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Peace from Harmony
Leo Semashko. World public opinion about the culture of peace in a mirror of sociology

Leo Semashko

Sondage of World Public Opinion:
Responses to the Letter to Mr. Putin

The published below 18 responses from 9 countries o­n the Open Letter to the President of Russia Mr. Vladimir Putin from  September 1, 2005 in connection with the tragical Beslan anniversary (http://www.peacefromharmony.spb.ru/eng/contents/dialpeah/makchildpr/) are in fact as a pilot sondage of world public opinion o­n a question "Making Children a Priority in the World". From my point of view this sondage has shown large vital potential of a children priority idea in the world and wide practical perspectives for the appropriate Global Civil Movement. It aspires 'to build a world fit for children', to which the UN Special Session o­n childhood has called in May 2002. This Movement will replace the formula of modern coexistence: "Want a peace - prepare to war" by a rule: "Want a peace - create social harmony o­n the basis of a priority of children, which is provided with children's suffrage executed by parents". I think this rule will become "Gold Rule" for the 21st century. Our sondage is aimed at it and opens a road for the wide international and comparative studies and public discussions of this idea. The co-authors of the site "A New Culture of Peace from Harmony" will welcome all the responses, initiatives and actions in this direction. Let's create a priority to our children and grandchildren that the world could become fit for them!
Leo Semashko
September 15, 2005.
Responses:
Dear Leo!
I have read the letter to the President Putin. In my opinion all is stated correctly and concretely. I hope very much that it will find the serious response! I join to you both words and deeds.
With respect,
Svetlana Vetrova
Petersburg bard and chief of  preschools club "Umnitsa" in St.-Petersburg
September 3, 2005
 
Dear Svetlana!
I am very grateful to you for kind words and support. I think your hope as the mothers of two children would become more powerful if you have found possible yourself to write the letter to the President with a similar appeal "Making Children a Priority in Russia" from your point of view as it was made by the mothers from Australia and USA having written the appropriate letters to the leaders. The more similar civil addresses will be, both mothers and fathers, the faster our appeal will be embodied in life.
Best harmony wishes,
 Leo
September 7, 2005
__________________

Well done, Leo. The letter is very powerfully expressed.
Best wishes,
Bernard
Dr Bernard Scott, England
September 5, 2005
---------------------
Dear Leo,
Your letter is, in my view, both moving and intellectually sound.  I completely support it.  I had no idea that conditions for children were so terrible and getting worse, in Russia.  What encourages me is
your own commitment to solving this and other problems, despite those conditions. 
Best wishes,
Bernie
Dr Bernard Phillips, USA
September 5, 2005
-----------------------------------
Dear Leo, 
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
A powerful message, sure to be well received. You have "seized the moment." I am honored to be your associate. The economic benefits of putting children first (before military priorities and industrial development) must be bolded, before financial interests will subscribe. This will be the challenge in the West, where 10% of the population controls 90% of the wealth. 
Warm regards,
Dr Martha Ross DeWitt, USA
September 5, 2005
--------------------------
Dear Leo,
I wholeheartedly endorse your cogent letter. In fact, I think your plea should be expanded, so that the whole world can prioritize children. Right now, I'm exercising my privilege as a (re)newed grandfather: my wife Helen and I have a granddaughter, Marina. We had two grandsons, Marcus Vinicius and Mario Victor. Now, we have three grandchildren. What a blessing! How about you, Leo?
Francisco
Professor Francisco Gomes de Matos, Brazil
September 5, 2005
--------------------------
Dear Leo,
I congratulate you again for your brave and true letter to President Vladimir Putin. I have sent it too to our IFLAC PAVE PEACE Digest, and am sure all our members have greatly appreciated it. May the call of "Children First" be heard all over our global village.
Ada
 Prof. Ada Aharoni, IFLAC President, Israel
September 5, 2005
-------------------------------
Dear Leo,
Congratulations o­n your letter.  I am very glad that your letter has received such acclaim.  It will not o­nly be the attention of Mr. Putin that will gain it credence, but also all those people who read it o­n IFLAC's website, and other websites.  I wonder if children are a priority anywhere in the world.  Some new research work has been done in Australia by the Australian Family Association.  The executive summary starts off:  "On the occasion of President George W. Bush's visit to Australia, John Howard declared that 'strong families are a nantion's greatest asset'.  Yet, since he became Prime Minister in March 1996, the marriage rate amongst young adults in Australia has plummeted and the overall level of partnering has significantly declined.  o­nly a decade or so ago, the great majority of young men and women aged 30 - 34 were married and thus likely to have established a secure relationship conducive to the raising of a family.  This is no longer the case.  In 1986, 72 per cent of women aged 30-34 and 65 per cent of men aged 30-34 were married.  By 2001, the comparable figures were 55 per cent for women, and just 47 per cent for men." Congratulations again - I feel that this time you are well o­n your way.  I smile a bit, thinking of me in this most isolated of spots - surrounded almost by water - and having my name in a letter to such a large man as Mr. Vladimir Putin! 
Love, Hilarie
Artist, poet and scientist Hilarie Roseman, Australia
September 5, 2005

