Being a very important resource, human beings are very much appreciated and respected in industrialized countries. People are of much more interest than natural resources in these countries because it is so obvious (for people of knowledge who care for building their country’s history) that nothing can be built without the investment in human beings.
A few days before his inauguration, USA president, Barrack Obama, gave a speech about his strategy for confronting the global economic crisis. He highlighted two very important components which he considered as the USA shield of protection against the crisis. These two components were education and health. Obviously, both are related to human resources.
In my travels to Italy, France and the USA, I have noticed the following concerning the children:
1) In my very short visit to the Wahington DC, USA, I managed to visit the museums in the Smithsonian Mall. My main intention to do so was my love to acquire knowledge in all fields of knowledge and my belief that measuring the level of development and culture in a country (especially by a tourist’s eye) is done mainly by visiting its museums. I was lucky to enter the Air and Space Museum at the beginning of a guided tour through its sections. What I found most interesting was not at all what I expected. It was neither the exhibits, nor the history of Air and Space in the US, it was what I noticed through the guided tour.
The tour guide was very well trained, informed, and respectful (as should be). Most of those visiting the museum were Americans. (This observation should not, of course, be astonishing in most societies that care for culture and raising up their children on history and culture). The point that was interesting was that a young boy (almost 9 years old) was almost as informed as the tour guide. Another observation was that there exists a whole room for air and space games for children of every age. Games included simulations and space shuttles where the children could ride and imagine that they are astronauts and pilots. The keyword here is “imagine”. A society whose children’s imagination stops is a dead society in a few years. These games are very important in breaking the fear from space and technology. This is very important in bringing up children that dare to dream and fulfill their dreams by ruining the barrier between them and the “elders’ issues”. They feel that they can access such things and improve them. We can clearly think of the dreams such children have about their future careers and those of children playing with ordinary games and toys. Consequently, we can think of the future in the countries of each of these two types of children.
2) In France, specifically in a city called Besancon, there exists a museum called ” The Museum of Time” (in French: Le Musee de Temps). It includes hundreds of watches and clocks of every size, shape, and age. Some of them are based on some physical radiations of certain stones or electricity, some on the movement of Earth (either on gravity or on the sun), and others that are very creative indeed.
This museum was very interesting in so many ways: First, the idea of building a whole museum to represent the importance of time. Second, the very creative models of clocks that are exhibited. Third, the care for children shown in dedicated many games that are simulating the various ways time is calculated. These games are very interesting to children as well as grown-ups and put on tables of low heights so that young children find no difficulty to access the game. The games explain the procedures in a very scientific, yet simplified way, so that the children get involved and attracted to the issue. Again, this is a society that values children and hands on the lead to them starting a very early stage in their lives.
Moreover, parents go to the museums on week-ends and days of vacation with their children. They read to their very young children the posts written on the show tables. They teach older children to read and discuss with them what they read. They also explain to them in a very informal way how things are made, how they move or work.
3) In Italy, the land of art and music, children are also offered much interest. It happened that I visited Florence, one of the largest open museums and most beautiful cities in the world, in June. It was the time of the “feast of music” (in Italian: Fiesta della musica) and a running race throughout the city streets (which I don’t know its name) where every citizen can join.
In the feast of music, wherever you go, you hear music. Orchestras are playing in churches (like San Michele), in roads, huge choruses of Italian citizens sing in front of the main church there (Il-Duomo) (You can see a picture of it on the following link http://photos.igougo.com/pictures-photos-l548-s2-p346170-Il_Domo.html). Any place in the street that can be used as a stage, was used for public entertainment. All concerts, whether indoors or outdoors, are open for free to anyone. A question came to me one day, how can all these pieces of music be heard clearly with no interference from other orchestras in the neighboring street or so? I moved far from one of them in the direction of another and found that the sound systems are set so that each concert has a certain field of hearing that ends where another concert’s field begin in a perfect harmony such that everywhere you stand you hear one and only one of the pieces being played or sung. Moreover, the places are all in great shape and etremely well preserved for so many years. In the midst of visual art (architecture and statues) and music, children grow up absorbing all the beauty by their eyes, ears, and souls reproducing artisits in every field.
As per the “marathon” inauguration feast, children 11-13 years of age were dancing and performing in the public squares to indicate the start of the event.
4) In the US, I was one of several international visitors from 19 different countries. We visited the Commonwealth of Kentucky and were escorted on a tour inside the Congress of Kentucky in the city of Frankfurt (the capital of Kentucky). We were introduced to many rooms inside the building with an explanation of the building, the state’s decision-making process taking place in the building, and so on. What impressed me the most, was neither what I heard from the tour guide, nor what I saw in the building, but what I saw taking place in the building. A group of very young school students were escorted in a group just like ours, being told what we are told. They were introduced to the state’s Congress building and decision-making process. They are being told how their governor works and how their representatives discuss their own issues. They are visiting the place and moving freely inside it feeling that it is theirs. They are part of the decision-making process. None of them was alienated. None of them was rejected or kicked out because this is a strategic place. On that very day, I saw the future of this state (and country) being drawn and their security being promoted. Security, I learned, comes from inclusion and not exclusion of citizens, simply because no one can destroy something of their own belongings (if they really feel that they own them).
These are examples of the environment where children (i.e. future leaders, artists, and scientists) are brought up.
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