Dear Friend,
We are inspired by the awarding of the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize to Abiy Ahmed Ali, the Prime Minister of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia. Awarded for his important work to promote reconciliation, solidarity, and social justice, Abiy Ahmed Ali exemplifies and practices many of the peace leadership qualities we desire in our elected officials. Abiy holds an MA in Transformational Leadership and earned his Ph.D. in 2017 at the Institute for Peace and Security Studies, Addis Ababa University.
The following teaching tip comes from "Learning Life’s Lessons: Inspirational Tips for Creating Peace in Troubled Times," by William Timpson, Ph.D.. Citizens' ability to identify political leaders that foster and inspire peaceful civic virtues (equity, equality, sustainability, social justice) is predicated on the ability to think critically and see past biased media analysis and agendas of established political apparatus that seek to maintain the status quo. This tip invites us to consider the qualities of the leaders we truly desire by looking at examples from the past. It also invites us to consider how we might unleash this same leadership potential in our students.
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Tip #99. Identify new leaders
In early colonial New Zealand, as in other European societies, women were excluded from any involvement in politics. Public opinion began to change in the latter half of the nineteenth century, however, and inspired by the effort by activists over many years, in September of 1893, New Zealand became the first self-governing colony in the world in which all women had the right to vote in parliamentary elections. In the U.S. it would require another 27 years for the 19th Amendment to pass in 1920 and women would be allowed to vote.
The following “tip” is adapted from #57 in 147 Practical Tips for Teaching Sustainability.
In Enough: Staying Human in an Engineered Age, Bill McKibben (2003) identifies Gandhi as someone who is widely revered for challenging the world to use nonviolent noncooperation as a mechanism for resistance to powerful oppressors. Yet Gandhi also represented much more. “It is no coincidence that Gandhi was also the most powerful twentieth-century spokesman for the proposition that less is more, that human satisfaction lies in respecting material limits, in opening yourself to the claims of others, in backing away from the hyper-individualism of the West” (p. 217). Are there any leaders who support sustainability, equity, and social justice already in place in your community? How do we identify and unleash the leadership potential among students?
Given the changes needed for a more sustainable future that balances environmental, economic, and societal needs, we need to find leaders at every level of society and in every community, men and women, who will spearhead these changes and inspire others to follow their lead. Make a list of individuals who could lead this redirection. Identify leaders from the past who had the qualities needed today.
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Learning Life’s Lessons: Inspirational Tips for Creating Peace in Troubled Times
By William M. Timpson, PhD
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“Learning Life’s Lessons: Inspirational Tips for Creating Peace in Troubled Times,” by William Timpson, is the first publication of Peace Knowledge Press, a new publishing imprint that supports the Global Campaign for Peace Education and International Institute on Peace Education. For more inspirational teaching tips for these troubled times (147 in total!) get your copy of "Learning Life’s Lessons" today!
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print edition: $15.99 e-book / pdf: $9.99
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Advanced Praise
“I have no memory of not living in troubled times. It is the norm, and yet difficult and troubled times can be a source of optimism. For it is through diversity of thought and unsettled human activity that inspiration for change may be found. Within these pages, you will find raw, yet thoroughly grounded stories that inspire and give hope. Each of these 147 lessons comes from a lifetime of experience, both in theory and practice. Each has been tested in the laboratory of human conflict. Each has great value. Troubled times require concentration and focus on doing what is right. Those who stay the course will succeed.”
– Bill Emslie, past Rotary Foundation District Governor and retired Captain from the U.S. Navy
“Learning Life’s Lessons is, as the subtitle promises, an inspirational guide for dealing with adversity in troubled times. Organized as a practical month-by-month guide, it draws on the experiences of many notable historical figures, athletes, politicians, scientists, who have faced challenges and triumphed, just as we might in our own lives. Hope and resilience do not come easily, but there are skills and strategies that can be learned and practiced. Notable is the emphasis on peace as more than just the absence of war, but an achievement of ethical commitment and sustained focus.”
– Allen Dyer, PhD & MD, author of several leading texts on medical ethics and a consultant for communities around the world struggling with trauma
About the Author
Dr. William M. Timpson is a professor in the School of Education at Colorado State University. He has written or co-authored nineteen books including several that address issues of peace and reconciliation, sustainability and diversity.
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