Dear Martha, Ada, Rose, Hilarie, Bernard, Francisco and Bernie!
 I am very grateful to you for the congratulations and warm words of support!  I am especially grateful Ada for publication of the letter in the IFLAC Digest. Our appeal "Making Children a Priority in the World", with which have acted Hilarie, Rose and I, would not be outside of a context of peaceful and scientific cooperation with all of you. We shall be happy if someone from you will join to this appeal having written the appropriate letter to the leader of your country. Each such letter is a corner stone for a new history and culture of harmonious peace o­n the Earth. The more people will be written such letters the faster this history and culture will come.
 Best peace and harmony wishes, 
Leo
September 6, 2005
----------------------------
Dear Leo,
Congratulations for your remarkable and brave letter to President Vladimir Putin. I really admire and appreciate your brave attitude towards such an unmatched deed. I hope that soon the World will hear your significant call of "Children First". I also take this opportunity to send you a poem. I hope you like it. It is an acrostic. (Vertical reading).
              
                 Hush
                 And
                 Relax your
                 Mind.
                 Only
                 Nothingness
                 Is     
                 Our    
                 Ubiquitous
                 Substance  
                
                 Preside
                 Each of Your
                 Acts 
                 Caring
                 Every o­ne

 Thank you again and accept my warmest thoughts of harmony and Peace
Araken
 Araken Barbosa, Professor of Philology, Brazil
September 6, 2005

Dear Araken,
I very much like your congratulations, hope and remarkable poem, which I shall publish o­n our site. (From my point of view your poem will be more adequate and appropriate to "Harmonious peace" o­n a vertical if in it a word "Nothingness" to replace by a word "Nobleness".)   I think our appeal "Children First" will be heard faster if you join to it your poetic vote from Brasil, having written the appropriate letter to your President. Also, I very much would like your translation o­n Portuguese my letter.
Best harmonious wishes,
Leo
September 7, 2005
------------------------------
Dear Leo:
Thank you for writing the letter to your President. You are a wise and courageous scholar. You have translated the love for children as we can find it in the original sacred writings of Judaism, Christianity and Islam into the secular discourse of the expert cultures and even into the dimension of political action. Insofar as the world religions and secular humanists agree concerning the love of children -the Rabbis call them little Messiahs - we have the beginning of a global ethos, which can give direction also to political and economic actions, which need it most.
By the way, I have just celebrated the arrival of my 13th grandchild in New York:  Ryan! Please, look up my new website:  www.rudolfjsiebert.org. You know you and all your friends have a standing invitation to our international course in Yalta: "Religion and Civil Society: Discourse rather than Collision among the Civilizations," from October 26 to 28, 2005.
Best wishes, your
Rudi from the House of Shalom
Rudolf Siebert, Professor of Religion, USA
September 7, 2005

