On January 24, World Dignity University co-founder Francisco Gomes de Matos (from Recife,Brazil), conducted a Workshop on DIGNITY for 40 teachers of the local elementary-secondary school Colégio Madre de Deus.
Participation in the interaction also included the school psychological and pedagogical coordinators. In his powerpoint presentation, Dr. Gomes de Matos engaged the participants in characterizing DIGNITY as a conceptual composite of human character, conduct,communication and human right-responsbility. There followed a mini-group activity in which educators were challenged to identify many of the salient features of DIGNITY. The use of the ending -IDADE (from the Portuguese word dignIDADE) was useful for collective completion of that task. Thus, among identified features were:
igualdade, solidariedade, espiritualidade, honestidade and felicidade (The school`s motto is Lição 1: Ser Feliz / Lesson 1: To be happy. Madre de Deus educatorsare seen as co-promoters of learners` happiness ).
At the closing of the workshop, peace linguist Francisco Gomes de Matos challenged the group to identify reasons for making educational choices in the perspective of Human Dignity.Such practice was a translation-adaptation of one of the pieces he has written for the WDU website. Mention was made of the visit to Recife,this year, of Evelin G. Lindner.
For further information on the pioneering initiative, contact Francisco:
