Goals more like Milestones

Goals on the long term seem to difficult to accomplished, at least to me, so for me it is better to break that goal into milestones. What I would really like to accomplished, the first milestone that I want to set, is probably to be less selfish and think not of what the others can do for me but what kind a I do for the others, be that in class, my home or with my coworkers (even though I can't say they are coworkers), well my friends from the "job". The second milestone would be to try to benefit the others through my work and I don't mean that in only approaching them but to actually change their realities and mine too, a social change. The overall goal in more or less words could be just to do a meaningful social work.

Inner PEACE

Thinking About Inner Peace only takes me to think of one moment where I can almost have a grasp about what does inner peace comprehend, that moment yet to be lived is where I think every person reflects on all the events of his life and he as his only judge will determine if he deserves to be at peace. For this moment to be rendered positive, every action taken by us have had to lead us to a meaningful life, even those actions in which we caused damage have to lead to experience and from this experience to wisdom, that at the end will create a positive impact not only to us but to others. Of course somewhere in our timeline we will think and feel inner peace, but to me those are breaths for us to take it all in and contemplate, ponder in our lives so far. We might get inner peace through some superficial events, actions and merits but those will only sum up, if we were able to reach to others, they will sum up to that moment where true inner peace will come, to that moment where we'll take our last breath.

Libya's Struggles and Historical Background

Libya's history of uprising movements can be traced back to Qaddafi’s origins as the leader of a small group of military men whose purpose was to overthrow King Idris I from power, these young men accomplished their objective in September 1969. Thereafter Qaddafi went on to constitute the Revolutionary Command Council as the governing body of Libya in which he was the main authority, later he founded the General People’s Congress, him acting as the General Secretary, all decisions rested upon him and so the beginning of his dictatorship officially had begun.
Ever since the period in which Qaddafi assumed power (1973-present), abuses in authority have prevail in the history of Libya. Short after the RCC was conformed, assassinations on primary ex-officials began, the support and promotion of terrorist groups was established officially and censorship was imposed in the media, later it would be under government control. Added to these, citizens were being kept under surveillance, academic institutions restructured and those opposing or speaking against the regime were trialed and punished. By that time hundreds of ex-officials had been executed abroad and Qaddafi had instituted control by means of the militia. Freethinking was not allowed.

The University for Peace Memo

Date: February 11, 2011
To: English 1311 students
From: Jorge Carreon
RE: University for Peace

International conflict and terrorism are part of the reality we are living in, the differences in perspectives about religion, governance, freedom and traditions has led to quarrels between nations straining diplomatic relationships and most important affecting the judgement reflected in the view of its citizens towards their peers in other nations. The issue at hand extends not only to an international level or between people but to our local community and to the environment which brings to the surface the need to change the way we live, relate to each other and to comprehend the diversity in opinions and actions hence to a state of tolerance and respect where prejudice and hatred are reduced, progress and security are fundamental to achieve these goals for human beings to coexist and live in peace.

The University for Peace asserts the importance of addressing the problems through the most valuable and most effective resource that man has, education. With a multidisciplinary approach in a multicultural setting the array of MA programmes deal with themes such as gender, sustainability, environment, media, economy, security and conflict solving, promulgating and teaching peace through Irenology. The relevance of fostering a new generation of peace promoters is evident and students receive a unique education with a focus on multicultural perspectives, rigorous theory and practical applications. Regular activities include: educational trips around the local area in which at the end of the journey students and mentors share experiences, research in collaboration with an international renowned faculty and networking with students, professors, experts and scientists around the world.

The Headquarters are located in Costa Rica southwest of San Jose but the system is replicated in the Africa, Asia and The Pacific, Central Asia, Latin America and The Caribbean, North America and the Middle East regions in which Special and Regional Programmes are carried along with affiliated centres in Serbia, Colombia and Urugay. In an effort to reach a broader audience The University for Peace offers online programmes with the same quality and rigor than its Institutional courses. All of this academic options go in par with the mission of providing humanity with a higher education for peace, the cornerstone of UPEACE. Graduates from Masters degrees land jobs in a varied of fields ranging from commissioning in United Nations bodies to management in the Private Sector.

Informational content regarding the aim, activities, enterprises and specifics of the programmes can be obtained in The University for Peace website through a library and educational videos directed to the awareness of international conflicts and the importance to reach for solutions; up-to-date site news and e-newsletters that contain the latest in projects, ventures and actions done all over the world by UPEACE and electronic brochures along with the site’s contents detail the MA programmes offered in Costa Rica’s Headquarters, institutional affiliates and online. Admission and registration processes can be easily accessed in the main page of the site where a calendar including important dates and events can be find.

Building Peace

Education is one of the most important pillars of society only after Family which is the first and most important. Central Asia Institute is doing a very noble work along with Greg by planting the seed in the kids that will make their society a prosperous one. Third world countries have always had this problem but most try to implement many resources in infrastructure instead of doing it in the system which in my personal opinion is what makes successful Greg’s approach.

Greg saw the way to make the experience of the people, particularly the students, more important and significative by providing the essential materials and including them in the process of the construction: A simple building, which in turn was made by the own villagers and that leads to a fuller appreciation of the importance of this structure as a mean to achieve a higher level of education in the population. He also gave the kids the necessary tools to learn in class, very archaic tools but at the end in a more metaphorical manner tools for their future (and for school).

Most institution have it the other way around, they thing that in order for a better education it is necessary to provide all students or habitants with the latest in technological advancements leaving behind an important aspect for a students development, the “personal level of involvement” that makes a statement of commitment and link between the teacher and the student, an example of common efforts to reach for the same goal and that stays in the kids minds for life.

The Concept of Peace (Intro)

Peace by itself is an abstraction of a state not provable because of all the obvious interpretations that lie in the collection of experiences that persons have and contrast them with the apparent notion of what it is to be in harmony or rest. Nature by itself is never at peace, is a constant struggle to achieve a condition of equilibrium never attained but always changing hence creating a cycle of renovation an progress.

In a more human level peace could be a state of consciousness in which “I” am aware of the boundaries that limit “my” actions in order to not transgress the “others” boundaries, not only the so called comfort zone but the needs, desires and expectations, this in practice becomes unreal. A person and more so a society needs to transgress such limits for us to be able to interact and communicate in a system in which the collective efforts takes us to a more fulfilling life, the goal of human existence. 

Knowledge is in the only way in which we can reach a sort of state of peace, since it is only when a person understands his or her own limitations that he/she is able to comprehend that this philosophical, sometimes tangible and ephemeral construct “exists” for us to progress and try to be better beings.