Dear Rudi,
I congratulate you with the 13th grandchild Ryan and I hope that he will live in a new history and culture of harmonious peace, based o­n a priority of children, excluding war, terror, poverty and other social disasters! Many thanks for your kind and flatter for me words of support. You wisely have noticed, that children in the original sacred writings of Judaism, Christianity, Buddhism and Islam admit as sacred coming from the God. Unfortunately, the people have not understood it yet. Our appeal "Making Children a Priority in the World" lays a way for overcoming this injustice and for the statement of social priority for children as continuation of divine priority o­n the Earth. We invite you to join your wise vote of the Religion Professor to our appeal and to write the appropriate letter to your President. Your religious confirmation of the children priority will be very powerful for the believers and for the political figures. It will be your practical contribution of the religious Professor to development of a civil society and multicultural dialogue of civilizations.
I have looked your new site. It makes deep impression. I admire with your service to universal values of religions. I thank you for the invitation to your very interesting and important Conference but, unfortunately, I can not arrive o­n it of absence of money. I wish the success to you and your Conference.
Best harmony wishes, 
Leo
September 7, 2005
--------------------------
 
Dear Leo Semashko,
Thank you very much for your letter.
Children are the future of the country. Thus it is obvious that their people as well as leaders of all the countries should consider that the attention towards their future generation is their prior duty if the country is to be placed in highly esteemed position. I pray to God that all people of the world should think of their future generation first before thinking of their own self, their own interest and also of their own prosperity. A country can be taken up as a nation with rich heritage where the children are properly trained properly educated properly fed and properly attended. 
Regards.
Maitreyee and Subir Kumar Bardhan Roy, India
September 9, 2005
 
Dear Maitreyee and Subir Kumar Bardhan Roy!
Excuse that I have detained my reply but I was very much busy in updating of our site.
I am very grateful to you for your kind words of support and completely agree with your opinion o­n children. I think you are the good parents and think not o­nly about own children but also about children of great India. You know that much from them are in a bad plight and they require the help including your. The best help for children is creation for them of a priority in the country. I invite you to write the letter with an appeal "Making children a priority in India" to your remarkable President Dr Abdul Kalam, scientific and poet, which very much loves children. The similar letters to the leaders were written by the parents already of many countries: Australia, USA, Russia, England, write in other countries. You could read these letters o­n our site to the address (http://www.peacefromharmony.spb.ru/eng/contents/dialpeah/makchildpr/). You also could read about your President o­n other page of our site to the address (http://www.peacefromharmony.spb.ru/eng/contents/civilizations/indianculture/Inpoet/). This information and your kind hearts caring about well-being of children of India will help you to write the letter for your President. It will be a great step from you. You will give a civil example to millions parents of your country and not o­nly.
With the best wishes of peace and harmony for your family and your great country.
Leo Semashko,
September 16, 2005
-----------------
Dear Leo,
I just finished reading the responses to your letter to Mr. Putin and I am grateful for the opportunity to have played a small part by editing the letter.  Copied below is a letter that I wrote to the newborn granddaughter of a friend of mine.  I hope you enjoy it.
In peace and love,
Rose
Rose Lord, writer, Program Director, Global Coalition for Peace, USA
September 10, 2005
------------------------
Dear Leo,
Congratulations o­n receiving so many positive letters. 
You asked me to write o­n Muslim Women and I have not yet finished the article it should be done in a few weeks for sure as I am going to send it to another site and back the idea of No Sharia law in Canada, part of it will deal with the Sharia and who is backing it.  Have a wonderful day,
 Celine,
Celine Leduc, IFLAC Delegate, Canada
September 10, 2005
-------------------------
Dear Leo,
Thank you very much for your kind response and suggestion. I will try to send a letter to our President Lula. Although, his response may delay because of a recent crisis in Brazilian internal politics. Our nation is shocked by a series of scandals generated by some leaders. But I am sure we shall overcome this momentary problem. I think you may know about a very famous program supported by UNESCO in Brazil called "CRIANCA ESPERANCA" meaning "hope Kid" whereas the Brazilian mass media is engaged in supporting children through different social actions. But your idea is far better because it attains incomparable levels of preparing the children for being peaceful and harmonious citizens.
As for my poem, I would add that the word "nothingness" is a very well known term among people who engage in Yoga and Meditation. It is related to the hushing of mental activities which leads to self-realization through Peace and Harmony.
Warmest harmonious wishes
Araken
Araken Barbosa, Professor of Philology, IFLAC Delegate, Brazil
September 11, 2005
 
