies the causes tative texts. of terrorism and the violation of human rights The religion teacher identifies the violation of religious values by torrorism O2

O2, O3

Leading learning

The religious The students bring oral teacher empha- exemples and comsize the reli- ments gious meaning destorsion

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SANTA CLARA SCHOOL. SANTANDER-SPAIN ON-LINE LESSON

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE: 2 June 2011 LESSON’S DURATION: 2 course hours(50+50 min.) CLASS: project team LESSON’S CONTENT: „The distortion of originally meaning of religion –Terrorism"

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LESSON’S TYPE:lesson ment for applying and revaluating the knoledge gathered to this day BIBLIOGRAPHY:Hoffman, Bruce (1999). Inside Terrorism. Columbia University Press. Juergensmeyer, Mark (2004). Terror in the Mind of God: The Global Rise of Religious Violence,Univeristy of California Press

OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: O1 -the identifiation of causes of terrorism as a violation of the Humsan Rights and of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights O2 – the identification of the similarities between the humanist values and the religious values which are violated by terrorist acts O3 – achieveing interdisciplinarity

RESOURCES: PROCEDURAL: conversation, debate, expressive reading, presentation of heuristic texts MATERIAL: pupils portfolios, worksheets, bibliographic material ORGANIZATIONAL: frontal, individual and team activity

TEACHING STRATEGY: a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading (of some fragments); heuristic conversation; learning by descovering; questioning. b) Forms of organising student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams. Objec- The lesson’s The content Teaching startegy stages of the activity tives 1 Materials Organization required for al time the lesson are being prepared

Evaluation

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O1, O2 2 Assessment The Philosophy Conversation oral teacher asks Frontal activity the students to The teacher checks the identify the val- knoledge owned by the ues promoted pupils regarding the by religious humanist values found and ethics on in religious textes and the sacredness in Uniersal Declaration of life of Human Rights O2 Uncovering The philosophy Definitions of terror- oral the meaning teacher identi- ism and errors of definof Terrorism fies the con- ition of terrorism cepts of Terrorism O1, O3 4 Leading The history Students provide oral teacher identi- examples of represenlearning fies the causes tative texts. of terrorism and the violation of human rights The religion teacher identifies the violation of religious values by torrorism O2, O3 Leading The religious The students bring oral learning teacher empha- exemples and comsize the reli- ments gious meaning destorsion

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TURKEY

DIDACTIC PROJECT SUBJECT: The Distortion of originally meaning of ReligionTerrorism DURATION: lesson (50’ + 50’) CLASS: Project team, Yahya Turan Anadolu Öğretmen Lisesi DATE: June 2011 REFERENCES The Glorius Qur’an , Marmaduke Pickthall ,İstanbul , 2002 Chomsky, Noam ‘Prospects for the peace in the Middle East.’( lecture at the university of Toledo, March 4 ,2001 and His articles on Terrorism and peace. Uçurtma Avcısı( The Kite Runner) Khalid Hosseini Everest Yayınları ,İstanbul(2011) Use of knowlegde and information gathered / dissussion. OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1) Recognise and describe the basic ideas of the three major religions. Similiarties and Differences between them. Emphasize their common religious values. -explain misinterpretion of ‘jihad’ . - Emphasize the importance of tolerance in Islam 2) Define the terms : conflict and terrorism, extremism, 3) Identify the causes of terrorism as violation of Human Rights PROCEDURES: Text analysis, heuristic conversation, discussion, expressive lecture, slide show MATERIALS: References material, pictures, pupils’portfolios, slides DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (history, literature, English Teachers)

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1), 2)

1), 2), 3),

Colegiul naţional Octav Onicescu Lesson steps

1. Management

Activity’s description

The lesson’s objectives and concepts are presented to students

Evaluation

2.Warm-up com- The English teacher introduces the topic oral municative activity ‘Religion commands love, mercy and peace’ Anchor know- Have the students talk about the major ledge testing I three religions, and elicit similiarties between them. 3. Anchor knowl- Then students have realized that All have the oral same religious values(repentance, forgiveedge testing II Heuristic discussion ness and reconciliation) by giving examples. An accurate interpretation of the concept of Jihad : Muslims describe three different types of struggles:[7] • A believer’s internal struggle to live out the Muslim faith as well as possible • The struggle to build a good Muslim society • Holy war: the struggle to defend Islam, with force if necessary In western societies the term jihad is often translated by non-Muslims as “holy war” Scholars of Islamic Studies often stress that these words are not synonymous. Muslim authors, in particular, tend to reject such an approach, stressing non-militant connotations of the word.

4. The philosophy Each of the three monotheistic religions oral teacher identifies derives guidance from their belief in distortion of origi- God’s revealed teachings which emphanally meaning of size charity and compassion for the poor, vulnerable and under privileged. These religion religions share more similarities than differences, with each outlining how people with conflicting personal interests can still get along with one another and maintain peaceful and functional societies that contribute to the common good.

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Religious writings are subject to wildly different interpretation and can be used to justify opposing viewpoints. Often, manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s interpretations of these teachings are twisted and distorted to emphasize to their followers what they stand to gain rather than what they can give or share with others. It seems that fundamentalists, whether Christian, Jewish or Muslim, share a common fault that emphasizes personal gain above the welfare of others, and a belief that somehow this inherent selfishness and self-interest will ultimately be rewarded. The irony is that religion taken to extremes is more likely the cause of violent conflict than a solution to it. More predictable is the fact that people exploit other people to advance selfish interests under the guise of religion.

1), 2), 3) 5.Short lecture his- Through wars and conflicts, terrorist Oral torical perspective acts have taken a heavy toll on humani- Slides of of the causes of ty especially on innocent civilians. photos of terrorism as viola- According to UNICEF, 80% of victims war tertion of Human of all such aggressions in recent years rorism have been civilians, mainly women and Rights children.Looking back to the last century, despite all its valuable accomplishments, the 20th Century has turned out be the bloodiest century in human history. It is estimated that more than 60 million people were killed by fellow humans, more than in all the previous centuries of human history. The century ended with about 21 million refugees around the globe, including about 6 million internally displaced people and more than 300,000 child soldiers (under the age of 18), girls as well as boys, engaged in armed conflicts.

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National College Octav Onicescu By showing the photo students have better understanding that Terrorism violates religious values (repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation) and Human Rights. The literature Have the students discuss about The oral Kite Runner, Over the last three teacher : decades, Afghanistan has been ceaselessly battered by Communist rule, Soviet occupation, the Mujahideen and a democracy that became a rule of terror

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LESSON PLAN - POLAND

SUBJECT: Distortion of the original meaning of religion – Terrorism DURATION: 45 minutes CLASS: 20 students from classes:1LB1, ILC1, ILPB, IILPB, and IILC2 from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Poland DATE: 2 June 2011 REFERENCES: Al-Khattar, Aref M., Religion and terrorism: an interfaith perspective, Greenwood 2003; Karen Armstrong, W imię Boga. Fundament judaizmie, chrześcijaństwie i islamie, Wydawnictwo W.A.B., Warszawa 2005; R. Durward, L. Marsden, ed. Religion, conflict and military intervention, Ashgate, England 2009. OPERATIONAL 1) to identify the causes of religious terrorism as a violation of The Universal OBJECTIVES: Declaration of Human Rights, 2) to develop interdisciplinarity, 3) to improve English language skills PROCEDURES: Text analysis, heuristic conversation, dis-

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cussion, expressive lecture, slide show MATERIALS: References material, pupils’ portfolios, slides, whiteboard DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (history, ethics, English, history of art, religious education teachers) Objectives

Lesson steps

1. Management

Activity’s description

Evaluation

The English teacher presents the lesson’s objectives and concepts to students. 1), 2), 3) 2.Warm-up activi- The Ethics teacher incites students to written ty (icebreaker) coin definitions of religism and reliAnchor knowledge gious terrorism in groups. Then the jury testing (the team of teachers) chooses the best definitions and the winners receive small stationary gadgets as prizes. 1), 2), 3) 3. Expressive lec- The ethics teacher tells students about oral ture; heuristic the evildoers who have found inspiration for their deeds in the words of conversation God in books like the Torah, Qur’an and the Christian Bible.The history teacher joins in and gives a short talk about persecution of Jews, Islamic extremist terrorism, Jewish terrorist actions, and terrorist attacks by Christians. After that the two teachers engage students in a conversation about the causes of religious terrorism as a violation of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. 1), 2), 3) 4.Text analysis; The English teacher makes students reading compre- read short texts about religious terrorhension activity ist groups in the world and afterwards he asks students to complete a table on the classroom whiteboard with the objectives, home bases, and names of particular terrorist groups.

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2), 3)

5. Slide show on The history of art teacher continues oral recent media the subject by giving a moving accounts of inci- slideshow on some recent media dents of religious- accounts of incidents of religious disl y - m o t i v a t e d crimination, conflict, and violence. He attacks and a dis- invites students to identify each of the incidents and to take part in a discuscussion around sion about them. them 1), 2), 3) 6. End of lesson The religious education teacher oral b r a i n s t o r m i n g describes an apocalyptic scenario that if people donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t learn to become reliactivity giously tolerant and learn to coexist with individuals and groups of different religions, then World War III is inevitable. He ends the lesson by getting students to brainstorm solutions to the problem of religiously-motivated terrorism.

1st School, Sofia, Bulgaria

DIDACTIC PROJECT - BULGARIA

DATE: June, 2011 LESSON DURATION: of three blocks (90 minutes each) GRADE LEVEL: 8- 11th /upper-intermediate and advanced/ LESSON CONTENT: Religions and terrorism LESSON TYPE: Use of Knowledge and information gathered / discussion / DIDACTIC STRATEGY- team teaching SUBJECT AREAS: History, Geography, Religion, Philosophy, Foreign languages, Music, LESSON OBJECTIVES: Students will:

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«Recognize and describe the basic ideas of the three major religions «Use maps to identify the spread of the religions and location of that growth; cities important to each religion (Mecca, Medina, Jerusalem, Rome) (1000 CE, 1500 CE, 2000 CE) «Develop a visual display to describe the relationships between the three major religions over time. «Define the terms conflict and terrorism, extremism, radical Islam. «Recognize how events in the centuries old conflict between the three major religions of the West are connected to the attack on the United States in 2001 «Conduct research on events in the past «Draw conclusions from data and create hypotheses «Identify how people in different parts of the world view the United States «Explore reasons for the divergent views «Place the events of September 11th in context with other attacks «Social Identity Analysis of Islamist-based terrorism «Social Categorization Theory «Research the ways in which Muslim extremists have interpreted the teachings of Islam for their own political purposes. «Explore and understand some of the teachings of Islam, and examine where extremists’ actions stand in relation to these teachings. MATERIALS AND RESOURCES • Overhead projector and transparencies, • computers with internet access, • white board, • Textbooks or articles on the topic, web and print resources. PROCEDURES: Warm-up: Introduce the topic, the aims of the lesson and the activities. The three major religions of the West—Judaism, Christianity, and Islam—are often seen as competitive and thus believers frequently fail to see their similarities. For instance, as all three religions revere Abraham and certain other patriarchs mentioned in the

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Bible as their spiritual ancestors, they are called Abramic religions. Nonetheless conflict between the three religions has been tied to many wars, genocides, and terrorism. 2. The religions in time and place: Create expert groups in the classroom, depending on size of class and preference of teacher. They are to be charged to use references (see materials) to develop an expertise on a set of assigned questions. When they have completed their research they should verbally report their findings to the class in preparation for the connection activity. Students should use the “Three Religions” note-taking grid. Assigned questions: «Where in the world and when (dates) did this religion arise? For example: Extent of Muslim territory (c. 800 CE) Crusades and influence of Christianity (c. 1100-1250) Hebrew territory (c. 70 CBE) «Major leaders/prophets? «Major beliefs (holy book or books)? «Similarities to other two religions? «Differences from other religions? «Where these religions are mainly practiced in the world today? SOURCES: In addition to classroom resources, such as textbooks or encyclopedias,Web sites may be useful to students completing this portion of the lesson. 3. Making Historical Connections: Now that the students have a common understanding of the historical and geographical development of these three religions, students will develop a visual display of the conflicts between the religions and their link to recent events. Events 1. Jewish Diaspora in Middle Ages 2. Crusades 3. Rise of Zionist Movement 4. Hitler’s genocide

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5. The creation of Israel 6. 1973 (Yom Kippur/Ramadan) War 7. Terrorist attacks in the new century. 4. Balfour Declaration 5. Discovery of oil in the Middle East 8. Six Day War 10. Rise of radical Islam 11. Intifada Posters or PowerPoint presentations that answer the following questions: «Was a religious group involved? Which one(s)? «What happened to the members of the groups? «Was the event primarily political, religious, or economic? Think about the following as you plan your poster: «Did some events/beliefs lead to others? «How did the religions interact with each other? «Were the interactions political (over territory) or economic (over resources) or religious (over beliefs)? 4. Display and share work: Students are now to hang their posters around the room in chronological order and all students are to view the work, as if in a museum. 5. Class discussion: Lead a class discussion in which students, using their notes, connect the history of the three major religions and the economic and political decisions that have continued to make the interactions of these religions so important in the world. Potential questions to ask might include: « Which events do you believe indicate a deep-rooted enmity between practitioners (or factions) of the three religions? « What events do you believe are connected to each other, one event leading directly to the next? [For instance, Hitler's antiSemitism led to the eventual establishment of a homeland for Jews.] Are there others? «What is the relationship of the United States to the oil producing nations in the Middle East?

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«The United States played an important world role in the establishment of Israel and assisted in its subsequent defense. How do radical Muslim movements, which grew out of these centuries of conflict, view that role? «How many of the events do you believe are politically motivated? Economically motivated? Motivated by religion? What evidence did you discover that led you to that conclusion? «What additional information about terrorism did this activity provide? 6. Discussion about the terrorist attacks in the USA and Europe in the recent years. Students will research at least three attacks. 7. Discussion about the war on terrorism. Attitudes about European and U.S. policy. «Study two famous images, one from World War II and one of September 11, 2001 and read about the controversy surrounding the latter image. «After the reading, students will think about/write about/discuss how knowledge of history might provide perspective and wisdom in understanding events of the present. In other words, why is knowledge of history important? After studying the images, the students will think about/write about/discuss how images may shape our remembrances of events. «Have the students then make the decision in discussion or writing and justify or explain their position. «Discussion about Muslim extremists. Social Identity Analysis of Islamist-based terrorism 8. Literature, Music and Art against terrorism-discussion. ________________________________________

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Islam Prohibits Terrorism

It is extremely wrong to mention the religion of Islam (means peace) with the concepts such as terrorism, war, violence. It is absolutely obvious that Islam forfids terrorism and objects to violence. Because Islam prohibits any of bullies behaviours and commands to act nicely while spreading it. “We are Best Aware of What they say, and thou( O Muhammed) art in no wise a compeller over them. But warn them by the Qur’an him who fearth My threat.” (QAF:45) “21. Remind them , for thou art but a remembrancer , 22. Thou art not at all a warder over them . 23. But whoso is averse and disbelieveth ,

24. Allah will punish him with direst punishment . 25. Lo! unto Us is their return

26. And Ours their reckoning .” (Al-Gashiya :21-26) “And is thy lord willed, All who are in the earth would have believed together. Wouldst thou (Muhammad) compel men until they are believers?”( Jonah :99) “And If ye (Muslims) call them to The Guidance They hear not: though (Muhammad) seest them looking toward thee, but they see not. Keep to forgiveness (O Muhammad) and enjoin kindness and turn away from the ignorant.” (Al-Araf:198-199) As mentioned above, It had never forced the people for living religion and never used violence towards them. Terrorism is forbidden by all religions of God. America behaved inhumane towards the people of the countries in the name of rescueing them from the vicious rulers.

