Focusing on the Value of Freedom - Living Values Activities for Children and Young Adults

LVEP is a comprehensive values education programme. This innovative global character education programme offers teachers and facilitators a variety of experiential values activities and practical methodologies to enable children and young adults to explore and develop 12 key universal values: Cooperation, Freedom, Happiness, Honesty, Cooperation, Love, Peace, Respect, Responsibility, Simplicity, Tolerance, and Unity. LVEP also has special materials for use with parents and caregivers, children affected by war, street children and children affected by earthquakes.

LVEP's Living Values Activities Series of five books was first published in English by Health Communications, Inc. In each newsletter, we bring into focus one of the values explored by LVEP, excerpting, from this award-winning series, selected ideas and activities on each value. In the last edition the focus was on Simplicity; this edition focuses on Freedom.

Think of the moments in which you have felt light and free. What really gives us a sense of freedom? Is our sense of individual freedom related to how we treat others and the extent of freedom we offer them? What are the responsibilities that I attend to that allow me to experience real freedom in my life? Please explore the Reflection Points on Freedom below in the light of your own experiences.

Reflection Points from Living Values Activities for Young Adults, Freedom Unit.

Freedom resides within the mind and heart.
Inner freedom is to be free from confusion and complications within the mind, intellect, and heart that arise from negativity.
Inner freedom is experienced when I have positive thoughts for all others, including myself.
Freedom is an ongoing process. How can we create and maintain it?
Self-transformation begins the process of world transformation. The world will not be free from war and injustice until individuals themselves are set free.
People want the freedom to lead a life of purpose, to select freely a lifestyle in which they and their children can grow healthily and can flourish through the work of their hands, heads, and hearts.
Freedom can be understood mistakenly to be a vast and unlimited umbrella which gives permission to ?do what I like, when I like, to whomever I like.? That concept is misleading and a misuse of choice.
True freedom is exercised and experienced when parameters are defined and understood. Parameters are determined by the principle that everyone has equally the same rights. For example, the rights to peace, happiness, and justice ? regardless of religion, culture, or gender ? are innate.
To violate the rights of one or more in order to free the self, family, or nation is a misuse of freedom. That kind of misuse usually backfires, eventually imposing a condition of constraint, and in some cases, oppression ? for the violated and the violator.
Full freedom functions only when rights are balanced with responsibilities and choice is balanced with conscience.
The most potent power to put an end to internal and external wars is the human conscience. Any act of freedom, when aligned with the human conscience, is liberating, empowering, and ennobling.

Please click as indicated below for activities on Freedom for Parents, Children and Young Adults. Young adults may wish to explore a few of the ideas with family or friends while parents may wish to take up some of the activities with their children. And do let us know the outcome or if you've got other experiences or activities you'd like to share!