Dear Araken,
I am admired with your desire to write the letter to your President Lula and completely support it. Your letter will have historical meaning. Our letters play a role of beacons for the people, for new global humanistic thinking and for world public opinion irrespective of we receive the answer o­n them now or not. Certainly, to receive the answer to such letter would be a well achievement. But, unfortunately, modern politics, even best of them, are too far from children and from consciousness of their priority. I agree with you that the idea "children first" is better and stronger for peace culture than "hope Kid". However and this program is a significant step to children and does honour for Brasil as well as the first in the world "anti-spanking" law in Sweden does honour to this country. Children's suffrage executed by parents, ensuring a priority to children is the following logic step and for the Brazilian program "hope Kid" and for Swedish "anti-spanking" law. I very much would like to receive the detailed information about this Brazilian program, which I shall publish o­n our site with pleasure.
As to word "nothingness" it is for an usual man faster "death", which hardly recognize as "Our Ubiquitous Substance" as I think. Though, I can be mistaken, not understanding any of other meanings of the word "nothingness" for example "hush". Maybe this meaning "hush" could be specifying in brackets to the word "nothingness"?
How concerning translation o­n Portuguese and announcement to your students about our competition o­n the site?
Warmest harmony wishes,
Leo
September 11, 2005
-----------------------
Dear Leo,
Putting children first means to take them as they are, hopefully, and teach them right ways of being in the world. But if the world is corrupt, what then? We are all selfish and self-centered in the beginning. If those in power continue in this tradition, due to circumstances that give them greater influence, what will putting children first mean? Nazi youth in Germany, the Red Brigade in China, Flower Children in the U.S., what did they accomplish? Under adult supervision they all went astray, but in different ways: hate! destruction! indifference! If children are our greatest human resource, who decides how that resource is to be employed? Your plan would be great if the people who have the most children were also the best qualified to rear them, but too often that is not the case. That's why I said there should be limits of o­ne extra vote per parent. Still, there are problems in how the "state" in a democracy goes about deciding what is best for the children. President Bush's "no child left behind" administrative orders have punished schools in poverty stricken school districts for not overcoming the ills of poverty overnight. School districts are rebelling in many states. Progress is not recognized. "One rule fits all" does not work. Your plan has pitfalls. It is not okay to advance a cause without anticipating such ill consequences.
Love, Martha 
Martha Ross DeWitt, PhD, Sociology, USA
September 11, 2005
 
Dear Martha,
You, as always, put the sharpest questions. I agree with the majority of them. You correctly mark than and parents, and adults very frequently enter children in error, direct them o­n the false and malicious ways. But such parents have grown from children. To break off this vicious circle and to create the tendency to best in long-term perspective necessary to lift a responsibility of parents and state for children. Their high responsibility will result to the tendency of constant improvement of quality of children, so and quality of the future parents. Both priority of children and children's suffrage executed by parents, which provides achievement of a priority of children and increase of the responsibility are o­nly long, infinite process o­n the future. It never will make the people by the angels. However it will be slowly but constantly to improve their from generation to generation, preventing degeneration and moral destruction them.
Certainly, this process cannot be expected (foreseen) as well as anyone another in all details. In this sense it has "pitfalls" or "white spots", as well as all new, as life in a whole. Therefore it, inevitably, will have harmful and ill consequences, some of which I named in my works. All positive actions in society have harmful/ill consequences: a feed (millions people suffer from obesity), sport (thousand perish or are injured), transport (each year o­n transport millions people perish in the world), the nuclear energy (it has killed millions people) etc. But from these harmful consequences the people do not refuse a feed, sport, transport, nuclear energy and other similar processes. Deed in that balance of positive and negative consequences in them, undoubtedly, is inclined to the benefit of positive consequences. With the priority of children and their suffrage is similar. If the people have preferred nothing to do because of fear of harmful consequences they never would become the people. They would remain animals, monkeys if is correct that we have taken place from them. Any pitfalls can not weigh down a great cultural and social boon, which promises a priority of children o­n the basis of institute of children's suffrage executed by parents.
The idea about the common boon of the children's priority is confirmed by published o­n the site (http://www.peacefromharmony.spb.ru/eng/contents/disciplines/worldpublic/) 18 responses (including your) from 9 countries o­n the Open Letter to the President of Russia Mr. Vladimir Putin from  September 1, 2005 in connection with the tragical Beslan anniversary. It is in fact a pilot sondage of world public opinion o­n a question "Making Children a Priority in the World". From my point of view this sondage has shown large vital potential of a children priority idea in the world and wide practical perspectives for the appropriate Global Civil Movement. It aspires 'to build a world fit for children', to which the UN Special Session o­n childhood has called in May 2002. This Movement will replace the formula of modern coexistence: "Want a peace - prepare to war" by a rule: "Want a peace - create social harmony o­n the basis of a priority of children, which is provided with children's suffrage executed by parents". Therefore I think this rule will become a "Gold Rule" for the 21st century. Our sondage is aimed at it and opens a road for the wide international and comparative studies and public discussions of this idea. Let's create a priority to our children and grandchildren that the world could become fit for them! Then the social progress will begin which is not seen now.
Love, Leo
September 16, 2005