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National College Octav Onicescu When Israel attacked Palestine, They killed the innoncent children, the women and the olds brutally. Although one of ten commandments in the Torah ; “ You shall not Murder.” Some rulers felt happy while they were shooting the innocent people on the tank. This is not possible define any of words in the views of legal and many kind (humane). The originally message of the religion or idea can be sometimes distorted. Cruaders, which were the formation of Dark period of Christianity was one of its examples.. One of the crusaders, Raymond of Aguiles, boasts of this incredible cruelty: “Wonderful sights were to be seen. Some of our men (and this was more merciful) cut off the heads of their enemies; others shot them with arrows, so that they fell from the towers; others tortured them longer by casting them into flames. Piles of heads, hands and feet were to be seen in the streets of the city. It was necessary to pick one’s way over the bodies of men and horses. But these were small matters compared to what happened at the Temple of Solomon, a place where religious services are normally chanted in the temple and the porch of Solomon, men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins.” Crusaders’ barbarism was so much that they plundered Constantinopoli ,was the province of their coreligionists. As mentioned above No divine religions permits violence. It can not be seen even a word support terrorism in the Holy books (Torah, Bible, Qur’an). On contrary, they opposes it severely. MEVLUDE OK TURKEY

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Museum of Memory and the Holocaust, genocide

One of the lessons of Auschwitz is precisely to understand the mind of an ordinary man is infinitely more difficult to understand the mind of Spinoza or Dante (also in this sense must be understood Hannah Arendt’s claim, so often misinterpreted on the banality of evil)

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Quote from Giorgio Agamben, in The Remains of Auschwitz. (The file and the control) Homo Sacer III Jewish Music http://www.cfmj.fr/actualites-du cfmj/publications/cddvd-multimedia/variations-ladino.html Image We chose this topic because we think it has a strong interest in the current world situation, in which human rights are violated in many countries and in varied forms.Perhaps if we learn from past mistakes we can find solutions to these atrocities that are still happening under other masks and other circumstances IES Santa Clara (Santander, Spain) Work done by Alumnae / o Marina Martin, Denise Aguirre, Beatriz Fernández, Carlos Serrano. Coordinator, Eliseo Fernandez Rabadan, professor of Philosophy FELIPE LEON AND POEM AUSCHWITZ Auschwitz To all the Jews of the world, my friends, my brothers. These poets infernal Dante, Blake, Rimbaud … speak low … play more under … That shut up! … Today any inhabitant of the earth know much more about hell that these three poets together. I know that Dante played the violin very well … Oh, the great virtuoso! … But that does not try now triplets with their wonderful perfect and heroic verse scare the Jewish child it’s there, cut off from their parents …

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And alone. Only! waiting their turn in the ovens of Auschwitz. Dante … you came down to hell with Virgil hand (Virgil, “great cicerone”) and that your the “Divine Comedy” was a fun adventure music and tourism. This is another thing … another thing … How do you explain? If you have no imagination! You … you have no imagination, Remember that your “Hell” no child even … And that you see there … is only Only! Without cicerone … waiting to open the gates of hell to thee, poor Florence!, you could not even imagine. This is another thing … How shall I say? Look! This is a place where you can not play the violin. Here ropes break all violins in the world. Do I have understood poets hell? Virgil, Dante, Blake, Rimbaud … Speak lower! Blow the deal! … Shh! … Shut up! I am also a great violinist and I’ve played in hell many times … But now, here …

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I break my violin … and I’ll shut up. Almost none of the ethical principles that our time is believed to recognize as valid has withstood the acid test, that of an Ethics more Auschwitz demonstrata. (Giorgio Agamben. Homo sacer III) Killing a person to defend an ideal is not to defend an ideal, is to kill a person. (Author Marina Martin) Humans... Pain, suffering, sorrow, humiliation. Terror. Fight. Bitterness, resentment. Sadness, War. These are the only ideas that come to mind when thinking of the poor victims of the shameful World War 2. How could anyone defend this war, objecting that is based on the fight for ideals, white supremacy, rather German? The only thing that it is based is hatred, intolerance and violence, and the end of the day all wars. What a difference from the others then? I’m not saying that this was more or less bloody than others, more or less bloody, but more sadistic, more cruel, more massive. The methods used were not a single bullet in the head, no, in fact I am sure that many of the victims they would have preferred. I would say Death, originated long before the subject, or rather the subject’s body stops working, death started at the same time that went into the fields, what not to call it hell, to you, for is it really life that even exist? There must be another word to call it, because even this is so bloody and terrible. How beings ‘human’ (and human put in quotes because I’m not sure you even deserve that epithet) and just could imagine, and then carry out such atrocities? And how Europe could see so late a Once much of the damage and suffering was committed? I can only imagine that these macabre minds were possessed by the devil, but to be honest, I really do not believe in that sort of thing, so the last option I have is that they were simply human beings, corrupted by hatred, anger and intolerance. I hope that hatred, anger and intolerance in their hearts, have been replaced by regret, pain and sadness, but I doubt so. The Great Hypocrisy Third Reich.Siembre we thought about the causes of the Holocaust as being the result of non-humanity, ie

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the lack of total / absolute humanity in people who took him out, but what if you we gave another approach? Hitler was Jewish, as his whole family is paradoxical that while this is true, would eliminate all of its ‘kind’, so to speak, which would lead us to think that all the anger came later shown inner conflict and a much deeper the Führer, which entering in psychological branches, would ask, why this subject would respond with such anger against ‘self’, where would this inner conflict? psychological / psychiatric problems , childhood trauma or later ….? Probably never know, and even Hitler himself may ignore it. So my thought is: Is the worst genocide of the twentieth century, one of the greatest atrocities known, was the fruit fruit of a vein of hatred from a childhood trauma? Warsaw Ghetto Testimonies of survivors Simon John Lichtig, Laszlo Ladanyi and Gina Marie Kesler, David Galante, Thomas Kertesz, Eugenia Unger, Irene Birnbaum, Rachel (Monica) Mowszowicz http://www.raoulwallenberg.net/es/novedades/testimoniossobrevivientes/ video LISTEN TO A SONG Jewish Ghetto Vilna http://www.cblgrenoble.org/musique/play_flash/vilna.php Discrimination, genocide and cultural extermination: female Holocaust Literature Video Testimony of Irene Birnbaum http://digec.ugr.es/videos/view/85 materials developed by GrGRGrupo DIGEC. Discrimination, Genocide and Extermination Cultural: Women’s Holocaust Literature (HUM-062) PAIDI (Andalusian Plan for Research, Development and Innovation) University of Granada E-mail: digec@ugr.es What has happened is a warning. Forget it is a crime. It was possible that all this happened and it remains possible that at any time happen again. (Marina Martin) How long lost (author Marina Martin) How long lost. Many lives, how many hours, how many

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laughs, smiles, many accomplishments. How long lost. Took many lives, never to return, all who were forced to leave. What will not return, is a loss or just a reality, a bland existence, which only hurts and haunts those still there? Some say that these losses, carried out by dudables ‘ideal’, paid off, it was for a just end, and concrete, could derail any and all of the words previously spoken, from ideals to right. How can it be, just take someone’s life, not only that, but well steal the joy and hope to his people dear, dear, you are forced to stay on this side of the wax with the withered heart, and corroded by the thirst for revenge? And how can we consider the very ideal personification of anger, hatred and revenge? Curiously, the Jews are often dismissed as not to forget, not to move on from the process we call the Holocaust, but the question is: Can we forgive, forget and move on, leaving terrible suffering committed without justification, and we reconcomiendo is the heart? I, no. In memory of all Holocaust lost souls, both those whose body left, such as those that remain. STATISTICS of the Holocaust Initial Jewish population: 9,508,340 Estimated deaths%: 63% Estimated dead: 5,962,129 Number of survivors: 3,546,211 These numbers speak for themselves

Warsaw, 1943 Note on source and translation of the poem: Internet source accessed 9/1/2012 http://www.bogota.polemb.net/index.php?document=201 Polish Embassy honors a Righteous Among the Nations Article published by the Group Hashavua in its issue No. 319Dirección: Raquel Goldschmidt Edition: Vivianne Tesone “A poor Christian observes the Ghetto” is a poem remarkable for its realism and beauty.The poor Christian is the poet himself, Miłosz watching the destruction of a Jewish community bordered by the Nazi army in a ghetto (or ghetto). Viewers who saw the film

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by Roman Polanski, “The Pianist”, witnessed a reconstruction of that described by Miłosz ghetto. It is surprising that the image we see in movies the destruction of the ghetto, with its astounding weight of reality, not as tangible as the amazing and powerful vision created by Miłosz with use of the word. The reason is that in the poem we see that destruction through the lens of the poet, impotent at the time of destruction, forever guilty for their marginality as a poor Christian. It is a poignant perspective of history. The power of words to catch the time of the downfall of a civilization, however, gives us a glimmer of hope at least. “A poor Christian observes the ghetto” was originally written in Polish. I translated this poem into Spanish from the English by Czeslaw Milosz. Jorge Avalos Bibliography Wikipedia: Biography elpoemadelasemana.blogspot.com: orge byJ comment Avalos poemhunter.com Summary World War II (1939-1945). Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a man of great cunning and talent for public relations, organizes an ambitious plan to win the sympathy of the Nazis.After the invasion of Poland by the Germans (1939), achieved thanks to its relations with the Nazis, the ownership of a factory in Krakow. They employ hundreds of Jewish workers, whose operation makes it prosper quickly. Your manager (Ben Kingsley), also Jewish, is the true director in the shade, it completely lacks knowledge Schindler to run a company Fixed point of no return decline of the great stories in Auschwitz, that catastrophic moment in which it became clear that the great subject of successive West only led to the absolute domination of the terrifying story of La Raza. (Dany-Robert Dufour. The art of reducing heads) Nazism It is an ideology in Germany that began in the 20′s, but almost nobody paid attention until about the 30′s. The Nazis began to grow after Germany lost the First World War, losing much of its territory in the Treaty of Versailles, and also grew thanks to the economic crisis of 1929.

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It started as a political party the National Socialist Party (National Socialist German Workers), led by a veteran, Adolf Hitler. The followers of Hitler accused the Jews, socialists and communists of the situation so bad that I was living Germany and Hitler’s party promised to change Germany. After this there was an attempted coup, Hitler was arrested, spent 5 years in prison at that time wrote a book called Hitler Mein Kampf (My Struggle), which became an almost sacred book for the Nazis. Little by little, the Nazis won positions in Parliament and among the discontented population. Hitler used the economic crisis of 1929, and came to power as chancellor in January 1933, and Franz von Papen right became the Vice-Chancellor. And a year later, Hitler became the Fuhrer. Thus began the Third Reich Germany. Once in power, the new Fuhrer began building his “empire”, he began to pursue and Socialists and Communists imprisoned, banned new political parties except his own course, created the Gestapo, a powerful state police, and appoint the Jewish “traitors” and began the persecution of Jews and other minorities. STAFF ANALYSIS (author Denise Aguirre) This film is the war of the Nazis, and thus set in an era of violence, injustice, death, etc … Here the right to life, liberty, is completely forgotten, and you see that man forgets that from nothing more important than a person’s life as it is this time in this war, killed a considerable number Jews. Which kill or mistreat such loosening of one another, is made as normal, ie the shoot a Jew, is something like eating, and that ideology is solidified in the minds of the Germans is surprising that the establishment of clear-minded and is not new, but still, it is something that is very curious, and this is closely related to psychology, and their relationship is valid at all times. Either by violence or by the behavior of the Nazis, or the way the Jews resist this, and also enters consciousness, because not all agree with this, ie the conflict enters what you feel and what then is done. So in this film is the variety of behaviors of human being in this situation, first the main character happens to be an entrepreneur

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who does not care what happens outside, a man who wants to help and who despairs that sees it is a hard task, and that suffering can not be stopped. Leaving aside the ideology that this patent, and offered to try to save lives is something that shows that the feelings and thinking can change. After this the Jewish assistant, who witnesses the suffering of their peers and try with the little we can help further that there is someone I see it is important to Oskar Schindler because he says what he thinks, even though they know it is something that should do. This man reflects the peaceful submission, the failure of freedom yet he maintains that a condition of life, as it were, privileged compared to the other Jews. Hence the behavior of Nazi commandant, a cold man, who kills for being bored, abusive because it amuses, it does not recognize that he feels something that is not hatred of a Jewish woman, this man is the darker side in the movie , where violence is shown that a person can show, showing how unpleasant it is someone who feels nothing to see someone die, kill or see suffering, it is clear that a man who has been influenced by this ideology. Here we see different behaviors, different ways of looking at life, and as I can see the different ways in comparison to psychology there, not all but a few examples Personal conclusions (Denise Aguirre) This movie I liked it for various reasons, the most is that for a moment I saw the stark reality that these people became clear that this film he wants to cause emotions like sadness, anger, anger, fear etc., And so many scenes and dialogue are exaggerated, but no movie is perfect all have their faults. The fact that this black and white does not make a boring movie, is more help to more impact in some scenes, and a focus on the argument and not on other things such as color or special effects etc. Some things that caught my eye were: The girlâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s red coat, is striking in the film and then kill it and take it to a crematorium.

