CISV Programs - Village

During and after World War I, groups of citizens challenged the traditional concept of war as an honorable way to assert national rights. Early examples are the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and the Fellowship of Reconciliation, both founded in 1915. In 1945, as a protest against the suffering and waste of WW II, fifty nations established the United Nations, based on the concept of a "world community." In August 1946, another concept was added: the notion that education for such a community should start with children, so that they may grow up aware of a sense of belonging to the human race. For this education an organization was formed:

 

Children's International Summer Villages Inc. (CISV)

It was organized to give life to the idea that education for peace starts with children. The method of education is learning through doing; it is action in progress. This is the idea behind the Village.

What is a Village?

The Village is a four-week long international residential camp unique to CISV. Villages consist of delegations of two boys and two girls, all eleven years of age, accompanied by one adult leader. These delegations come from 12-14 different countries. In addition, four to six Junior Counsellors, aged 16-17, who also come from all over the globe, come together to complete the village structure. The host country provides the staff, who will be both from the hosting country and other countries with CISV chapters. In any event, everyone comes together to participate in a multi-cultural, multi-lingual, international camp.

The Villages emphasize international friendship and cross-cultural communication through cooperative living, non-competitive games, and a variety of typical camp activities such as arts and crafts, music, swimming and sports. One of the highlights of the Village experience is the "National Night." Each country plans one evening's activities around games, food, stories and dances particular to their own culture. Many countries have official costumes; these are worn on the national nights. Day by day the children learn that despite certain cultural differences, they have much more in common as members of the human family in an increasingly interdependent world.

The size of the Village is important.

The small size allows for children to develop close friendships with the other children. Equally important is the opportunity to practice the problems of everyday living in the children's parliamentary sessions. In the face of the many different languages represented, instead of aimlessly arguing, the children learn to deal with situations in alternate ways.

The Village process has evolved and developed since the first Village was held in 1951. (A video was filmed of the reunion). The Village gave CISV its name, and set the basic standards for the work of the organization. From this original concept, many other CISV programs have been developed.

Why the age of eleven?

The founder of CISV, Dr. Doris Allen, is a psychologist. From her extensive research she was able to conclude that eleven year olds are old enough to be away from home for the period of time required to attend a Village without getting too homesick, while at the same time still being young enough to have child-like curiosity and an open mind.

Eleven-year-olds are not as inhibited as adolescents, and are not as self conscious about making mistakes. Language is handled in a natural way with children this age; they will readily try out new words and phrases. With complete spontaneity they fall into sign language, demonstrations, and drawings. One of the most interesting research findings has been that communications seem to have struck a deeper level in situations where there is no common language. Many children, upon returning home from a Village experience, are eager to learn a second language.

The Aims of the Village Program are:

• To provide an experience in active coexistence by creating a model of society where children can learn consideration and cooperation through various activities;
• To provide the opportunity to participate in creative decision making; and,
• To use the Village as a place for learning to understand and appreciate different cultures.

It is important to remember that the location of the Village is not an important consideration in terms of the goals of the Village program. The Village experience will be almost exactly the same, regardless of whether it is held in Victoria BC or Bursa, Turkey. The Village will reflect the culture of the hosting country in terms of geography and climate, but the program's goals are very standardized.