Love,
Leo
September 16, 2005
---------------------------
Dear Leo,
Wholly and completely I join to your letter to the President. I believe that the realization of your ideas could help to correct a heavy situation of children in our country and to promote an establishment of the greater well-being and order in the world. However it is necessary that so serious documents were heard in Kremlin. As far as I have understood, unfortunately, it has not taken place. It especially is strange that for this time your letter was heard both in Brasil and in Australia. Until then while we shall not have system, at which our offers will reach o­n whom the opportunity of their realization depends, any our texts will be of o­ne crying in the wilderness...
With respect,
Abram Jusfin
 The composer and music expert, St.-Petersburg
September 11, 2005.
 
Dear Abram!
Very grateful to you for yours unique, wise under the contents and brilliant under the form, brief note about musical and social harmony, which you regularly send to me for the publication o­n our site "Peace from Harmony".
Also I am grateful to you for firm support of my letter to Mr. Putin. I agree with you: while the offers will not reach authority, they will stay "of o­ne crying in the wilderness" and the system will not change. But any new social problem has other party. If to speak about a problem of a children's priority and suffrage for them, executed by parents it is, practically, completely new, not emphasized for public consciousness and furthermore for political thinking, up to which all reaches in last turn in general. From o­ne letter this problem does not become property of consciousness and subject of public discussion. It needs some "critical weight" of the similar letters. When similar votes heard for the people and authority become enough much, then they will turn from "of o­ne crying in the wilderness" in the powerful organ, which will penetrate, as is known, through all walls, Kremlin including. Therefore I can o­nly invite you, as known composer, brilliant music expert and wise human ennoble and attach YOUR vote to an appeal "Making children a priority", having written the appropriate letter to the President. We, Russian, as is known, slowly harness, therefore abroad (already in nine countries!) better and faster support this appeal. There is o­ne more feature of the Russian mentality, which very much harms to us and does us by such backward, separate and poor: we do not trust o­nly power but also ourselves, in our energy and initiative, in our importance of the vote, let weak, but not equal to zero. To this our eternal laziness is added. We are given unique chance culturally to change ourselves and system, and we and to speak about it do not wish … Therefore this internal spoke in wheels of our soul we shall overcome for the sake of our children and grandchildren that even they have received real hope for the best life in the country in the future.
With deep respect, and the best wishes of harmony, sincerely yours,
Leo
September 12, 2005.
--------------------------
Dear Leo,
Several years ago I wrote to George W. Bush o­n a much easier matter for him to reply, and I did it through his father so as to make it more difficult for him not to reply.  I wanted him to appoint a social science group to advise him, but all I received was a form letter.
I admire you for attempting to make large and necessary changes in the world.  Your letter to Putin reveals a good deal of work o­n your part in pulling together the facts which serve as a basis for the letter.  But my own approach to large changes in the world takes me now in a different direction.  I'm attempting to organize a large conference of sociologists to carry further the development of a powerful approach to the scientific method as well as a direction for changing the human being's basic metaphysical stance or worldview.
We have different strategies but are working toward the same general goal. 
Best wishes
Bernie
Bernard Phillips, Retired Professor of Sociology; Founder and Coordinator, Sociological Imagination Group, USA
September 11, 2005
 
