120TEACHING VALUES SECTION 4 THE FIVE EDUCATIONAL VALUES OF OLYMPISM WISEWORDS HISTORY HAS RECORDED WISE WORDS IN THE STORIES FROM MANY DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE WORLD. HERE ARE A FEW. USE THESE STORIES AS A WAY TO HELP LEARNERS TO SHARE THE WISDOM STORIES FROM THEIR OWN CULTURAL TRADITIONS. FROM CHINA Harmony and balance are important ideas in Chinese philosophy. Confucius, an ancient Chinese teacher, developed a moral code that included rules about people's roles and responsibilities. He believed that paying attention to duty and responsibility would contribute to achieving harmony and balance. " WHEN YOU KNOW WHERE TO STOP, YOU HAVE STABILITY. WHEN YOU HAVE STABILITY, YOU CAN BE TRANQUIL. WHEN YOU ARE TRANQUIL, YOU CAN BE AT EASE. WHEN YOU ARE AT EASE, YOU CAN DELIBERATE. WHEN YOU CAN DELIBERATE, YOU CAN ATTAIN YOUR AIMS." ( FROM THE GREAT LEARNING – A CHAPTER IN ONE OF THE FIVE CLASSICS OF THE CONFUCIAN TRADITION.) FROM ISLAM " THAT PERSON IS NEAREST TO GOD WHO PARDONS, WHEN HE HAS IT IN HIS POWER, THE PERSON WHO HAS INJURED HIM." " IT IS PROPER THAT EVERY RIGHTEOUS MAN SHOULD SHARE THE PAIN OF HIS FELLOWS IN THE SAME WAY AS AN ACHING HEAD MAKES THE WHOLE BODY ACHE." SAYINGS OF THE PROPHET MUHAMMAD FROM SOUTH AFRICA " I LOOK AT AN ANT AND I SEE MYSELF: A NATIVE SOUTH AFRICAN… WITH A STRENGTH MUCH GREATER THAN MY SIZE SO I MIGHT COPE WITH THE WEIGHT OF A RACISM THAT CRUSHES MY SPRIT. I LOOK AT A BIRD AND I SEE MYSELF: A NATIVE SOUTH AFRICAN, SOARING ABOVE THE INJUSTICES OF APARTHEID ON WINGS OF PRIDE, THE PRIDE OF A BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. I LOOK AT A STREAM AND I SEE MYSELF: A NATIVE SOUTH AFRICAN, FLOWING… OVER HARD OBSTACLES UNTIL THEY BECOME SMOOTH AND, ONE DAY, DISAPPEAR… AND IN A SAD WORLD WHERE SO MANY ARE VICTIMS, I CAN TAKE PRIDE THAT I AM ALSO A FIGHTER. MY LIFE, MY CAREER, EVERY SONG I SING AND EVERY APPEARANCE I MAKE, ARE BOUND UP WITH THE PLIGHT OF MY PEOPLE… THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WAS BORN WITH IN THIS WORLD, AND THERE ARE THREE THINGS I WILL HAVE UNTIL THE DAY I DIE: HOPE, DETERMINATION AND SONG. THESE THINGS I ALSO HOLD IN COMMON WITH MY PEOPLE…" 23 ( MIRIAM MAKEBA) FROM SOUTH AMERICA "! AMA SUA, AMA KJELLA, AMA LLLULLA – DON'T LIE, DON'T CHEAT, DON'T BE LAZY." QUECHUA GREETING DURING INCA TIMES. FROM INDIA In ancient times the Buddha wandered the Ganges plains of Northern India. He taught many lessons about good living. Many of his teachings can be read today. " NOT KILLING OR HARMING LIVING BEINGS. THIS IS BEING KIND. NOT TAKING WHAT IS NOT GIVEN [ NOT STEALING]. THIS IS BEING HONEST. NOT BEING UNFAITHFUL IN RELATIONSHIPS. THIS IS BEING TRUSTWORTHY. NOT USING WRONG SPEECH. THIS IS BEING TRUTHFUL. NOT TAKING DRINK OR DRUGS. THIS IS BEING CLEAR MINDED." THE FIVE PRECEPTS OF BUDDHISM Below Confucian writings are still taught in China today.

TEACHING VALUES AN OLYMPIC EDUCATION TOOLKIT SECTION 4 THE FIVE EDUCATIONAL VALUES OF OLYMPISM TEACHING VALUES121 FROM TURKEY " ONE HOT DAY THE HOCA WAS RESTING IN THE SHADE OF A WALNUT TREE BETWEEN CHORES IN HIS GARDEN. AFTER A TIME HE BEGAN TO NOTICE THE HUGE WATERMELONS GROWING ON VINES IN A NEARBY FIELD, AND THE WALNUTS IN THE TREE OVER HIS HEAD. ' SOMETIMES I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THE WAYS OF ALLAH,' HE MUSED. ' LOOK AT THAT GREAT WATERMELON GROWING ON SUCH A SPINDLY VINE, AND THOSE TINY WALNUTS GROWING ON THAT LORDLY TREE. IF I HAD BEEN THE CREATOR, I SHOULD HAVE PUT THE WALNUT ON THE VINE AND THE WATERMELON ON THE TREE.' JUST THEN A WALNUT FELL FROM THE TREE AND LANDED SMACK ON THE HOCA'S HEAD. RUBBING THE LUMP, HE LOOKED UP TOWARD THE SKY AND SAID, ' FORGIVE ME, ALLAH, FOR QUESTION-ING YOUR WISDOM. YOU ARE ALL- WISE. WHERE WOULD I BE NOW IF WATERMELONS GREW ON TREES?' " 24 FROM UNESCO " LASTING PEACE IS A PREREQUISITE FOR THE EXERCISE OF ALL HUMAN RIGHTS AND DUTIES. IT IS NOT THE PEACE OF SILENCE, OF MEN AND WOMEN WHO BY CHOICE OR CONSTRAINT REMAIN SILENT. IT IS THE PEACE OF FREEDOM – AND THEREFORE OF JUST LAWS – OF HAPPINESS, EQUALITY AND SOLIDARITY, IN WHICH ALL CITIZENS COUNT, LIVE TOGETHER AND SHARE." ( FEDERICO MAYOR, FORMER DIRECTOR GENERAL, UNESCO) FOR DISCUSSION What messages in these stories are also important messages in your community? Do any of these stories disagree with important messages or values in your community? Discuss these differences. Find words of wisdom from your own community or country. Make up a special " words of wisdom" poster that you will share with another class, or community, or country. 23 Billings, Melissa. ( 1998) Mosaics: Art and Music from Around the World. North Billerica, Montana: Curriculum Associates, Inc., p. 6. 24 Billings, Melissa. ( 1998). Mosaics: Everyday Life from Around the World. North Billerica, Montana: Curriculum Associates, Inc., p. 40. Below South African singer Miriam Makeba.