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The suffering of the Jews under the watchful gaze of indifferent Nazis. The way to lead to death, slowly, to suffer more. The pain of separating a family, and then not get to see. The cruelty of the Nazis to kill Jews in gas chambers and they were believing that only a shower. From there I like the beginning of the film, the protagonist seemed to be one of the bad guys, but soon saw his interest in the Jews. I felt very brave stance Oskar Schindler hired to Jews, because then I could have killed. I loved when he showed his repentance action. And also the Nazi commander who really did make me see the cruelty that was in that moment in the film. Overall I really liked this movie, is a bit long but I still like, because they see the human behavior for a different view. The history of the Jews of Warsaw, however incredible it may seem, it was only a part of the vast Nazi operation led to the extermination of European Jewry. The many extermination camps in Poland – such as Treblinka, Majdanek, Belzec, Birkenau and Auschwitz – were the scene of the murder of millions of Jews (Arnold Toynbee. Hitler’s Europe) Hitler and Nazism (author Beatriz Fernandez) Nazism is inseparable from its leader, Adolf Hitler. The Party National Socialist German Workers, better known as the Nazi Party was founded in 1920 and was part of the extreme nationalist right. In the early years was a small party with little support in German society, but had the financial support of some industrial and military. Adolf Hitler became its leader in 1921. In 1923, the Nazis attempted a coup de force against the Bavarian government, which ended in failure. It is known as the Munich Putsch, Hitler made was sentenced to five years in prison, during which he wrote the book Mein Kampf (My Struggle) and covering his politics: nationalism, racism, superiority of the Aryan race, the Semitism, expansionism, contempt for liberalism, socialism and communism, advocated a centralized state and a leader, the

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Fuhrer would take for the attainment of German. During the twenties, Hitler eliminated internal dissent within the party and consolidated its unlimited authority. The Nazi party was best known for the violence of its sections, the SA-Assault against communist, socialists, and Jews for his electoral results. But the effects of the economic crisis of 1929 were reflected in the multiplication of adherence to Nazism. The highest support achieved in the middle classes, ruined by the economic crisis. Hitler achieved important economic support of big industrialists. SOURCES OF INFORMATION Recommended links on the Internet IES Santa Clara (Santander), authors, students and teacher to esdelibros.es Elisha http://ethicsandholocaust.blogspot.com/ Rabadan, professor of Philosophy http://elterrordelholocausto.blogspot.com/ Marina Martin, student 1 ยบ C Denisse http://www.eranazi.blogspot.com/ Aguirre, a student 1 ยบ C http://elholocaustolln.blogspot.com/ Carlos Serrano, student 1 ยบ C http://holocaustoblog.blogspot.com/ Beatriz Fernandez, student 1 ยบ C Of websites consulted for research http://www1.yadvashem.org/yv/es/about/index.asp Yad Vashem Authority for the memory of the heroes and martyrs of the Holocaust (accessed 02/08/2012) Memorials http://www.memoriales.net/ historical Nazi concentration camps 1933-1945 (accessed 02/08/2012) http://www.un.org/es/holocaustremembrance/index.shtml The Holocaust and the outreach program of the United Nations (accessed 02/18/2012) Baruch Spinoza http://www.fundacionbaruchspinoza.org/ Foundation. Marina Martin, Carlos Serrano SPAIN ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 6

RELIGIOUS RULES INTHE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

RESEARCH WORK

RELIGIOUS RULES IN THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

The main rules of the monotheistic religions can be find in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. These means that from its beginnings –religion – doesn’t matter which of them – has an important ethical dimension. Thereby, the fundamental rules of all the monotheistic religions are actually the same from which the most important of them all is “do no kill”. We can read this rules in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 3.“Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person”. Christianity became very popular among the slaves because Jesus Christ promised them that everybody will be equal in Heaven after they die. We can find the idea of equality in Epistle for Coloseni, where Saint Paul, the main ideologue of Christianity writes: “Where there is neither Gentile nor Jew, neither men nor women, Barbarian nor Scythian , bond nor free. But Chris is all and in all” We also find the idea of equality in Islam and Buddhism. With The Universal Declaration of Human Rights the freedom and equality that was promised in Heaven was brought on Earth. Freedom and equality are the most important rights in The

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Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Article 1. All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. Further, The Declaration interdicts any type of discrimination. Article 2. Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Furthermore, no distinction shall be made on the basis of the political, jurisdictional or international status of the country or territory to which a person belongs, whether it be independent, trust, non-self-governing or under any other limitation of sovereignty. Other articles about freedom or equality: Article 3. Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person. Article 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. Article 6. Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law. Article 7. All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection of the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this Declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination Thereby, all monothesitic religions develop the great ideas about the right of life , freedem, equality, noin-discrimination â&#x20AC;&#x201C; because all of us are equal in front of Got ( who can be Jessus Chris, Alah or Budha) whic aree all the great ideas of Enlightement, basis for The Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Vlad Manole ROMANIA

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Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s known the fact that everybody is born free and equal to others. Both faith and law give us this crucial right, among many others, and it is considered to be a natural one, such as the right to live, for example. The idea of human rights is familiar to us from Ancient times, when people realized its importance. On one hand, the Bible says that everyone is born free and equal, so there is no reason for anybody to be considered inferior. There are many organizations that fight for equality between people before the law, in case of any injustice. As we all know, women fought to gain their equality before men for thousands of years, and that happened not too long ago, after centuries of massive discrimination between genders.On the other hand, people take religion in a wrong way and some of them, if not too many, end up raping, denigrating and even killing in the name of religion, according to them. For example, terrorists claim that they tortured and killed thousands of human beings and still do it in the name of religion, which indicates the fact that the original and sacred meaning of religion has been distorted and misunderstood. There have also been many conflicts between nations that took off because religion and people started to hate their peers and be xenophobic. In conclusion, people are given the same rights from birth and they are not supposed to be broken. Also religion should be treated as it is, a sacred entity and people should stop committing crimes and hurting their brothers and sister in the name of faith. Brian Enulescu ROMANIA ________________________________________

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Religious rules – ethical rules

At the very bottom of religious rules, lay the 10 commandments. Religion, also having a pedagogical function, contributes to the individual’s development on both the social and intellectual level. And so, it allows him/her to persuade his desire for knowledge, for information, for overcoming the precise existence of the material world and also the ability to enter a spiritual dimension, bonded with divine power, beyond the objective aspects of the surrounding world. The human being, as both a spiritual and material figure, tends to always oscillate between a lay existence and a sacred one. Thus, in reality, you can not find a perfectly rational human being because he tries to respect the religious rule but at the same time, the ethical one, too. Generally, humans act in their advantage, choosing to do good, from an ethical point of view, not a religious one. All these ideas related to “truth” and “faith” that religion and the Church pass down to the people since the moment of their birth, depend on the age we live in and the level of culture. Ethical rules stand on the ideas of good and right, to whom the concept of morality is attributed to. Generally, ethics is considered an individual concept, but it be analyzed in rapport to the society. This way, the man shouldn’t act for his personal benefit , but he should conform to those ethical principles necessary for a good working of the society. Ethics applies, in equal amount, both to those who believe in religion and to those who don’t, thus it can never be mistaken for religion and it can’t be fully subordinated to it. Margareta Cupsa ROMANIA ________________________________________

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The consequences of violations of human rights; distortion of the original meaning of religion

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On December 10, 1948, the United Nations passed the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This historic document was developed, in part, because of the genocide perpetrated by Hitler in Nazi Germany. Part of the Declaration’s preamble reads: Whereas disregard and contempt for human rights have resulted in barbarous acts which have outraged the conscience of mankind, and the advent of a world in which human beings shall enjoy freedom of speech and belief and freedom from fear and want has been proclaimed as the highest aspiration of the common people Humans Pain, suffering, sorrow, humiliation. Terror. Fight. Bitterness, resentment. Sadness, War. These are the only ideas that come to mind when thinking of the poor victims of the shameful World War 2. How could anyone defend this war, objecting that is based on the fight for ideals, white supremacy, rather German? The only thing that it is based is hatred, intolerance and violence, and the end of the day all wars. What a difference from the others then? I’m not saying that this was more or less bloody than others, more or less bloody, but moresadistic, more cruel, more massive. The methods used were not a single bullet in the head, no, in fact I am sure that many of the victims they would have preferred. The death I would say, originated long before the subject, or rather the subject’s body stops working, death started at the same time that went into the fields, why not call it hell, to you, for is it really life that even exist? There must be another word to call it, because even this is sobloody and terrible. How beings ’human’ (and human put in quotes because I’m not sure you even deservethat epithet) and just could imagine, and then carry out such atrocities? And how Europecould see so late a once much of the damage and suffering was committed?

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I can only imagine that these macabre minds were possessed by the devil, but to be honest, I really do not believe in that sort of thing, so the last option left to me were simplyesque humans corrupted by hatred, anger and intolerance. I hope that hatred, anger and intolerance in their hearts, have been replaced by regret,pain and sadness, but I doubt so. Final comment Religion and morality are made closely related along the story. This relationship results in contents converging ethical most religious traditions. However there tensions between morality and religion culminating in the breakthrough by movements ”enlightened”; operated this break, religion and morality are as different ways of relating to the absolute, calls for dialogue from the basis of ethics lassociedades civil pluralist to find solutions to problems of humanity today Denise Aguirre, Marta Fernandez,Walter García SPAIN ________________________________________

The consequences of violations of human rights; distortion of the original meaning of religion

Essay I The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a basic document in force that all countries must be obedient to. There are several law enforcement agencies to which you refer in case of suspicion of the violation of human rights. Human rights which should be treated as a starting point of all human relationships, according to which we have the right to life, happiness, education, work, freedom of thought and religion are, unfortunately, breached very often. It would seem that such situations occur only in Africa, where many people still live in slavery without a chance for a decent existence. However, it turns out that examples of violations of basic human rights are much closer – in our country. Among the most frequently occurring incidents is the so called

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phenomenon of “wave” in military units or even schools. It involves physical and mental abuse. Older soldiers with greater experience or upper year students maltreat their younger colleagues. The victims are closed against their will in cramped and dark rooms, beaten and humiliated in front of other people. The media have also talked about cases of forcing a teenager to commit suicide. In addition, much controversy stems from the presence of minorities in our country. There is racism and intolerance against Roma/Gypsies. There have been instances of brutal beatings of Gypsy women and stealing their belongings. It is also not uncommon to hear people shouting insults at them. We should also mention violations in the workplace. Still, many people work in undignified conditions for little money, they are humiliated and sometimes beaten very brutally. Let us remember that human rights belong to all of us, let us not be indifferent to the situations when they are breached. Violating human rights leads to conflicts, wars and hatred towards one another. Paulina Królak POLAND ________________________________________

Essay II The Polish government generally respects the human rights of its citizens. A number of domestic and international human rights groups operate without government restriction, investigating and publishing their findings on human rights cases. Government officials are often cooperative and responsive to their views. The country’s human rights ombudsman presents an annual report to the Sejm on the state of human rights and civic freedom in the country. Nevertheless, there are certain problems, for example, poor prison conditions and excessive use of force by law enforcement officials. In a 2004 incident police mistakenly used live ammunition instead of rubber bullets to quell a riot after a soccer game. One person was killed and a second injured.

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Occasional anti-Semitic violence and harassment are also problems. In February 2007 Leszek Bubel, a self-proclaimed anti-Semite and leader of a far-right political party, posted a video on a popular Internet site in which he boasted about his anti-Semitism and urged Jews to leave the country.. On October 20 the same year, a family court reprimanded four teenagers who jeered and attacked a 19year-old Orthodox Jew visiting a Jewish cemetery in Warka. The youths, aged 13-16, had insulted, punched and kicked the victim. There are cases of corruption throughout the government and society. Citizens have believed that political parties and members of the legislative branch, the health care system, and the judiciary are the most corrupt. The Central Anticorruption Bureau (CBA) has broad powers to audit the financial holdings of public officials and to fight corruption in public procurement. It is authorized to conduct searches and secret videotaping, wiretap telephone conversations, and make arrests. The law prohibits discrimination based on race, gender, disability, language, or social status; however, violence and societal discrimination against women and ethnic minorities persists. Sexual harassment is an underreported problem. Many victims do not report abuse or withdraw harassment claims in the course of police investigations out of shame or fear of losing their job. While education is universal and compulsory until the age of 18 and schools are free, the Roma Association has claimed that many Roma children do not attend public school out of fear that teachers will encourage assimilation and uproot them from their Romani traditions. The displays of racist behavior can be found at sporting events e.g. throwing bananas and shouting racial epithets at African soccer players are quite common. There are also isolated incidents of racially motivated violence and verbal abuse directed at persons of Asian or Arab descent. As for the problems affecting children, police have been conducting operations against child pornography and pedophiles, some of them target the offenders who use the Internet. Poland remains a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked persons, primarily women and girls, but to a lesser extent, boys and

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men for forced labor. Internal trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation also occurs. Traffickers target young, unemployed, and poorly paid women and men, particularly those with weak family ties and support networks. They attract victims with false promises of lucrative jobs or arranged marriages. Some victims believe that they are accepting employment abroad as cooks, waitresses, maids, nannies, or agricultural laborers. Traffickers threaten victims with violence, and those who resist or try to flee are raped, beaten, or injured. The Ministry of Interior, the NGOs La Strada and the Nobody’s Children Foundation have trained several hundred law enforcement officials in trafficking issues. The constitution provides for freedom of speech and of the press. However, the law prohibits the media from promoting activities that are illegal or against government policy, morality, or the common good and requires that all broadcasts respect the religious feelings of the audiences and, in particular, respect the Christian system of values. Defamation is a criminal offense punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment. This includes publicly insulting or defaming the president, members of parliament, government ministers and other public officials. For example, in 2007 Rydzyk, the founder of conservative Catholic Radio Maryja, was charged for insulting a public official and slander after he released an audiotape with anti-Semitic comments suggesting that Jews are greedy and President Lech Kaczynski is “in the pockets of the Jewish lobby.” Violators of human rights change the original meaning of religions, according to which we should treat others as equals. They cause their victims to suffer psychically or physically. Human rights abusers contribute to social segregation and the creation of underclasses. They sow the seeds of intolerance and moral chaos. It is to be hoped that all the governments will give priority to civic freedom and always intervene fast enough to stop any cases of human rights violations. Klaudia Zielińska, Scherley Stylianos, Gabriel Wożniakowski POLAND ________________________________________

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BULGARIA: Religious rules in the Universal of Human Rights Article I All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. Article 2 Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status. Article 18 "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion: This right includes freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom, either alone or in community with others and in public or private, to manifest his religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship and observance." Religions and other beliefs bring hope and consolation to billions of people, and hold great potential for peace and reconciliation. They have also, however, been the source of tension and conflict. This complexity, and the difficulty of defining “religion” and “belief,” are illustrated by the still developing history of the protection of freedom of religion or belief in the context of international human rights.The struggle for religious liberty has been ongoing for centuries, and has led to innumerable, tragic conflicts. The twentieth century has seen the codification of common values related to freedom of religion and belief, though the struggle has not abated. The United Nations recognized the importance of freedom of religion or belief in the1948Universal Declaration of Human Rights.The basic principles of dignity, liberty, equality, and brotherhood, proclaimed in the first two articles are the foundation blocks for four columns of rights: rights pertaining to individuals as such; rights of individuals in relation to each other and to various groups; spiritual, public and political rights; and, finally, economic, social and cultural rights. It

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is a declaration of basic principles of human rights and freedoms. Despite the religious bases for universal moral community in each of the traditions, the language of human rights in the Universal Declaration is not the language of the Hebrew Bible, the Christian scriptures or the Muslim Qur'an. It is not the language that any of the three holy books uses to speak of the universal moral community of all persons. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is a summary statement that reflects the deepest aspirations of the peoples of the world. It is not the creed of a new world religion, but it is an affirmation of faith that has gained the support of many within the various religious traditions of the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is the cornerstone for efforts all over the world by religious as well as secular leaders to build a system of law so that the moral imperatives of human rights will be promoted, respected and enforced. It was created as much by religious as by secular leadership, it is understood within various religious traditions as reflecting the values of sacred texts and authoritative teachings, and it is defended and proclaimed by men and women of faith as the foundation for justice and peace in our time. Bulgaria has a population of 7.6 million. Eighty-five percent of the population identifies itself as Orthodox Christian. Orthodox Christianity, Hanafi Sunni Islam, Judaism, and Catholicism are generally understood as holding a historical place in the country's culture. Muslims comprise the largest minority, estimated at 13 percent. Groups that constitute less than 5 percent of the population include Catholics, Armenian Christians, Jews, evangelical Protestants, and others. The constitution provides for freedom of religion, and other laws and policies contributed to the generally free practice of religion. The government enforces these provisions, and citizens have the right to sue the government for violations of religious freedom. The 2002 Denominations Act allows private religious exercise if members of the religious community are the only persons present, and public religious exercise if the exercise is also open to persons not belonging to the respective religious community.

