Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project

Letter to educators:

Letters for Peace is a way for teachers to foster meaningful relationships between students in America and students in Iraq and help students open their hearts and minds to one another. It is a way for students to realize that what we have in common is often greater and more meaningful than what separates us. By participating in the Letters for Peace Program, students can gain personal insight into an often misunderstood region of the world and expand their perspective on the consequences of war on everyday life.

The program is designed in conjunction with our sister non-profit in Iraq, the Muslim Peacemaker Teams (MPT). Students in the US write letters to their peers in Iraq, and the letters are then translated and forwarded to Iraq. MPT works with Iraqi students to write letters and send photos in return. We also provide easy-to-use video equipment in case teachers are interested in including a video recording component to the project. Letters and any other media used in the project are optionally posted on our website.

Teachers may also use powerpoints and lesson plans if they wish. These resources are free and downloadable from our website and fit the Minnesota Department of Education standards. You will find separate powerpoints for grades K-6 and 7-12. Each powerpoint:

• Teaches children how to write meaningful letters
• Teaches some of the building blocks of peace
• Is inclusive of children of military families
• Is designed by teachers and pilot-tested by students

Join us in creating an atmosphere of trust, respect and understanding so that together we may assist future generations of Americans to see beyond war into nonviolent means for settling conflict. Letters for Peace can be incorporated into school curriculums of all levels. For more information, please visit http://reconciliationproject.org/letters-for-peace/ or contact Erika Bisbocci by email at erika@reconciliationproject.org.

The Unreturned, directed by IARP volunteer Nate Fisher, was selected for the 5th UNHCR Refugee Film Festival in Tokyo in October 2010.

The Unreturned follows five Iraqis and their families who are among the 40 percent of the country’s middle class who have fled the country since 2003. Without them, Iraq still lacks reliable electricity, clean water, sanitation, and health-care services. This is an unmitigated disaster for Iraq, a shattered nation that desperately needs its native professional class to return and help itself rebuild.

The UNHCR Refugee Film Festival raises awareness of the world’s 43 million refugees and internally displaced persons who are forced to flee due to persecution and conflict. The 5th edition of the festival will present about 20 films from all over the world, with numerous filmmakers and special guests in attendance.

Please click below to donate to IARP and support Iraqi refugees and the rebuilding of Iraq.

Below is a recent note from Sami Rasouli, Director of Muslim Peacemaker Teams (IARP’s partner in Iraq):

Dear friend,

“Schools across Iraq are crumbling as a result of a lack of government attention as well as rampant corruption, leaving many children without any means of education say observers.” By Nizar Latif / Wasit

Read: http://www.niqash.org/content.php?contentTypeID=74&id=2420&lang=0

Meanwhile IARP & MPT are trying to do a positive difference toward Iraqi children’s lives by reducing the violation of Human Rights, hardship of living conditions, violence & abuse applications, and improving their education system.

Please read this report:
EDUCATION FOR PEACE ACTION
IN NAJAF

English as a foreign language for Third graders at Iraqi schools:

The Iraqi Ministry of Education had a successful experiment of teaching English as a foreign language for Third graders in the province of Al-Muthana last schooling year (2007-2008).

IME had added the program as a new curricula for 3rd grade students at all schools across the country during current schooling year (2008-2009). English as a foreign language program begun to be taught at 5th grade in the past. The education community across the country is pleased for such positive change and development, even some educators and education experts are calling for earlier start with the program as early as 1st grade to begin with. The students are learning to listen, point, make, say words and eventually getting engaged in conversation between each other without leaning writing, reading or grammar skills at this stage of learning. The idea is to enable this group of early age kids to use a foreign language by providing them skills of active methods of communication.

MPT considers this curricula development is very important for the students at this stage of age where kids could discover other’s culture through learning other’s language, since MPT and IARP are engaged actively in several projects (Letters For Peace for instance) aimed to connecting children of both US and IRAQ.

Teachers, students and their parents are happy for this exciting program, but schools are lacking necessary visual aids such as flashcards, audio system and wall charts that make teacher’s job easy and help students to get best results of learning process.

MPTers Mr. Ayad Khoshi, Principal of Al-Hiwariyoon Elementary and his Supervisor Mr. Abdul Khuder Abbas have suggested to MPT the possibility to provide the school with the needed VA by scanning the 42 colored pages of the newly assigned 3rd grade book-Iraq opportunity (please see photo below) and printing 21 large sizes of 2 pages together (1.2m X 80cm) as extremely helpful tool for English teachers.

This educational action was under taken by MPT 6 weeks ago as a response to Mr. Khoshi and Mr. Abbas request to show how VA for leaning a foreign language is important and also urging the officials in charge at the Iraqi Eduction Ministry to make them available for schools next year.

English teacher Mr. Anmar Jasim has reported that the experiment of using the wall charts at 2 of his English classes has improved kids learning up to 95% against 55% before using them.

There are over 16,000 elementary schools in Iraq.

Helping kids learn English will eventually help a whole Iraqi generation to understand American culture and become friends toward other people who speak English as an International language.

Thank you for your time and good work to heal our wounded world.

Peace,

Sami Rasouli
Muslim Peacemaker Teams
Najaf, Iraq