Abstract
At the portal of our house, we have an old Iranian rug. Up close you can see its fine silk treads, each in its own unique way tracing out a pathway, but interwoven to form a coherent pattern: the tree of life. The tree of life is a common motif in many world religions, cultures, myths and philosophies. It reminds us of the interconnectedness of all life on our planet. It is a metaphor for what is good and true, the beliefs and values held sacred within each culture and that give meaning and purpose to our lives. As our Iranian rug illustrates, the tree is a living thing, its roots are deep, its trunk strong and proud, its branches reach to the stars, its foliage home to an amazing diversity of bird life, and sheltering beneath its canopy, deer and elk graze in peace.
Viniaka vakaniu- to be all good and useful like a coconut.
(Fijian idiom)
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- 1.
Thankfully I had written to all Ministers and UNESCO National Commissions and was able to send them the letter.
- 2.
At the time, 7,000 schools were part of UNESCO’s ASP network. It now stands at over 9,500.
- 3.
Sally Ride, the first American woman astronaut; Teri Lindner, US Outstanding Teacher of the Year; Federico Mayor and myself.
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Power, C. (2015). Education – The Tree of Life. In: The Power of Education. Education in the Asia-Pacific Region: Issues, Concerns and Prospects, vol 27. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-221-0_7
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