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The government observes the following religious holidays as national holidays: Orthodox Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter. In addition, the government respects the holidays of non-Orthodox religious groups, such as Muslim, Catholic, Jewish, evangelicals, and Baha'i, and grants their members nonworking days. The constitution prohibits the formation of political parties along religious lines. The law allows the publication of religious media and the distribution of religious literature. Some municipal ordinances require local permits for literature distribution in public places. Public schools offer an optional religious education course that covers Christianity and Islam. The course examines the historical, philosophical, and cultural aspects of religion and introduces students to the moral values of different religious groups. All officially registered religious groups can request that their religious beliefs be included in the course's curriculum. Restrictions on Religious Freedom Some "nontraditional" groups complain that they face discrimination and prejudice from local authorities in certain localities, despite obtaining a national registration with the Sofia City Court. Some municipal regulations restricted certain forms of proselytizing and prohibited the distribution of religious literature by groups that were not locally registered. Jehovah's Witnesses voiced concerns over an increasing number of instances in which police officers or municipal guards stopped and fined missionaries for engaging persons in religious conversations. Both Jehovah's Witnesses and the Muslim community continued to report problems with obtaining construction permits for new prayer houses and mosques. Abuses of Religious Freedom In January 2009 the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that the government had violated the religious rights of the Alternative Synod members and advised the parties to negotiate a mutually agreeable compensation for damages. There were reports of societal abuses or discrimination based

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on religious affiliation, belief, or practice. Relations between religious groups generally remained civil and tolerant; however, discrimination, harassment, and public intolerance of some religious groups remained an intermittent problem. There were reports of societal discrimination against "nontraditional" religious groups as well as negative and derogatory media stories about such groups. Jehovah's Witnesses report stories with negative information about their activities and beliefs. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints voiced concerns over the media's reluctance to cover their charity work and positive contributions to the society. The Jewish community reported anti-Semitic incidents. In one incident, a memorial to Russian soldiers was painted with swastikas both on the eve of May 9, 2010, and on the 65th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust. The Muslim community reported cases of mosque desecration. Jehovah's Witnesses complained of intolerance from the nationalistic Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (VMRO) political party http://www.unesco.org/education/information/50y/nfsunesco/ doc/hum-rights.htm http://ccnmtl.columbia.edu/projects/mmt/udhr/index.html http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/edumat/studyguides/religion.html Kristiyan Velichkov Simeonov, Miroslav Tanchev Mirchev, Hristian Georgiev Pancharevski BULGARIA ________________________________________

POLAND - Essay III There are mechanisms on an international level that are meant to prevent and stop human rights violations. The United Nations Security Council is considered the supreme instrument of protecting human rights around the globe. However, it is frequently criticized for failing to effectively act on clear violations of rights stated in the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to article 18 everyone has the right to thought and religion; this includes freedom to manifest his or her belief in teach-

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ing, worship and observance. One of the most serious violations of this right that occurred in this century was in February 2002, in the Indian city of Godhra when a Muslim crowd attacked a train filled with Hindu activists killing 27 persons. This event triggered a spiral of religious revenge and four days later, 2000 Muslims were killed, their houses, mosques and trades destroyed and hundreds of women raped and mutilated before the members of their families. Article 13 says that everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state. The Roma hunt in Italy shows something different. Since 2007, Romani communities and settlements in Italy have been subjected to several measures taken by the authorities in the name of security, as well as vigilante style attacks by members of the public. This includes an escalation in forced evictions and destruction of Roma settlements. One of the most disturbing security measures targeting the Roma minority is the recent and still undefined initiative to collect identification information, including fingerprints, from all residents, both adults and children, of Romani settlements in the country. These measures are often accompanied by strong anti-Roma rhetoric from local and national politicians and the vilification of Romani people in the local and national media, which have created a climate in which attacks on individuals and Roma settlements are becoming increasingly acceptable. Article 5 claims that no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. However, women living in Brazilian shanty towns cannot enjoy this right. In the absence of protection from the state, women experience constant violence within the home and from criminal gangs that dominate every aspect of life in the community. Women may be punished violently for breaking the rules set out by the gangs or for their relatives having done so. Maternity services, crĂ¨ches and schools can be closed for long periods because of police operations or criminal violence. Healthcare workers and teachers are often too scared to work in the communities. The only contact the women have with the government is through sporadic, militarized police incursions, in which women may be subject to illegal searches and verbal, physical, and sexual abuse and are injured or killed in the crossfire.

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Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person (Article 3). The country that mercilessly violated this right three years ago was Israel. During the weeks from 27 December 2008 to 18 January 2009, Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip killed 1,417 Palestinian people. Its inhuman attack was aimed at the very foundations of civilian life in Gaza — schools, industrial infrastructure, water, sanitation, flour mills, mosques, universities, police stations, government ministries, agriculture and thousands of homes. The victims were infants, schoolchildren, elders, fathers and husbands, police officers, school teachers, sanitation workers and civil defense workers. Palestinians defending themselves with primitive weapons had no chance against Israelis using the most advanced weaponry the United States could provide. But the tragedy does not end with those who were killed. Along with thousands permanently injured, there is the incalculable psychological cost of children growing up without parents, of parents burying their children, and the mental trauma that Israel’s offensive and the ongoing siege has done to almost everyone in Gaza. There are the as yet unknown consequences of subjecting Gaza’s children to a toxic water supply for years on end. The siege robs Palestinian people not just of basic goods, reconstruction supplies, and access to medical care but of their basic rights and freedoms to travel, to study, to be part of the world. People in Gaza live in fear of another bombing campaign. They are humiliated at Israeli checkpoints and suffer the indignity of not providing for their families because of the unemployment brought about by the economic control and the illegal siege. Breaking laws based on universal human rights results in civilized societies turning into barbarian societies. Basic human virtues disappear and inequality, injustice, and intolerance reappear. This is not what religions and the creators of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights advocate, namely the brotherhood of humanity and equality of all human beings. Patrycja Anna Furtak, Dominik Krawczyk POLAND ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 7

EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW, EQUALITY BEFORE GOD – NON-DISCRIMINATION

STUDENTS’ CREATIVE WORK LINKS BETWEEN ETHICS AND RELIGIOUS RULES

Looking from a larger point of view, ethics represent an ensemble of values which define, into a specific society, the character of a human being regarding to a just behavior, dignified and worthy of respect that should never be broken, otherwise punishments are required. The ethics promote some certain values (as honesty, wisdom, courage, etc.) and in the same time indicate a specific code, an ensemble of rules to which every human must obey, because that provides his acceptance in a society. On the other hand the moral totals all beliefs, attitudes, skills, feelings and rules determined historically and socially, that controls the human behaviour and the relationships between individuals, also the relation between a human being and the community, collectivity (family, groups, class, nation, society), regarding to some categories like the good, the bad, duty, righteousness. All of this are closely related to every human’s consciousness and their opinions about making things work together. The moral depends on the existential conditions of a certain human community and it can’t have an abstract character, being

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more exactly described by relativity; however, throughout history, from one type of society to another remains valid moral impreratives (such as “Sa nu ucizi!” – Don’t kill!, “Sa nu furi!” – Don’t steal!, “Sa nu minti!” – Don’t lie!, “Sa-ti respecti cuvantul dat!” – Respect your promises!, etc.), rules stipulated for the first time in the “Decalog”, rules that every Christian must know about and respect for his entire life. Between the religious rules and ethic values there are some differences: the authority of the religious commandments is undeniable, superior to every human knowledge (represented by the God Himself) and it doesn’t have to offer any rational explanations for the imposed rules. The inner consciousness forces every individual to obey to those moral rules without any hesitation or attempts to break them. The main subject for the religious rules is the believer (faithful) himself, while the main subject that stands for the ethics is the rational human being, that assumes all the positive values. Punishments for breaking the religious rules mostly occur after death (in Heaven of Hell), while those for breaking the ethic values belong to the earthly world (either coming from other individuals, either a human being is punished by his own conscience). Narrowly speaking, the moral is always important for everyone (requiring to understand the habits and traditions specific to a society), because individuals have to respect some unwritten laws, including here honesty, equity, impartiality, goodness, kindness, etc. In conclusion, the religious rules were influenced specifically by ethic values promoted by the biggest philosophical doctrines of Greek Antiquity, or by the “Decalog” itself. From this point the development of some values like wisdom, honor, moderation started, also numerous philosophical concepts were born, in order to change human’s vision about the importance of a society and the world in which individuals evolve. Florea Mihai ROMANIA

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EQUALITY IN POLAND

Groups discriminated against in our country – women, homosexuals, migrants. The status of women in Poland

Under the communist regime, the Polish Constitution of 1952 announced the principle of respect for the equality of men and women in society and Poland ratified a number of international conventions in this field. But there was a huge gap between principle and practice (women were excluded from a number of professions for example). And although the adhesion of Poland to the European Union meant the incorporation of the acquis communautaire, discrimination against women in the labour market and in society has remained significant. The position of the Church with respect to women’s professional activities has in fact evolved, however it still understands the social status of women mainly in terms of their roles in the family, as wife and as mother. The renewal of politicized religious discourse focusing on motherhood, heterosexual family and morality, masks, and often negates, the dark side of the Polish reality concerning gender and sexual inequalities. The influence of the Church remains very strong among the population. After the disappearance of the former political system people have a tendency to look for “secure” values which find an echo in the rhetoric of the Catholic Church. Despite secular character of the Polish state politicians are reluctant to confront the Church on the questions of abortion or contraception. Access to contraception is difficult. Many doctors refuse to prescribe the pill for moral and cultural reasons. In addition, it is very expensive. The Church fiercely opposes abortion and many deputies fear being criticized by the Church. The negation of the right of abortion offers a good example of the fact that Polish democracy does not treat women as full citizens in so far as the control of their own bodies constituts a central element for women’s

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autonomy, relating as well to civic, political and social rights. A woman is conceived first of all as a mother (real or potential) whose body should serve the national aims of procreation. Moreover, women are more affected by unemployment than men, even if the female rate of unemployment has decreased dramatically. Much the same can be said about the gender wage gap: it is somewhat narrowing but women continue to be over represented in low skilled and unprotected jobs. These gender based segmentations in the labour market, along with the prevalence of women as heads of single-parent families, creates the conditions for the “feminization of poverty”. There is also the question of “work-life balance” For a woman to get a job, to keep it, and to pursue a career is very often incompatible with raising children (with little help from their partners and a weak pre-school care and education infrastructure). In a situation where men are reluctant to contribute to childcare and housekeeping, women often have to choose between work and children. Many women decide to postpone maternity. Employers, with few exceptions – mainly managers in high-tech companies, do not provide specific working time arrangements aimed at improving the worklife balance. Family policy, which is mainly based on parental leave provisions, encourages career interruptions for child care. Even though women on maternity leave, extended in 2006 from 16 to 18 weeks, are to be paid 100% of their wage, this is not the case with parental leave. Parental leave can be extended to a maximum of three years of which two years can be paid (only 100 Euros per month) but only in the case of families with very low incomes. The overall picture therefore illustrates the difficult position of those women who want to invest more in their professional activity. And it echoes women’s discriminated position in the political system. The existence of big coalitions goes along with the concern to offer seats to well-known male politicians who are likely to win the seat. This diminishes the possibilities for women, without mentioning here the usual sexism within Polish political assemblies where certain male parliamentarians do not hesitate to interrupt their women colleagues and shout: “Speak less and make more children!”

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The complexity of this situation enhances the position of a number of female members of parliament who are against introducing by the government any system of quotas or other preferential measures to help women overcome the machismo of their male colleagues, which according to them, would treat women as minors. Kamil Zawadzki, Magdalena Regulska, POLAND ________________________________________

Migrants in Poland Foreigners, especially migrating to Poland to find a temporary job, may be satisfied with their salaries and fail to complain about them even though they are aware that native employees on the same position earn much more, because they receive several times more than they would have in their home country and therefore their salaries are attractive in their point of view. This happens in case of discriminated Ukrainians working in Poland who accept an attractive from their point of view job, because of their flexibility and the lack of requirements concerning the salary and labour conditions. However, subjective discrimination does not always reflect objective discrimination. Ukrainians working without legal permission like construction workers or household help are often not interested in legalisation of their employment, because it would require long complicated and costly procedures of getting job permission and the increased cost of employment (insurance contributions, taxes), which would make their employment not profitable. An important discriminatory factor for the situation of foreigners on the Polish labour market is the country and region of origin. The employees from the poor countries on the east (Ukraine, Belarus, Russia), but also from Africa or Asia, more frequently experience worse treatment than Poles. The attitude of clerks towards them is often unfriendly and unkind. The foreigners from richer countries, on the other hand, are treated better in the offices. The Poles consider the presence of newcomers from coun-

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tries like the USA, Italy or Germany more beneficial than the ones from Vietnam, Belarus, Ukraine, Turkey or Africa. Another discriminatory factor for the foreigners perception of discrimination on Polish labour market is education and a kind of job. The foreigners with university education and working in more prestigious professions definitely less frequently complain, especially if they come from western countries. The foreigners which have relatives or friends in Poland e. g. a Polish spouse or compatriots which help them in dealing with formalities in the offices and adaptation to the conditions of life in our country are discriminated against more seldom. The foreigners who know the Polish language are less exposed to discrimination too. But this does not concern the newcomers from the West which know the western languages and do not speak Polish. They are not victims of discrimination, and if they experience any discrimination it is the positive one. Another problem for foreigners is the difficulties to obtain residence permission even though they have companies in Poland, pay taxes and do not break the law. Some foreigners experiencing discrimination try to bribe the clerks to be given good decisions concerning the legal residence or not being deported from Poland, which is only a proof that violence breeds violence. Paulina Królak, Monika Książek POLAND ________________________________________ Attitudes towards homosexuals in Poland

The Church actively opposes the legalization of same-sex partnerships and condemns anyone who supports such initiatives, according to its view of sexual ethics. Church teachings on sex and marriage are very precise and very strict. Sexual relations between a man and a woman can only take place after marriage and only for the purpose of procreation. For example, in vitro fertilization and the donation of sperm or eggs are both considered deeply immoral. The