Dear Bernie,
Thank for your kind words of support. Yes, we have the same general goal. It is a harmonious peace but we have different strategies, which supplement each other. You know that I develop tetrasociology, which gives a theoretical substantiation for idea of a priority of children, as o­ne of variants your Web and Part/Whole approach. But socially our approaches are various: behind your thousand social scientists stand and behind a priority of children millions children, parents and caregivers stand. But, at the end, your approach too is aimed at them. You see your (and mine) new worldview is necessary first of all for young.
Therefore your new letter to the President Bush about the priority of children would not contradict to your strategy. As to effect from our letters now it consists in us, in our new position and in our example for other people and for other scientists. As to politics our appeal will reach then, when it will be supported by the majority of the population. For an example dynamics of public opinion in Sweden is interesting concerning so-called "antispanking" law forbidding to parents corporal punishments of children. In the beginning of the 20th century units acted for it. In 1970 it was supported by 30 % of the population, and in 2000 - already 92 %. Therefore someone should begin and show an example. Dynamics of support of new ideas in the 21st century will be prompter. As well as you I am the optimist therefore let's to work together in a direction of the priority of children. It will not weaken and will strengthen your strategy and your remarkable group of the social scientists "Sociological Imagination", which you have created and about which you care.
Best harmony wishes,
Leo
September 12, 2005.
 --------------------
Dear Leo,
I will respond soon I have been very busy this last week - away o­n a trip.
BTW, I forwarded your letter to President Putin to Tony Blair.
Best wishes,
Bernard
Bernard Scott, Professor of Sociology, England
September 11, 2005
 
Dear Bernard,
I am admired with your courageous act having sent my letter to Tony Blair! You give a very good example. But you, for certain, have accompanied with it by some o­ne's letter. I would like to receive it and to learn your ideas.
Best harmony wishes,
Leo
12 сентября 2005
------------------------
The previous letters:
-------
 
Dear Ada,
 
I very much admire with you.
Thank you very much for the publication o­n your Digest of the letters about creation of a Global Civil Movement "Making Children a Priority" (GCM MCP). Their publication is o­ne more confirmation of your support of this idea and this movement. The creation to children of a priority will have huge importance for Israel and Palestine, for a peace decision of their very long conflict. I shall note o­nly o­ne important detail: the movement for recognition of the children's priority will exclude an opportunity of their transformation in the alive bombs - suicides. Israel and Palestine will receive common global value and purpose, which will make your peoples by the friends and to put the end to infinite enmity.
In connection with importance of this movement for Israel and Palestine I offer you to become its Co-Chairman from Israel. I ask you to offer also candidates in its Co-Chairman from Palestine. Your participation in this quality considerably will lift a role of the IFLAC in strengthening of a new culture of peace.
I would like to learn your offers of the new GCM MCP Co-Chairmen and also your opinion o­n that I offer.  The Chairman of the Movement I see Dr Abdul Kalama the President of India, to which we are going to send the appropriate offer, or person of same scale.
The Co-Chairmens of the Movement I see: Hilarie Roseman, Rose Lord, you, myself, Evelin Lindner, maybe David Buckingham (Prof., sociologist from England, the Director of the Children's Research Centre in London), three doctors from Russia and number others. Many thanks you for your offers and opinion.
Warmest peace and harmony wishes,
Leo
 June 24, 2005
 
Dear Leo,
I accept to be Co-Chairperson of a movement called: MAKING CHILDREN A PRIORITY FOR PEACE AND HARMONY. Let us hope that our Palestinian counterparts will indeed educate their children for life and not for making them human bombs, as it has so tragically happened so often lately.
Best regards,
Prof. Ada Aharoni
IFLAC Founder - President
June 24, 2005
 
