What We Do: Society
CHILDREN & NONVIOLENCE INITIATIVE
The Centre’s Children and Nonviolence Initiative—supported by the Dalai Lama, and by Honorary Patron HRH prince El Hassan of Jordan—provides a focal point for faith leaders to express their commitment to honouring the dignity of children.
Alarmed by the prevalence of violence against children worldwide, we believe the times cry out for a new religious moment, in which the world’s religious and spiritual leaders stand as one in honour of the world’s young.
An outpouring of public support for respecting the personhood of children could spark a historic multi-faith decree upholding the sanctity of the child, and urging the elimination of physical, mental and emotional violence against children—something that could profoundly impact human behaviour for generations to come.
We invite all citizens to sign the Plea to Faith Leaders and send it to their community faith leader and to the leader of their religion or faith tradition. The Plea calls on faith leaders to sign a Proclamation in a show of unity.
MUNICIPAL FORUMS ON TOXICITY
These projects will highlight children’s unique vulnerability to toxic compounds, and galvanize support for their reduction or elimination. Since local municipalities often have the most direct authority to reduce or eliminate toxins in their communities, they are the most effective places to develop strategies to detoxify public spaces, schools, hospitals and homes.
Forums will bring together community leaders and the public to meet with organizations already working to clean up environmental threats to children’s health. Through discussion and plans for future action, they will enhance existing toxin-awareness and clean-up programs, and help create new ones where necessary.
This initiative will begin close to home—on British Columbia’s Gulf Islands, Vancouver Island, and in Vancouver—where a number of toxin-awareness programs are already underway. Future forums will be held in other municipalities across Canada and beyond.