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Church teaches that homosexuality is immoral as it is against natural law and God’s law. While Church leaders in Poland claim that they do not involve themselves in politics, they often encourage believers to vote according to Christian ethics. One of the main Polish political parties running together with right wing fringe religious and rural parties, the Law and Justice Party (PIS) exhorts to ending all of the corruption and harmful liberalism in the Polish society. Both male and female same-sex sexual activity are legal in Poland, but same-sex couples and households headed by same-sex couples are not eligible for the same legal protections available to opposite-sex couples. As for the social attitudes, LGBT persons in Poland are often discriminated by non-LGBT residents. Poles overwhelmingly oppose gay marriage and the adoption of children by gay couples. Most Poles also oppose gay parades. The majority of the population considers homosexuality an “unnatural” activity. Acceptance of LGBT people in the Polish society increased in the 1990s and early 2000s, mainly amongst younger people and those living in larger cities. There exist gay clubs all around the country, although again most of them are located in the large urban areas. There are also a number of gay rights organizations, the two biggest ones being Campaign Against Homophobia and Lambda Warszawa. Gay media include several weekly or monthly magazines as well as numerous web portals focused on a broad range of issues, from queer studies to gay dating. Article 32 in chapter 2 of The Constitution of the Republic of Poland claims that ”all persons shall be equal before the law” and “[…] have the right to equal treatment by public authorities.” It also maintains that “no one shall be discriminated against in political, social or economic life for any reason whatsoever.” Article 33 also holds that “men and women shall have equal rights in family, political, social and economic life in the Republic of Poland” and asserts that ”men and women shall have equal rights, in particular, regarding education, employment and promotion, and shall have the right

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to equal compensation for work of similar value, to social security, to hold offices, and to receive public honours and decorations.” In spite of all these rights guaranteed by our Constitution, all the three above-mentioned groups (women, migrants and homosexuals) suffer discrimination in Poland. As it appears there are “more equal” among equals. Paula Jankowicz , Aleksandra Zeitz, Gabriel Wojciechowski, POLAND ________________________________________

CONSTITUTION OF THE REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES Adopted on: 12 July 1991

Article 6 [Human Dignity, Freedom, Equality] (2) All citizens shall be equal before the law. There shall be no privileges or restriction of rights on the grounds of race, nationality, ethnic self-identity, sex, origin, religion, education, opinion, political affiliation, personal or social status, or property status. Article 11 [Political Parties] (4) There shall be no political parties on ethnic, racial, or religious lines, nor parties which seek the violent usurpation of state power. Article 13 [Religion] (1) The practicing of any religion is free. (2) The religious institutions shall be separate from the state. (3) Eastern Orthodox Christianity is considered the traditional religion in the Republic of Bulgaria. (4) Religious institutions and communities and religious beliefs shall not be used to political ends. Article 37 [Freedom of Religion and Belief] (1) The freedom of conscience, the freedom of thought, and the choice of religion and of religious or atheistic views are inviolable.

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The state shall assist the maintenance of tolerance and respect among the believers from different denominations, and among believers and non-believers. (2) The freedom of conscience and religion shall not be practiced to the detriment of national security, public order, public health and morals, or of the rights and freedoms of others. Article 44 [Association] (2) No organization shall act to the detriment of the country's sovereignty and national integrity, or the unity of the nation, nor shall it incite racial, national, ethnic, or religious enmity or an encroachment on the rights and freedoms of citizens; no organization shall establish clandestine or paramilitary structures or shall seek to attain its aims through violence. Article 58 [Observing Constitution] (2) Obligations established by the Constitution and the law shall not be defaulted upon on grounds of religious or other convictions. http://www.vks.bg/english/vksen_p04_01.htm Gender Equality The Bulgarian Constitution and the Labour Code both contain provisions prohibiting discrimination. Discrimination on grounds on gender is also prohibited under the Promotion of Employment Act, the Civil Servants Act, the Social Assistance Act, Defence and Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria Act. Protection against Discrimination Act entered into force in 2004. Bulgaria ratified CEDAW in 2006. The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), adopted in 1979 by the UN General Assembly, is often described as an international bill of rights for women.The Employment Promotion Act (2002) forbids discriminatory requirements related to gender, age or nationality when posting job vacancies. In 2004, the activity rate for women was 45.4% and for men 56.1%. Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activity rate has been decreasing for the past years. Most occupations generally exercised by women - eg teachers, auxiliary medical staff, staff in hotels, catering and services, and auxil-

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iary staff - are widely perceived, based on social stereotypes, as 'female' work. This type of employment does not offer many opportunities from the point of view of pay range, career development and possibilities to participate in the decision-making process. The number of occupations where men are in the majority exceeds almost seven-fold the number of occupations dominated by women. These 'male' profession are also, as a rule, more prestigious. The Bulgarian education system does not show discrimination of a certain gender. Enrollement data does not picture a gender gap. In 2001, 61.7% of the university graduates were women. However, the cut backs of the goverment on public spending, especially concearning education, affect the female population more than male, since mostly women are employed as teachers in this country. http://www.tft.gender.is/bg/page/bu_gender_equality http://www.planetbmagazine.com/page/unesco.html Minorities Data from the National Statistical Institute from the population and housing census of 2011 show that the Roma ethnos remains the third largest ethnic group in Bulgaria. 4.9% of the Bulgarian citizens identified themselves as belonging to the Roma ethnos. The census shows a persistent tendency part of the people, identified by the general population as Roma or Gipsy to identify themselves as Bulgarians, Turks, Romanians, etc. which is possibly due to the fact that the persons participating in the census have the right to define their ethnic background themselves or to refrain from indicating it. Approximately half (55.4%) of the persons who identified themselves as belonging to the Roma ethnic group reside in the cities. A serious problem facing the Roma is the increasing spatial isolation of their community. The concentration of Roma in isolated neighborhoods has increased during the last fifteen years both in the urban and rural areas. This concentration in separate neighbourhoods usually results in the social isolation of their residents, deterioration of their living conditions, problems with the construction and maintenance of the infrastructure and cleanliness, transport problems and

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difficulties in service provision. One of the most serious consequences is the deterioration of the opportunities for the young generations to be prepared for involvement in the formal economy, hence the increasing difficulties they encounter in seeking and finding jobs.The Roma people are in a disadvantaged position at the labour market as a result of the structural changes that have taken places in Bulgaria. They are less competitive in terms of qualification, education, social image of their labour status, and social capital. There are big social inequalities in the group of economically inactive persons. In the relatively smallest group of economically inactive persons – the one of ethnic Bulgarians – the pensioners constitute 68.1%, the students – 14.7%, housewives –9.8% and 7.3% of this group were defined as “Others”. Among the Roma population economically inactive are three fifths of the persons above 15 years - 61.2%. The educational level of the three groups – Bulgarians, Turks and Roma - is being raised, but this change is notably weakest with the Roma community. Social integration is a prerequisite for the successful and sustainable development of the Bulgarian society. The policies of integration of Roma and of disadvantaged persons from other ethnic groups are an inseparable part of the national policies aimed at raising the well-being of the Bulgarian people. http://ec.europa.eu/justice/discrimination/files/roma_bulgaria_ strategy_en.pdf Aleksandra Angelova,10v and Gabriela Tomi-Markova, 9v BULGARIA ________________________________________

QUOTATIONS ON COEXISTENCE

“It’s coexistence or no existence.” Bertrand Russell “The highest result of education is tolerance.”

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Helen Keller 1903 “If we are to live together in peace, we must come to know each other better.” Lyndon B Johnson “Peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be kept by understanding.” Albert Einstein Notes on pacifism “The only alternative to coexistence is codestruction.” Jawaharial Nehru 1954 “Toleration is the best religion.” Victor Hugo “Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one’s own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.” John F Kennedy 1960 “Differences can only enrich our experience, and the absence of difference impoverishes us.” Martha Vancebury and Sylvia W. Silverman “Honest differences are often a healthy sign of progress.” Mahatma Gandhi “The Holy Prophet Mohammed came into this world and taught us: ‘That man is a Muslim who never hurts anyone by word or deed, but who works for the benefit and happiness of God’s creatures. Belief in God is to love one’s fellow men.’” Abdul Ghaffar Khan “Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and all of nature.” Albert Einstein “Only the unity of all can bring the well-being of all.” Tecumseh Shawnee 1795 “The World is my country, all mankind are my brethren, and to do good is my religion.” Thomas Paine “Share our similarities, celebrate our differences.” M Scott Peck “Live and let live.”

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Scottish proverb “I am not an Athenian, nor a Greek, but a citizen of the world.” Socrates “The age of chivalry has gone; the age of humanity has come.” Charles Sumner “All people are a single nation.” Qu-ran “The earth is but one country and mankind its citizens.” Bahá’u'lláh “United we stand, divided we fall.” Aesop (620 -560 BC) “My country is the world; my countrymen are mankind.” William Lloyd Garrison The Liberator 1803 “Our understanding of how to live with one another is still far behind our knowledge of how to destroy one another.” Lyndon B Johnson “Like the bee gathering honey from the different flowers, the wise person accepts the essence of the different scriptures and sees only the good in all religions.” Mohandas Gandhi “Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding.” Albert Einstein “‘We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount.” Omar N. Bradley, American general (1893-1981) ”If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Abraham Maslow ”Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” Mahatma Gandhi “Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all.”

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Aristotle “To train a man in mind and not in morals is to train a menace to society.” Franklin D Roosevelt “The Bible tells us there will be a time for peace. But, so far in this century, mankind has failed to find it.” Ronald Reagan, 1982 “One little person, giving all of her time to peace, makes news. Many people, giving some of their time, can make history.” Peace Pilgrim “We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles.” Jimmy Carter 1977 “There never was a war that was not inward.” From the Upanishads “First there must be order and harmony within your own mind.” Confucius “And they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” Isaiah 2:4 “At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love.” Martin Luther King, Jr. “Nonviolence which is a quality of the heart, cannot come by an appeal to the brain”. Mahatma Gandhi “To reach peace, teach peace.” Pope John Paul II “Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.” H G Wells The outline of history 1920 “Think about the kind of world you want to live and work in. What do you need to know to build the world? Demand that your teachers teach you that.” Kropotkin

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“Better active today than radioactive tomorrow.” Bumper sticker “If we do not change our direction, we are likely to end up where we are headed.” Chinese Proverb “The biggest problem in the world could have been solved when it was small.” Witter Bynner

Yemen Bozkaya, Gizem Urkmez, Melahat Atasever, Inci Sedef Karaca TURKEY ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 8

UNIVERSAL AND PARTICULAR NATIONAL CULTURES (RELIGION, ART, MORALITY)

METHODOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

Could be used materials such as – pieces of literature , poems, pictures, sculptures from national writers, poets, artists of national culture who entered to universality. The ethical and religious values from their work must be compared.

ROMANIA Romanian team has used some fragments from The Rhinos by Eugen Ionescu ; some students translated them, put them on stage and they played in front of their peers during a project meeting. This little theatre performance is followed by a debate – “What Rhinoceroses means and which are its consequences?” Thus the connection between other subjects of the project could be possible. Also, the students can make connections between national values from partners’ countries such as – freedom of thoughts, freedom of expression etc and the fight for their defense found in different masterpieces of universal value (from project participants’countries but not only) .

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RESEARCH WORK AND CREATIVE ACTIVITY Rhinos

written by Eugen Ionescu translated into English by: Cristina Constantin XII F – National College Octav Onicescu Andreea Prodan XI F - National College Octav Onicescu Maria Dumitrica- National College Octav Onicescu

Daisy:Hello Mr. Dudard. Dudard: Hey, look, miss Daisy! Daisy:Berenger is at home? Is he feeling better? Dudard: Hello, sweet lady! You come often to see Berenger! Daisy:Where is he? Dudard: Look! Daisy:Poor him, he has not anyone around him and now is sick, he should be helped Dudard: You are a good friend, miss Daisy! Daisy: Yes, right, I'm a good mate. Dudard: You have a good heart. Daisy: I’m just a good mate, that’s all. Berenger: Oh, dear miss Daisy! So nice of you to come! You are too kind! Dudard: Right! Yeah, that’s it! Berenger: Miss Daisy do you know that the Logician has become a rhino? Daisy: I know, I saw him on the street when I came here. He was running fast for someone like his age! Mr. Berenger do you feel better? Berenger: My head still hurts! Having a headache! It’s something horrible! What can you say about this? Daisy: I think you should rest ... you should stay a few days

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home and rest. Dudard: I hope that I’m not disturbing. Berenger: No, I was talking about the Logician… Daisy: Why would you bother us? Oh, about that? Well, what can I say - I am not saying anything. Dudard: Maybe I am out of it. Daisy: What do you want me to believe? I have news to tell you: Botard has become a rhino. Dudard: Really! Berenger: This is unacceptable! He was against. Probably you are confusing him. Botard protested against this, this is what Dudard told me a few minutes ago. Am I right Dudard? Dudard: Right! Daisy: And I know that he was against. However he became a rhino, twenty-four hours after Mister Papillon. Dudard: So he changed his point of view! Anyone has the permission to progress. Berenger: Alright, but this means that we can expect everything to happen. Dudard: As you were saying: he is a brave man, isn’t he? That’s what you said. Berenger: This is hard for me to believe. Somebody must have lied to you. Daisy: But I saw him with my own eyes. Berenger: Then, he is the one that lied to you. He acted. Daisy: But he had a honest air. The most honestly air in the world. Berenger: Has he given you an argument? Daisy: He said: "You must be in step with time" - Those were his last words of man. Dudard: I was sure that I will meet you here, miss Daisy. Bereger: I don’t know how to thank you. Daisy: Do you want to stay with us at the table? Dudard: I wouldn’t want to bother.

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Daisy: Oh, but why are you talking like this, Mr Dudard? You know very well that it is a pleasure to stay with us. Dudard: You know that I don’t like to bother people. Berenger: But of course Dudard that your presence is always welcome. Dudard: I’m a bit late. I have a meeting. Berenger: But just now you said that you have all the time… Daisy: You know, to me it was hard to find something to eat. Stores are devastated: they took everything. Many shops are closed. "For reasons of change", as it was written on the door. Berenger: They should be closed in enormous special lairs. And they should impose forced living. Dudard: I think this projects are impossible. The first one who will oppose will be the Society for Animal Protection. Daisy: On the other hand, we all have one known among rhinos, one relative, friend, and that makes things complicated. Berenger: Having said that, we are all in the same boat. Dudard: Everyone is unitive. Berenger: But how could somebody become a rhino? This is misguided. Daisy: Do you see that we used? Nobody wonders when the herd of rhinos are roaming in the city freely. People are wary of the way, and then resumed their walk, and they see each of their business as if nothing had happened. Dudard: It’s a good attitude. Berenger: Oh, no, I can’t fit in with this. Dudard: I wonder if the experience should be tempting. Berenger: The man is superior to the rhino. Dudard: I don’t support the contrary. I don’t approve it either. I don’t know, only my experience can prove it. Berenger: Dudard, you are weak too. But this is a fleeting weakness, you will see, you will regret this. Dudard: I have compunction! The duty imposes me to follow my bosses and friends for better or worse.

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Berenger: But you are bound to them by marriage. Dudard: I have given up marriage. I would rather have an universal family instead of a smaller one. Daisy: We are very sorry for you, Dudard, but we can't help you with anything. Dudard: My duty is not to abandon anyone, so I will do my job. Brenger: On the contrary, your duty is to … you don’t know what your real duty is… your real duty is to oppose to them with lucidity and determination. Dudard: I will keep my mind clear. I will keep my mind clear. If it’s to criticise we will criticise from the inside not from outside. I won’t abandon them, I won’t abandon them. Daisy: He has a good soul. Berenger: His soul is too good. You have a big heart. We can see that you are human.