Dear Ada,
I am very glad to your consent and very grateful for real support of a movement MAKING CHILDREN A PRIORITY FOR PEACE AND HARMONY.
I also like your offer o­n expansion of a title of movement. I think that we can use two variants of a title: short, which has offered Hilarie and unwrapped, which was offered by you.
I have for you o­ne more very important offer. It consists in the following. You are the well known woman of Israel. You likely are familiar with the Palestinian (Arabian) woman, similar to you. If both of you have written the joint letter to the leaders of Israel and Palestine "Create to children a priority for the sake of peace and harmony of our peoples!", it would be a strong political and humanitarian act (step) to the peaceful resolution of conflict between Jews and Arabs. You could emphasize in this letter, that the priority of children of two peoples is necessary that children did not kill children, that children did not turn to the alive bombs - suicides, that the conflict has not extended o­n the subsequent generations that the end of this awful and infinite conflict, at last, was seen.
In the united movement to a priority of children, Israel and Palestine will receive common positive value and purpose, which can unit their by friendship and cooperation, will put peace and harmony between them o­n a place of war, terror and enmity. This peaceful project will be stronger than any other plan, it will be more significant than a "Road Card" and it similar means of the conflict resolution, because it will be incorporated and is embodied in the people, instead of in roads, walls, borders etc. This project would be addition and a qualitative development of the "Road card ". It would be the wonderful letter!
Warmest peace and harmony wishes,
 Leo
June 25, 2005
 
Dear Nonie, (Nonie Darwish, Palestine)
Leo Semashko, our IFLAC Director in Russia, who has created his own website titled: "Daughter of IFLAC," has suggested the following below. Please tell me what you think about it his suggestion. Though his English is rather poor, I am sure you can get the gist of it. If you want to write a few lines about "making the children a priority for peace," we can endorse it together, at our next IFLAC Conference in LA.
 Warm regards,
See you in LA soon.
Ada
Israel
June 25, 2005
 
Dear Ada (Ada Ahoroni, Israel) and Nonie, (Nonie Darwish, Palestine)
I have published o­n our site (page 7-6) Ada's letter to Nonie with the offer to write a common letter to the leaders of your countries about creation of a priority of children in Israel and Palestine. I hope that you have discussed this idea at your remarkable IFLAC Conference in LA. Now you see, what even Israel's output of Gaza does not reconcile your peoples and does not remove the enmity between them. In my opinion, it occurs because your peoples today do not have general spiritual values and humanitarian purposes, which o­nly and can pull together the peoples. Therefore, I am sure, that your joint letter to the leaders of your countries with an appeal "Making children a priority in Israel and Palestine", that for the sake of peace, harmony and well-being of children to refuse any acts of hostility to each other, will be a very timely and great cultural deed of historical scale.
You see children are equal and highest value of your peoples and cultures. Children in Judaism and Islam are little Messiahs. Therefore your letter would bring in a fresh line of general spiritual value (CHILDREN!) and encouraging note of the common humanitarian purpose (BOON of CHILDREN!) in process of settlement of your conflict. For this settlement has not enough spiritual, cultural and humanitarian dimensions, without which it can not be achieved. The enmity will proceed indefinitely without them. Your historical mission as mothers, grandmothers, citizens, people of art and patriots of these countries consists in bringing the humanitarian dimension "Making children a priority in Israel and Palestine" in process of conflict settlement. You know that many people in the different countries: Australia, USA, Russia, Brasil, England, India and others have addressed to the leaders or are going to address with an appeal "Making children a priority". Can be for your countries a such address is most important as it opens the new ways and peace hopes for your peoples.
Your letter will put powerful, but yet not used, humanitarian and value potential of children, and also their parents, grandmothers, grandfathers and all their caregivers making up to 80 % the population of your countries, o­n a bowl of peace and effective resolution of your conflict. o­nly o­n this basis can be established peace and harmony between the Israeli and Palestinian states and peoples. The priority of children provided with children's suffrage executed by parents will replace the priority of enmity and irreconcilability between your peoples and states. The priority of children is powerful chance of reconciliation, in which is impossible to miss any o­ne. Your letter will be supported by millions of children, parents, grandmothers, grandfathers and all the caregivers in your countries.
I hope for your kind publication of my letter in the IFLAC DIGEST. Please, excuse for my English. But the language errors can not and should not cover a sincere aspiration to peace and prevent desire to help your peoples and your children to get rid from sufferings of war, terror and enmity.
Warmest wishes of peace and harmony to your peoples for the sake of your children,
Leo Semashko
September 14, 2005.
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Dear Leo and Ada,
It would be my pleasure to write the letter after I am back from a trip to South Africa. I am leaving in a couple of hours and should be back o­n the 25th.
Sincerely
Nonie
Nonie Darwish, Palestine
September 14, 2005


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