World Day Observance in Bistrita and Lasi, Romania

Activity Recap

In Romania, the celebration of the Day of Prayer and Action for Children was organized as a follow-up of the event from 2011, when our efforts focused on diminishing violence in schools. This year, we decided to act further, on the causes of violence affecting children. Finding adequate alternatives of education and cultivate the children’s spirituality are the biggest challenges of the parents or for the ones who are working with them.
More than 400 children, parents, pedagogues, psychologists, social workers, of different faiths, were involved in interactive activities in Bucharest, Iasi, Bistrita and Targoviste, which helped them having a deeper understanding of the violence surrounding them and motivate them to express their feelings and to define the positive education according with their real needs. The most important result was their empowerment to take attitude against violence affecting them or other children.

The promotion of the DPAC started with more than a month of preparation through Internet and in schools. In Iasi, Positive Education was the main theme discussed in pedagogical meetings of religion teachers, that took place on 10-th of November

Bistrita and Lasi: The Scouts from Bistrita (N of the country) and Iasi (N-E of the country) celebrated the DPAC having their specific approach, according to the children’s age: games and drawings for the little ones, case studies and role-plays for the teenagers. The common objective to promote positive education.

Teenagers from Iasi created their own prayers for stopping the violence against children from all over the world. Fifty of them participated in the religious service organized in the Orthodox Church, where the priest spoke about Positive education. A catholic priest was also present, together with catholic and orthodox children as well as their parents.

A few of their messages were:

Make the discipline with love, not with violence.
Words hurt too.
When I do a mistake I need your guidance, not punishments.
I need more encouragements and attention from you!
I have the right to be listened.
My opinion is important, too!
Give me more of your time.
The adults role is to protect, not to punish.
Don’t forget I’m just a child.
Gifts cannot replace the parents’ presence.
Don’t force me to live your dreams!