The phone rings. Berenger: Yes, listen, it is the call bell of the authorities, I know it. A long sound! I have to answer, it can’t be anybody else. Hello! Can you hear? Bellows! Listen! Daisy: What may have happened? Berenger: Now they are playing pranks on us! Daisy: Stupid jokes. Berenger: See, I told you! Daisy: You didn't tell me anything Berenger: I was expecting this; it is something in the course of nature Daisy: You don't predict and expect anything. You don't ever predict anything. You predict only events that have already happened. Berenger: Yes I do, predicting, predicting Daisy: It is not funny. It's evil. I don't like someone to sneer at me. Berenger: They wouldn’t dare to sneer at you. It’s me they are sneering at. Daisy: And as I am with you, of course I collect myself the sneering. But what did we do to them? (Phone rings). Remove it

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from the socket. Berenger: The Telecommunications don’t allow us to do that. Daisy: You don't have the courage to do anything? You don't have the courage to take my defence? The sound stops. Berenger: Let’s turn on the radio, to hear the news. Daisy: Yes, we must know in what world we are! The issue becomes serious! I don't like it! And I will not admit! Berenger: (very nervous) Stay calm! Calm! Daisy: They filled the radio! Berenger: Calm! Let’s stay calm! Calm! Daisy: There isn't a joke! They were taken really seriously. Berenger: The only thing that exists is them. The only thing that exists is them. The authorities are now with them. Daisy: There's no one outside them. Berenger: We are the only ones. We are now alone. Daisy: Just as you wanted. Berenger: No, you wanted this! Daisy: You! Berenger: No, you!

Daisy: It is an earthquake! Berenger: No. they are our neighbours! You are not letting us work! It’s forbidden to disturb the peace of the inhabitants! You mustn’t make noise! Daisy: No one listens to you! Berenger: Don’t be afraid, my love! We are together. Are you ok with me? Isn’t my presence enough for you? I’ll know how to remove all the anxiety from you. Daisy: Maybe it's all our fault. Berenger: Don’t think about this. We need to beware of remorse. The guilt is dangerous. Let’s live our life and be happy. We have the duty of being happy. If you don’t hurt them, they won’t hurt you either. They will let us go. Calm down. Calm down. Calm

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down. Take a seat. Ok. Enough. Calm down. Do you want a glass of brandy? It will make you feel better. Daisy: I have a headache. Berenger: Well, anyhow, I swear I will not abdicate. I won’t abdicate. Daisy: My poor you, I will stand next to you until the end. Berenger: Could you? Daisy: I will keep my word. Trust me. Hear? they are singing. Berenger: They are not singing, they are bellowing. Daisy: They are singing! Berenger: It’s like I tell you: they are bellowing. Daisy: You're crazy. They are singing. Berenger: That means that you are unmusical. Daisy: You don't know what music means, my dear. In addition, Look, they are playing and dancing. Berenger: Is this what you call dancing? Daisy: They are dancing in their own way. They are really beautiful. Berenger: They are bounders. Daisy: I don't want you to talk bad about them. That hurts me. Berenger: I’m sorry. We are not going to fight because of them. Daisy: They are gods. Berenger: You are exaggerating, look at them closely. Daisy: Don't be jealous, dear - forgive me too! Berenger: I can see that our judgements are over against. We shouldn’t talk about this. Daisy: Come on, don't be petty, really. Berenger: Don’t be a bullhead. Daisy: Together, it is no longer possible. Berenger: A man can’t be that ugly. And I’m not a part of the handsome men! Believe me Daisy! Daisy! Daisy! Where are you? You can’t do this! Daisy! Daisy, come back! I am not giving up that easy! You can’t beat me! I won’t come after you, I do not understand you! I swear to stay as I am, a human being. I will protect myself against the entire world, I will protect myself, I will protect myself! I am the last man and I will stay like this until the last

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breath! I’m not giving up!

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SPAIN – Universal and particular national cultures (religion, art, morality)

Francisco de Goya: Considered one of the great masters of painting in Spain,he was a painter and engraver. Born in a small Aragonese town, Fuentedetodos, on March 30, 1746 and died in Bordeaux, France on April 16, 1828. He began his formal education at age 14. In 1789 Goya was appointed painter to King Charles IV and in 1799 was the firstpainter. The horrors of war left a deep impression on him, personally I behold the battles between French soldiers and Spanish citizens during the years of the Napoleonic occupation. The Shootings of May 3 Representation of the executions of patriots from Madrid by Napoleon’s army in retaliation to the uprising of May 2, 1808 against the French occupation of Spain The composition is divided into two main parts: the first, to the left, a group composed of civilians, about twelve, in different positions, one covers his face, others already dead, lying on the ground, another appears praying, another with open arms … The right part is formed by a group of six soldiers pointing their guns at the group of civilians before them.On the civilian group, is the mountain of Principe Pio. And in the background, we see an architecture belonging to the city of Madrid and the black night where the action takes place, and covering the rest of the composition. Goya used in this table primarily dark palette, dominated by the range of the black color of death, with significant mixing of colors associated with the range Pablo Picasso 1881-1973 Born in Malaga, Spain Spanish painter Pablo Picasso painted mural (1937) of bombing of Basque city of Guernica by German airforce during Spanish Civil War. Depicts victims of war, suffering women, children, and horse. Perhaps greatest painting about war ever made. Focuses on

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victims. Timeless and universal in its themes. The fact that both Picasso and Goya were direct witness of war and its effects over civilians such as famine, misery and hate, pushed these great painters to fight against War and defende peace and freedom as universal values. Picasso´s famous Guernica mural is known al around the World and it is a symbol for the fight for freedom, for peace and therespect of life and tolerance. Picasso wished to share a message for all appen in which a cruel attack such as Gernica bombings should never appen again. The same intent was in Goya´s mind when working in a series of works known as The Dissasters of War. He wanted to show how big power of destruction and deep hate emerged during War times and his intent was as much as Picasso did, to send all peoples on Earth a clear and strong message to defened and always fight to build a human society in which values such as tolerance, freedom, right to live and rejecting all types of violence and of course any kind of War beteen nations and peoles http://homepage.mac.com/dmhart/WarArt/StudyGuides/Picasso.html http://www.museodelapaz.org/blog/?page_id=45 http://www.albavolunteer.org/2012/03/the-truth-about-guernica-picasso-and-the-lying-press/ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Disasters_of_War Comments authored by Marina Marín,Carlos Serrano,Denisse Aguirre SPAIN

ORHAN PAMUK

Orhan Pamuk was born 7 June 1952 in Istanbul into a prosperous, secular middle-class family. His father was an engineer as were his paternal uncle and grandfather. It was this grandfather who founded the family’s fortune. Growing up, Pamuk was set on becoming a painter. He graduated from Robert College then studied architecture at Istanbul Technical University and journalism at Istanbul University. He spent the years 1985-1988 in the United States where he was a vis-

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iting researcher at Columbia University in New York and for a short period attached to the University of Iowa. He lives in Istanbul. Pamuk has said that growing up, he experienced a shift from a traditional Ottoman family environment to a more Western-oriented lifestyle. He wrote about this in his first published novel, a family chronicle entitled Cevdet Bey Ve Oğulları (1982), which in the spirit of Thomas Mann follows the development of a family over three generations. His second novel, Sessiz Ev (1983; The House of Silence, 1998), uses five different narrator perspectives to describe a situation in which several family members visit their ageing grandmother at a popular seaside resort with Turkey teetering on the brink of civil war. The period is 1980. The grandchildren’s political discussions and their friendships reflect a social chaos where various extremist organisations vie for power. Pamuk’s international breakthrough came with his third novel, Beyaz Kale (1985; The White Castle, 1992). It is structured as an historical novel set in 17th-century Istanbul, but its content is primarily a story about how our ego builds on stories and fictions of different sorts. Personality is shown to be a variable construction. The story’s main character, a Venetian sold as a slave to the young scholar Hodja, finds in Hodja his own reflection. As the two men recount their life stories to each other, there occurs an exchange of identities. It is perhaps, on a symbolic level, the European novel captured then allied with an alien culture. Pamuk’s writing has become known for its play with identities and doubles. The issue appears in his novel Kara Kitap (1990; The Black Book, 1995) in which the protagonist searches the hubbub of Istanbul for his vanished wife and her half-brother, with whom he later exchanges identities. Frequent references to the mystic tradition of the East make it natural to see this in a Sufi perspective. Kara Kitap represented a definite break with the governing social realism in Turkish literature. It provoked debate in Turkey not least through its Sufism references. Pamuk based his screenplay for the film Gizli Yüz (1992) on the novel.

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Yeni Hayat (1994; The New Life, 1996) is a novel about a secret book with the capacity to irrevocably change the life of any person who reads it. The search for the book provides the structure of a physical journey but bordered by literary references, thought experiments in the spirit of mysticism, and reminiscences of older Turkish popular culture, turning the plot into an allegoric course of events correlated with the Romantic myth of an original, lost wisdom. According to the author, the major theme of Benim Adim Kırmızı (2000; My Name is Red, 2002) is the relationship between East and West, describing the different views on the artist’s relation to his work in both cultures. It is a story about classical miniature painting and simultaneously a murder mystery in a period environment, a bitter-sweet love story, and a subtle dialectic discussion of the role of individuality in art. Pamuk has published a collection of essays, Öteki Renkler : Seçme Yazılar Ve Bir Hikâye (1999), and a city portrait, İstanbul : Hatıralar Ve Şehir (2003; Istanbul: Memories and the City, 2006). The latter interweaves recollections of the writer’s upbringing with a portrayal of Istanbul’s literary and cultural history. A key word is hüzün, a multi-faceted concept Pamuk uses to characterise the melancholy he sees as distinctive for Istanbul and its inhabitants. Pamuk’s latest novel is Kar (2002; Snow, 2005). The story is set in the 1990s near Turkey’s eastern border in the town of Kars, once a border city between the Ottoman and Russian empires. The protagonist, a writer who has been living in exile in Frankfurt, travels to Kars to discover himself and his country. The novel becomes a tale of love and poetic creativity just as it knowledgeably describes the political and religious conflicts that characterise Turkish society of our day. In his home country, Pamuk has a reputation as a social commentator even though he sees himself as principally a fiction writer with no political agenda. He was the first author in the Muslim world to publicly condemn the fatwa against Salman Rushdie. He took a stand for his Turkish colleague Yaşar Kemal when Kemal was put on trial in 1995. Pamuk himself was charged after having

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mentioned, in a Swiss newspaper, that 30,000 Kurds and one million Armenians were killed in Turkey. The charge aroused widespread international protest. It has subsequently been dropped. Literary Prizes and Awards: Milliyet Roman Yarışması Ödülü (1979, shared with Mehmet Eroğlu), Orhan Kemal Roman Ödülü (1983), Madaralı roman Ödülü (1984), the Independent Award for Foreign Fiction (1990), Prix de la Découverte Européenne (1991), Prix France Culture (1995), Prix du Meilleur Livre Étranger (2002), Premio Grinzane Cavour (2002), the IMPAC Dublin Award (2003), Ricarda-Huch-Preis (2005), Der Friedenspreis des Deutschen Buchhandels (2005), Prix Médicis étranger (2005), Prix Méditerranée Étranger (2006). Mehmet Emin Kanşat TURKEY ________________________________________ Works in Turkish

Cevdet Bey Ve Oğulları. – İstanbul : Karacan Yayınları, 1982 Sessiz Ev. – İstanbul : Can Yayınları, 1983 Gizli Yüz : Senaryo. – İstanbul : Can Yayınları, 1992 Beyaz Kale. – İstanbul : Can Yayınları, 1985 Kara Kitap. – İstanbul : Can Yayınları, 1990 Kara Kitap. – İstanbul : Can Yayınları, 1990

Yeni Hayat. – İstanbul : İletişim, 1994 Benim Adım Kırmızı. – İstanbul : İletişim, 1998 Öteki Renkler : Seçme Yazılar Ve Bir Hikâye. – İstanbul : İletişim, 1999 Kar. – İstanbul : İletişim, 2002 İstanbul : Hatıralar Ve Şehir. – İstanbul : Yapı Kredi Kültür Sanat Yayıncılık, 2003

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Works in English

The White Castle / translated from the Turkish by Victoria Holbrook. – New York : Braziller, 1991 ; London : Faber & Faber, 2001. – Translation of Beyaz Kale The Black Book / translated by: Güneli Gün. – New York : Farrar, Straus, 1994 ; London : Faber & Faber, 1994. – Translation of Kara Kitap The Black Book / translated by: Maureen Freely. – New York : Knopf, 2006 ; London : Faber & Faber, 2006. – Translation of Kara Kitap The New Life / translated by Güneli Gün. – New York : Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 1997 ; London : Faber & Faber, 1997. – Translation of Yeni Hayat My Name is Red / translated from the Turkish by Erdağ M. Göknar. – New York : Knopf, 2001 ; London : Faber & Faber, 2001. – Translation of Benim Adım Kırmızı Snow / translated from the Turkish by Maureen Freely. – New York : Knopf, 2004 ; London : Faber & Faber, 2004. – Translation of Kar Istanbul : Memories and the City / translated from the Turkish by Maureen Freely. – New York : Knopf, 2005 ; London : Faber & Faber, 2005. – Translation of İstanbul : Hatıralar Ve Şehir

MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK

He was born in 1881 (probably in the spring) in Salonica, then an Ottoman city, now in Greece. His father Ali Riza, a customs official turned lumber merchant, died when Mustafa was still a boy. His mother Zubeyde, a devout and strong-willed woman, raised him and his sister. First enrolled in a traditional religious school, he soon switched to a modern school. In 1893, he entered a military high school where his mathematics teacher gave him the second name Kemal (meaning perfection) in recognition of young Mustafa's superior achievement. He was thereafter known as Mustafa Kemal.

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In 1905, Mustafa Kemal graduated from the War Academy in Istanbul with the rank of Staff Captain. Posted in Damascus, he started with several colleagues, a clandestine society called "Homeland and Freedom" to fight against the Sultan's despotism. In 1908 he helped the group of officers who toppled the Sultan. Mustafa Kemal's career flourished as he won his heroism in the far corners of the Ottoman Empire, including Albania and Tripoli. He also briefly served as a staff officer in Salonica and Istanbul and as a military attache in Sofia. In 1915, when Dardanelles campaign was launched, Colonel Mustafa Kemal became a national hero by winning successive victories and finally repelling the invaders. Promoted to general in 1916, at age 35, he liberated two major provinces in eastern Turkey that year. In the next two years, he served as commander of several Ottoman armies in Palestine, Aleppo, and elsewhere, achieving another major victory by stopping the enemy advance at Aleppo. On May 19, 1919, Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in the Black Sea port of Samsun to start the War of Independence. In defiance of the Sultan's government, he rallied a liberation army in Anatolia and convened the Congress of Erzurum and Sivas which established the basis for the new national effort under his leadership. On April 23, 1920, the Grand National Assembly was inaugurated. Mustafa Kemal Pasha was elected to its Presidency. Fighting on many fronts, he led his forces to victory against rebels and invading armies. Following the Turkish triumph at the two major battles at Inonu in Western Turkey, the Grand National Assembly conferred on Mustafa Kemal Pasha the title of Commander-in-Chief with the rank of Marshal. At the end of August 1922, the Turkish armies won their ultimate victory. Within a few weeks, the Turkish mainland was completely liberated, the armistice signed, and the rule of the Ottoman dynasty abolished. In July 1923, the national government signed the Lausanne Treaty with Great Britain, France, Greece, Italy, and others. In midOctober, Ankara became the capital of the new Turkish State. On October 29, the Republic was proclaimed and Mustafa Kemal

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Pasha was unanimously elected President of the Republic. Atatürk married Latife Usakligil in early 1923. The marriage ended in divorce in 1925. The account of Atatürk's fifteen year Presidency is a saga of dramatic modernization. With indefatigable determination, he created a new political and legal system, abolished the Caliphate and made both government and education secular, gave equal rights to women, changed the alphabet and the attire, and advanced the arts and the sciences, agriculture and industry. In 1934, when the surname law was adopted, the national parliament gave him the name "Atatürk" (Father of the Turks). On November 10, 1938, following an illness of a few months, the national liberator and the Father of modern Turkey died. But his legacy to his people and to the world endures. Abdülaziz Yelboğa TURKEY ________________________________________

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SUBJECT 9

POLICIES FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE CULTURAL IDENTITY IN A GLOBALIZED WORLD

METHODOLOGICAL HIGHLIGHTS

OCTAV ONICESCU NATIONAL COLLEGE ON-LINE LESSON

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE: 16 May 2012 LESSON’S DURATION: 2 course hours(50+50 min.) CLASS: project team LESSON’S CONTENT: „Policies for the preservation of the cultural identity in a globalized world” LESSON’S TYPE: lesson ment for applying and revaluating the knowledge gathered to this day BIBLIOGRAPHY: Selected texts from „European cultural model„ by Constantin Noica, „New issue of ignorance and the problem of culture” by Thomas de Koninck, http://www.cdep.ro/proiecte/2010/800/30/7/axIII27.pdf Vasiliu Florica. Cultural policies and European integration.–Iasi:European Institute, 2009., OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: O1 –to understand the relationship between cultural identity and globalization;

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O2 - to acquire knowledge regarding the national cultural policies and strategies; O3 – achieving interdisciplinary RESOURCES: PROCEDURAL: conversation, debate, expressive reading, presentation of heuristic texts MATERIAL: pupils portfolios, worksheets, bibliographic material ORGANIZATIONAL: frontal, individual and team activity TEACHING STRATEGY: a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading (of some fragments); heuristic conversation; learning by discovering; questioning. b) Forms of organizing student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams.

Objec- The lesson’s stages tives 1 Organization al time

The content Teaching strategy of the activity

Evaluation

Materials required for the lesson are being prepared

O1, O2 2 Assessment Relationship Heuristic conversation oral b e t w e e n History teacher will disHuman Rights cuss with students about and Cultural Cultural Rights as Rights Universal Human Rights O2

Uncovering The Philosophy Conversation oral the meaning teacher asks the Team activity – each group of Concepts students to read will read the texts and comof culture, the and comment the ment them emphasizing national cul- s e l e c t e d the meaning of “Value” Philosophical and “ Culture” ; tural policies texts; Together with students and strategies, The Philosophy will discover what globalglobalization teacher will pre- ization means and which sent the national cultural policies and cultural policies strategies in a globalized and strategies world are.

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O1, O3 4 Leading learning

O2, O3 Leading learning

The history Students provide exam- oral teacher identifies: ples Cultural policy in Romania is based on six fundamental principles identified in HG 28/2001 The religious The students bring oral teacher empha- examples and comsize the impor- ments tance of culture in our world

________________________________________ IES SANTA CLARA . SANTANDER CITY . SPAIN ON-LINE LESSON

DIDACTIC PROJECT

DATE: 16 May 2012 LESSON’S DURATION: 2 course hours (50+50 min.) CLASS: project team LESSON’S CONTENT: Policies for the preservation of the cultural identity in a globalized world LESSON’S TYPE: lesson ment for applying and revaluating the knowledge gathered to this day BIBLIOGRAPHY: Selected texts from LA ANIMACIÓN SOCIOCULTURAL Y EL DESARROLLO COMUNITARIO COMO EDUCACIÓN SOCIAL JOSÉ ANTONIO CARIDE GÓMEZ http://www.revistaeducacion.mec.es/re336/re336_05.pdf OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES O1 - to understand the relationship between cultural identity

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and globalization O2 - to acquire knowledge regarding the national cultural policies and strategies O3 - achieving interdisciplinary RESOURCES 1.1 Procedural: conversation, debate, expressive reading, presentation of heuristic texts 1.2 Material: pupils portfolios, worksheets, bibliographic material 1.3 Organizational: frontal, individual and team activity TEACHING STRATEGY a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading of some fragments; heuristic conversation; learning by discovering; questioning. b) Forms of organizing student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams.

Objec- The lesson’s The content Teaching strategy stages of the activity tives

Evaluation

1 Materials Organization required for the lesson are being al time prepared O1, O2 2 Assessment Relationship Heuristic conversation oral between Human History teacher will disRights and cuss with students about Cultural Rights Cultural Rights as Universal Human Rights O2 Uncovering The Philosophy Conversation oral the meaning teacher asks the Team activity – each group of concepts of students to read will read the texts and comCulture, the and comment the ment them emphasizing the national cul- s e l e c t e d meaning of Value and Philosophical Culture tural policies texts; Together with students will and strategies, The Philosophy discover what globalization globalization teacher will pre- means and which cultural sent the national policies and strategies in a cultural policies globalized world are actually and strategies implemented

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O1, O3 4 Leading learning

O2, O3

Leading learning

Thehistoryteacher Students provide exam- oral identifies: Cultural ples policy in Spain is based on several fundamental principles identified in http://www.educa cion.gob.es/educa/ incual/pdf/LeyOrg _2_2006.pdf The religious The students bring teacher empha- examples and comsize the impor- ments tance of culture in our world

oral

________________________________________

DIDACTIC PROJECT - TURKEY

SUBJECT: Policies for the preservation of the cultural identity in a globalized world DURATION: lesson (50’ + 50’) CLASS: Project team, Yahya Turan Anadolu Öğretmen Lisesi DATE: May 2012 REFERENCES http://kpy.bilgi.edu.tr/en/ Cultural policy and Management The history of the Republic of Turkey. Values and Cultures OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1. to understand the relationship between cultural identity and globalization 2. to acquire knowledge regarding the national cultural policies and strategies

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3. Achieving interdisciplinary PROCEDURES: Text analysis, heuristic conversation, discussion, expressive lecture, MATERIALS: References material, pictures, pupils’ portfolios DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (history, literature, philosophy, English Teachers).

Objectives 1), 2), 3),

1), 2), 3), 1), 2), 3),

1), 2), 3),

Lesson steps

1. Management

Activity’s description

Evaluation

The lesson’s objectives and concepts are presented to students 2.Warm-up commu- “Culture is like wealth; it makes us oral nicative activity more ourselves, it enables us to express Anchor know-ledge ourselves.” Philip Gilbert testing I Hamerton.Have the students brainstorm their own values and culture. Debate the cultural diversity Relationship between Heuristic conversation History oral Human Rights and teacher will discuss with students Cultural Rights about Cultural Rights as Universal Human Rights The Philosophyteacher Together with students will discov- oral asksthestudentstoreadand er what globalization means and comment the selected which cultural policies and strategies in a globalized world are actuPhilosophical texts; The Philosophy teacher ally implemented willpresentthenationalcultural policies and strategies The English history Students provide examples oral teacheridentifies: Cultural policy in Turkey is based on several fundamental principles identified in http://kpy.bilgi.edu.tr/en/

________________________________________

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LESSON PLAN POLAND

SUBJECT: „Policies for the preservation of cultural identity in a globalized world” DURATION: 60 minutes CLASS: Project team from Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Poland DATE: 16 May 2012 REFERENCES: Gordon, Philip, Globalization: Europe’s Wary Embrace, Yale Global, 1November 2004, Official Journal of the European Union, 16 December 2008, The Treaty of Lisbon (article 167) , The Constitution of the Republic of Poland (articles 6 and 86), The National Strategy for the Development of Culture in 2004-2007, Ministry of Culture, Warsaw 2004 OPERATIONAL OBJECTIVES: 1) to understand the relationship between cultural identity and globalization, 2) to acquire knowledge regarding the national cultural policies and strategies 3) to develop interdisciplinarity. PROCEDURES: Text analysis, heuristic conversation, discussion, MATERIALS: Reference material, pupils’ portfolios, whiteboard DIDACTIC STRATEGY: Team teaching (Polish, ethics, English, social sciences teachers) Objectives

Lesson steps

Activity’s description

1. Presentation of les- The English teacher presents the lesson objectives and son objectives and concepts to the concepts students

Evaluation

1), 3) 2. Warm-up activity The English teacher asks the students oral (icebreaker) to formulate the definitions of globaAnchor knowledge lisation and cultural heritage in small testing groups. The creators of the most accurate definitions receive small prizes.

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1), 3) 3. Discussion

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The Polish teacher discusses the oral possibility of safeguarding the cultural identity in a globalised world with the students . 1), 2), 4. Text analysis; The social sciences teacher distrib- oral 3) reading comprehen- utes the reference material copies to written the students. When analysing the sion activity texts the students are supposed to find out about the stance of the EU on the diversity of its cultures and the Polish policies and strategies regarding the preservation of cultural identity. The teacher checks reading comprehension and gets the students to fill in a summary table with the information they have learned. 1), 3)

5. Heuristic conversa- The ethics teacher engages the stu- oral tion dents and the other teachers in a conversation about the importance of intercultural dialogue.

Zespół Szkół nr 31 im. J. Kilińskiego in Warsaw, Poland ________________________________________

1st School, Sofia, Bulgaria

DIDACTIC PROJECT

LESSON DURATION: 100 minutes. GRADE LEVEL: 8-11 /upper-intermediate/advanced/ INVOLVED STUDENTS: 8-11grade DATE: 16 May 2012 LESSON’S CONTENT: „Policies for the preservation of the

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cultural identity in a globalized world” LESSON’S TYPE: lesson meant for applying and revaluating the knowledge gathered to this day

BIBLIOGRAPHY: Selected texts from textbooks, documents: New Challenges to the Landscape of Cultural Policies in Europe Bulgaria/ 1. Historical perspective: cultural policies and instruments Bulgaria/ 2. General objectives and principles of cultural policy Bulgaria/ 2. General objectives and principles of cultural policy http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/bulgaria.php LESSON OBJECTIVES: 1. To define “identity” and consider how it can be shaped by religion and culture and can shape morals, values, and social interactions. 2. To distinguish between what constitutes culture and what makes up personal individuality. 3. To describe how the concept of culture relates to students’ own experience and the importance of positive cultural identity 4. To understand the relationship between cultural identity and globalization; 5. To acquire knowledge regarding the national cultural policies and strategies; MATERIALS NEEDED: • Textbooks and books, portfolios worksheets, bibliographic material • Internet access for conducting required project research. • Access to word processing and multimedia presentation software such as Power Point (optional). TEACHING STRATEGY: a) Methods and procedures: expressive reading (of some fragments); heuristic conversation; learning by discovering; questioning. b) Forms of organizing student’s activity: frontal activity, combined with independent activity in teams.

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Objectives O1

The lesson’s The content Teaching strategy stages of the activity

O2, O3, O4

2 Assessment Relationship H e u r i s t i c oral b e t w e e n conversationHistory teacher Human Rights will discuss with students and Cultural about Cultural Rights as Rights Universal Human Rights

O2, O3,O4

O4,O5

1 M a t e r i a l s Language teacher introOrganization required for the duces the topic and togethal time lesson are being er with students and subpreparedIdentity ject teachers Investigates the idea of identity Students brainstorm its meanings.

Evaluation

Uncovering The Philosophy ConversationTeam activity oral the meaning teacher asks the – each group will read the of Concepts students to read texts and comment them of culture, the and comment emphasizing the meaning of selected “Value” and “ Culture” ; national cul- the tural policies t e x t s ; T h e National definition of culture. and strategies, P h i l o s o p h y Together with students will globalization teacher presents discover what globalizathe national cul- tion means and which cultural policies and tural policies and strategies strategies in a globalized world are. 4 Leading learning

The history Students provide exam- oral teacher identi- ples Cultural policy fies: Cultural objectives; policy in the main priorities of Bulgaria’s international Bulgaria cultural policy

O3,O4,O L e a d i n g The Art and The students bring exam- oral Music teachers ples and comments learning 5, emphasize the importance of culture in our world

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RESEARCH WORK

Polish policy regarding the preservation of cultural identity in a globalised world

No matter how globalised the world is the Polish have always had and will preserve their own Polish cultural identity owing to: • cooking Polish meals, • reading, writing and speaking the native language, • keeping the national heritage alive by belonging to Polish cultural organizations and taking part in activities deepening the knowledge about the Polish culture e.g. watching films, reading newspapers, exploring classic titles for stories and novels and works by contemporaneous authors, meeting Polish artists, attending concerts, art shows, pow-wows or dramatic performances, both traditional and contemporary, • learning about the history of Polish culture and issues confronting people in modern times, • celebrating Polish holidays and following Polish customs. Polish cultural heritage (material and spiritual achievements of previous generations as well as the achievements of our time) has been declared as protected by the constitutional obligation of the Polish state and every citizen. Article 6, paragraph 1of the Constitution says “The Republic of Poland shall provide conditions for equal access to cultural goods which are the source of the identity of the Polish nation, its duration and development” and according to article 86 “everyone is obliged to care for the environment and is responsible for causing its deterioration.” In 2004 The National Culture Development Strategy 2004-2013

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was adopted by the Ministry of Culture. It defines the mission of Polish cultural policy as “the sustainable development of culture as the highest value transmitted over generations, defining the Polish historical and civilization heritage in its entirety, the value conditioning the national identity and providing continuity to tradition and regional development.” The strategic aim of the Strategy is balancing cultural development in the regions, while the main policy targets are: • enhancing effectiveness of culture management; • implementing innovative solutions in the system of cultural activity and culture proliferation; • reducing regional disproportions in cultural development; • improving participation and leveling chances of access to the artistic education, goods and cultural services; • improving conditions of artistic activity; • effective promotion of artistic output; • preserving the cultural heritage and active monument protection; • reducing the civilization gap through modernization and deve-lopment of cultural infrastructure. The period the Strategy is to remain in force has been extended to 2020. The cultural institution acting in accordance with the strategy for sustainable development, whose primary objective is to implement the State’s policy concerning the protection of cultural heritage and its preservation for future generations is the National Heritage Board of Poland established by the Minister of Culture and National Heritage. The Board’s activities encompass in particular: • documentation of the cultural heritage through registering the historical monuments – their values and condition they are in; archiving documental resources that relate to the protection of historical monuments; • formation of the rules for the protection of historical monuments through recognizing the threats and elaborating the standards of conduct as well as the implementation of standards for conservation works; • education and promotion of heritage, which means popularization of knowledge about historical monuments, sites and museum objects and formation of social conditions enabling the effective protection of them.

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The Board is also present at an international forum by cooperating with similar institutions in other countries whose aims are to propagate the highest standards of cultural management. Globalisation facilitates communication between countries and often provides them with new interesting ideas and solutions; however, it does not interfere with a country’s willingness to keep up its cultural identity. Aleksandra Kejne, Julia Balińska, Sandra Stolarewska, Katarzyna Hajdas POLAND

Cultural rights - basic human rights

• Right to respect for cultural identity • The right of each person to identify with a cultural community • Right of access to cultural heritage • Right to protection of creative activity • Right to protection of intellectual property • The right to education, including art education • The right to freely carry out cultural activities, including the right to mobility of creators and artists and their creations It is obvious that cultural rights not only recognize and protect cultural identity, but also cultural diversity and at the same time, recognize their indissoluble connection with economic and social development. Cultural rights are fundamental rights not only independent but also indivisible part of civil, political, social and economic rights. The two concepts of identity and cultural diversity, are found both at the national level (multiculturalism and interculturalism) as well as internationally. Respect and their coverage are essential not only for social cohesion, but also as a means to fight against exclusion and, as such, is an important element of the whole process of democratization of society Artur Popa ROMANIA ________________________________________

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Culture is what defines human life itself. “Human kind lives in art and rationality” remarked Aristotel in the very first pages of his Metaphysics. Indeed, it is impossible for us, people, to live without culture. The very plurality of cultures rooted this common necessity. For Thomas de Koninck, the etymology of the word “culture” reveals at least three capital notions: the place where we “live”; the concept of care, training, concern, watching something and the idea of “cult”, respect, consideration. In truth, we all live in cultures, obviously in more senses of the word “live”, as demonstrated by any attempt to deepen the famous phrase of Holderlin (…) “man dwells poetically”: there are languages and symbols in the bosom of which we are held and we express our thoughts and choices, but also the lives in what they have deeper, that invisible place we call imaginary and which is the emotional essence. Themes of care, taking care and building the soul, illustrated by Socrates, is central to the Platonic philosophy and, frankly, to any philosophical traditions to this day. On the other hand, we all ascend one or more worship of a “god” or another (that may alo be, of course, and an idol like money or power): the problem is to know which to give the highest honors to, what is preferably to cultivate in this significance. Given the overwhelming role that cultures has in our lives and on the other hand the profound changes of our world cultural policies and strategies should be developed which take into account the fact that cultural policy is an important component of public policies In the development of cultural policies and strategies it is required a cultural pluralist vision of culture; the culture appears as a factor of social and community development, factor of quality of life, way of life of individuals and societies, culture is the expression of identity in a world of diversity and differences . At the same time it boosts the structure of society and human personality having an important role in achieving social

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integration and rejection of all forms of exclusion and marginalization. Vlad Manole ROMANIA ________________________________________

Globalization and the cultural policies and strategies

The cultural policies and strategies must start from the knowledge and evaluation of the changes made by the globalization. In the literature we find multiple theories regarding the impact of globalization upon the culture. Globalization as cultural (heterogenizarea) , (increasing of the variety and diversity of the cultural products , „the consumer is King”) Globalization as cultural mixing (threatening of the local cultures by the west models/american – for example: Mc Donald phenomenon) Globalization as cultural hybridization ( the mixture of cultures has a result of global „mélange”) These theories do not selfexclude, but the fulfill eachother. Globalization represents a developing oprtunity, enriching and diversification of the cultural life, but also a threat for the cultural national or comunity identities. On the one hand, globalization determines one grade of mixing and harmony of the legislation. On the other hand, globalization has as an effect the appearance of „hybrid” forms of creative practics and cultural expressions.At the same time,the globalization can encourage (heterogenizarea) , cultural diversity,specificity; so the globalization has an important role in rediscovering the importance of civilisations and traditional cultures,of comunity values,of multiculturarity. In the process of european integration, the diversity of practics and traditions leads to european spiritual enriching. Rares Popa ROMANIA

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Policies for the preservation of the cultural identity in a globalized world – Bulgaria

Bulgaria's national cultural policy priorities include: • preserving the cultural memory and historical heritage; • creating conditions for development and enrichment of all spheres of culture as factors for sustainable development; • designing and adopting an effective mechanism of financing cultural institutions and finding alternative funding forms and sources; • improving the statutory framework in the sphere of culture; and • preservation of cultural heritage and digitalisation of cultural content. While leading into all-European cultural processes, Bulgaria's cultural policy must, at the same time, strengthen the place of Bulgarian culture in Europe by preserving its national identity and values. Cultural policy aims to support the creation, protection and dissemination of cultural values, as well as to create an environment which promotes and protects cultural diversity, freedom and creativity. The present Culture Heritage Act (2009) introduced a new concept for cultural heritage and sets up a new national system for protection, management and sustainable use. In the last years, access to monuments has been encouraged by the European Heritage Days (1999 - "TraditionalArchitecture", 2000 - "Cultural Routes", 2001 - "Children, Youth and Cultural Heritage", 2002 - "Different Ethnic Communities and Religions - Common Heritage", 2003 - "Cultural Landscapes", 2004 - "Cultural Tourism", 2005 - "South-Еast Europe Shared Heritage" and 2006 - "Heritage in the Information Society"). The European Heritage Days arouse an increasing interest, involving an increasingly wider range of participants of all age groups. These Days successfully apply the model of partnership among central and local government authorities, state and non-governmental organisations, the public and private sectors, with the participation of the media (regrettably, quite insufficient yet). Traditionally, during the European Heritage Days museums are free, and the

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monuments which are undergoing conservation are open to the public. National policy takes into account the need to raise young people's awareness of the cultural heritage. The curricula generally include information on the monuments of culture, in connection with the subjects of history of fine art, cultural studies, archaeology, journalism and mass communication. Beyond the educational system, different formats for raising awareness of the cultural heritage properties are used: participation in the Council of Europe projects "European heritage class" and "Europe, from one street to the other", in scientific and exploration expeditions to cultural heritage sites, conducting research on different themes related to heritage etc. In recent years, the national movement "Bulgarian Heritage" organises the initiative "Preserve the Bulgarian Heritage" with the participation of students and pupils from all over the country who work on national archaeological sites guided by archaeologists. In the course of the National Debate on Bulgarian Cultural Policy, held in 1998, the executive and NGOs stressed their common view of minority culture as an integral part of the national cultural heritage. Despite its limited budget, the Ministry of Culture offers financial support to projects such as the Roma Cultural and Information Centre, the Roma Musical Theatre, festivals and projects of different cultural groups, etc. A Public Council on Cultural Diversity has been established at the Ministry as an expert consultative body. NGOs such as the Open Society Foundation, the Interethnic Initiative for Human Rights, SEGA, and the International Centre for Minority Studies and Intercultural Relations, provide support for periodicals, media events and live performances of various cultural groups. Bulgaria has state- and private-owned radio stations and television networks providing national coverage, as well as numerous private radio and television stations providing local news coverage. Cultural events and issues of international, national and local relevance are covered extensively in their programmes. In Bulgaria, social cohesion is a priority, in which cultural components have multiple inputs at central and local levels, through various actions and projects implemented by institutions,

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local authorities and NGOs. The theatre is seen as a resource which can help disabled children to integrate into society, by giving them skills to overcome isolation, to improve their self-confidence and feelings of self-worth, as well as to provide them with a greater network of social contacts. The main issues regarding employment in the cultural sector are low payments / salaries and a declining number of state-subsidised cultural institutions. This has prompted many gifted young people to emigrate in search of better working conditions abroad. The Ministry of Culture is actively involved in one of the axes of development in the Information Society for All Programme - "building a civil society and democratic thinking through art and culture" Public libraries will thus complement the educational system by helping children and young people acquire basic knowledge and skills of searching for and analysing information. The rich multimedia resources available during after-school activities will help overcome children's unequal opportunities for access to new technologies. In 2002, the National Culture Fund held a competition for funding music information sharing, as well as the creation and maintenance of an information database and Web page of Bulgarian music culture and authentic folklore. Since 2002, the National Music and Dance Center has been supporting a series of 6 educational concerts of the "Ensemble for electroacoustic music - EEM", which presents electronic arrangements of classical works and contemporary electro-acoustic pattern pieces to young people. In the framework of the annual "New Bulgarian Music Festival", a concert with works of Bulgarian composers of electronic-music is included. http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/bulgaria.php?aid=533 Lubomira Rostislavova Yovcheva, Hristo Hristov Istsov BULGARIA

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CURRICULUM DRAFT

FOR DISCIPLINE

ROMANIAN LITERARY - Ethnology and Folklore

Curriculum

1 hour per week Two years of study (grades XI and XII, humanistic and socio-humanistic) MOTION: Corina Daniela Popescu Laura Elena BurcuĹ&#x;

According to the Regulation Order nr.3449/15.03.1999 electives ARGUMENT

Program of Folklore Romanian literary optional course is aimed at students of classes XI and XII, the hub designed, to match the changes in teaching, according to the new curricular approaches to discipline Romanian language and literature. The present course is designed for two-year study, one hour per week, and is aimed at students from theoretical chain, class XI, specialized literature and social sciences. During esgte made to meet the current requirements of the baccalaureate discipline Romanian language and literature, but to expand, while the horizon of knowledge of students, according to new openings of contemporary didactics. You will find here specific notions of discipline, applied on representative texts for each of them, leading to an integrative view of folklore as part of a multiple approach, argumentative, and critical interpretation posed by the study of folklore text.

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Also, the literature of Ethnology and Folklore will not summarize the presentation of concepts and elements specific to normal, dry, but will insist on their application aspura folk texts chosen, followed by the original analytical essay writing, practicing for new acquisitions, which will complement the teaching approach initiated in Romanian language and literature subject. In the extension study of the common core of knowledge related information, the present insists, then consolidate the multiple applications, purchases, placing each in a socio-cultural event. Hence the valences interdisciplinary integrative vision resulting from specific electives humanities (music, movement, painting, etc..) Also were considered and commands required by the new openings to multiculturalism, programs to, in this respect, the Romanian customs interference with other nations, using a special advantage offered by type partnership working in different European programs (Comenius, Leonardo) of our educational institution with similar institutions in EU countries (Spain, Poland, Bulgaria, Albania). Finally, current curriculum that includes optional side is emphasizing formative learning, hours devoted to the study effectively contributing to the formation of a complex and autoneme personally to students belonging to cultural awareness training, critical and analytical spirit of conscious perception of a text extraction fictional folk, all necessary for the entire life of a intelctual with philological studies and beyond. LEARNING UNITS

I. Culture and Folklore popular, essential parts of family ethnological disciplines - theoretical boundaries A. Settlements, household, dwelling / house, the main occupations Two. Tools, domestic industry, crafts, peasant technical installations II. Ethnology holidays and traditional customs A. Christmas and New Year Holidays Two. Holidays of the year (mobile or fixed date) a) Customs ceremonial ritual - estates, Caloianul, Paparudele, Calusul

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b) Habits of the family cycle - Rites of passage primary / intermediate - Birth, baptism, godfathers - Wedding - Death and burial III. Folklore - the concept and evolution

A. Specific characters of folklore (traditional, collective, oral, anonymous, syncretic) Two. Poetry, ritual and ceremonial

a) poetry calendar customs b) Poetry crossing ceremonies c) song lyric Three. Popular fiction a) tale about animals b) fantasy tale c) Legend

Four. Epic song a) Fantastico-mythological epic b) heroic epic c) heroic epic song and outlaw d) The Ballad novelist

Five. Aphoristic literature and enigmistic a) saying and proverb b) riddle (riddle)

6. Relationship popular literature classical literature - Mitutul transhumance "Miorita" and "Hatchet" by Michael Sadoveanu

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- Myth sacrifice for creation "Arges Monastery" - reflections Expressionist (Lucian Blaga "master Manole") and parabolic (Marin Sorescu, "sexton") - The myth of ethnogenesis George Asachi, "Trajan and Dochia" - Myth "appearance first thrill of love" Heliade Ion Rădulescu, "Sburătorul"

- Interference aesthetic - romance and folklore (from Alecsandri Eminescu) Realism and folklore (Creanga Slavici) OPTIONAL COURSE PLANNING Class XI, XII

THE OPTIONAL NAME: ETHNOLOGY AND LITERARY ROMANIAN FOLKLORE DOMAIN: Popular culture TYPE THE OPTIONAL: Optional integrated CLASS: XI, XII-a PROFILE: Human SPECIALIZATION: Philology DURATION: 2 Years NUMBER OF HOURS PER WEEK: 1 Hour PROPOSAL: Corina Daniela Popescu Laura Elena Burcuş

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SEMESTER I

C.S. 1.1

1.2 1.3 2

2.1 2.2

3.1 3.2

3.3

CONTENTS

National College Octav Onicescu

Precise terminology - popular culture and folklore, family key parts of ethnological disciplines - theoretical boundaries Settlements, household, dwelling / house, the main occupations Tools, domestic industry, crafts, peasant technical installations Ethnology holidays and traditional customs Christmas and New Year Holidays a) The holidays of the year (mobile or fixed time) - a) Customs ceremonial ritual estates, Caloianul, Paparudele, Calusul b) Habits of the family cycle - Rites of passage primary / intermediate - Birth, baptism, godfathers - Wedding - Death and burial SpecificcharactersofFolklore (traditional, collective, oral, anonymous, syncretic) Poetry, ritual and ceremonial a) poetry calendar customs b) Poetry crossing ceremonies c) song lyric popular fiction a) tale about animals b) fantasy tale c) Legend

NUMBER OFHOURS

METHODS

1 2 2 3

exposure explanation Problem-solving

1 2 2 2 2 4 3 3 3 3 2 2

exposure dialogue observation Teamwork heuristic conversation explanation interview observation reading dialogue

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3.4

III 3.5

3.6

epic song a) Fantastico-mythological epic b) heroic epic c) heroic epic song and outlaw d) The Ballad novelist Aphoristic literature and enigmistic a) saying and proverb b) riddle (riddle) Relationship popular literature classical literature a) The myth of thel transhumance "Miorita" and "Hatchet" by Michael Sadoveanu b) offering for creation myth "Arges Monastery" - reflections Expressionist (Lucian Blaga "master Manole") and parabolic (Marin Sorescu, "sexton") c) The myth of ethnogenesis George Asachi, "Trajan and Dochia" d) The myth of "the emergence of the first thrill of love" Heliade Ion Radulescu, "Sburatorul" e) Interference aesthetic romance and folklore (from Alecsandri Eminescu) Realism and folklore (Creanga, Slavici)

2 2 2 2 2 1 1 3 4 4 1 2 4 3

individual study Learning by doing exposure

heuristic conversation debate

exposure

Putting in contrast