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EEIU Moldova CYEO Reports & Letters

Report, Spring 2006 (from Chair Nina Streapan and School Manager Gazzaeva-Schwarz Alla)

Based on its experiences, the EEIU Moldova Chapter has published a brochure entitled "Eco-Ethics of Life." The Chapter's primary focus in 2005, the brochure is intended for tutors, students and pupils.

Sections include, in both Romanian and Russian: Methods of eco-ethical education; articles on eco-ethical education; results of the project "Eco-Ethics of Life"; and questions for eco-ethical trainings. The questions have been translated below in English. Please contact the Moldova Chapter Chair Nina Streapan if you are interested in obtaining a copy.

The offered training questions increase the level of ecoethical outlook, by providing the possibility to find yourself in the sphere of ecological self-identification. These questions may be used for joint discussions, round tables, seminars, conferences, competitions and other activities. Using the example of these questions it is possible to learn how to compose different training questions depending on the ecoethical problem under discussion.

The main purpose of the work on the training questions is to reveal to students the precious significance of moral categories, their vital necessity, and the will to follow ethical laws. It is essential for students to be interested in the search for the laws of relations between human beings and Nature and the laws of human existence, for the moral truths, lying at its basis. While comprehending the questions and looking for answers students come to independent conclusions and discoveries. Only in such cases will moral values become individually worthy values.

During the discussion of these ecoethical training questions it is necessary to set some conditions which will provide the opportunity for productive, successful work and the achievement of high results:

- benevolent mood;
- positive attitude towards the opinion of other people;
- short, motivated answers;
- never to interrupt the interlocutor, but to listen to his opinion to the end, even if you don't agree with him;
- self-analyses and cultivation of a personal world outlook on the basis of obtained information; and
- expressing gratitude for participation in this joint collaboration.

- comprehension of the value of the given activity;
- studying the literature concerning the given questions;
- leading conclusions for determining the level of ecoethical self-identification;
- establishing a new, higher level in resolving ecological issues;
- systematic improvement and self-education;
- appreciation of personal abilities in resolving societal problems;
- determination of personal significance on the Earth and establishing a positive, personal, active life position, for the realization of own qualities for the good of evolutional processes.

- turning a school class into a community of explorers and organizing the work in the class based on the method of "Socrates' dialog";
- children must have a social space for conversation on the topics that concern them, while at the same time these conversations should be guided in a proper way; - as in "Socrates' dialog", students search for the truth and work out "the good conception".

1. Evolutional processes on Earth
   1. Propose your understanding of the appearance of life on Earth.
   2. How did/does life appear in the Universe?
   3. Do the laws of development of the Universe have relation to the laws of development and the existence of Earth?
   4. Is the evolution of Earth a myth or reality?
   5. If the nature of Earth is still far from perfection, has the human being a right to restore it?
   6. What negative influence does the human being have on evolutional processes in nature?
   7. Can a human being positively influence the evolutional processes on the Earth?
      
      
2. The denotation of human being
   1. Do you think people have a serious attitude about their denotation on Earth?
   2. Have you ever reflected on why you have come to this world?
   3. If you have found the answer to this question, then do you correspond to your denotation?
   4. Is the human being the co-creator of the Highest Intellect in the development and safeguarding of life on Earth?
   5. Would the ecological crisis have taken place if people corresponded to their denotation?
   6. What can be undertaken to let any person become determined with his denotation?
   7. Do you consider the human being the top of the evolutional process?
   8. Can human beings participate in the development of life on other planets in the Universe?
      
      
3. Differences between human beings and other creations on Earth
   1. What is the difference between human beings and other live organisms in their origin?
   2. Do other live organisms acquire spiritual experience while living on Earth?
   3. Are other live organisms endowed with consciousness?
   4. Inspiration, creativity, will, morality, ethics, cooperation, and altruism: Are these conceptions inherent to any live organisms besides people? If so, how are they realized?
   5. Where do people's aspirations to suppressing and destroying other live organisms come from?
   6. Love: To whom is it inherent?
   7. Propose necessary conditions for a harmonious co-existence of human beings with other live organisms on Earth.
   8. Did the human being determine the denotation of all live creations on Earth? If not, explain why.
      
      
4. The role of love in the education of a child
   1. Do you think any person can be a parent?
   2. What is the highest denotation in being a parent?
   3. What is the difference between a loving parent and an accidental parent?
   4. Is it necessary to create a space of love in the family and what is its significance for the child?
   5. Does a child participate in the creation of a space of love in the family?
   6. What causes some children to grow up as egoists?
   7. Is it possible to educate a moral child, developing only the intellect?
   8. How do you understand a blind parent love? How does it influence a child's education?
   9. Is the responsibility of loving live creatures and society necessary?
   10. Are vandalism, sadism, indifference, and egoism hereditary traits? Clarify your answer.
   11. What is the difference between mercy, compassion and love? How are these traits educated?
       
       
5. Egocentrism and altruism
   1. Define egocentrism and altruism.
   2. What is the basis of activity of egocentrics and altruists?
   3. What is the basis of the motion force of progress, egocentrism or altruism?
   4. Propose your model of a society consisting of egocentrics or altruists.
   5. Is the ecological crisis provoked by egocentrics or altruists?
   6. Of whom should a mature society consist, egocentrics or altruists?
   7. How is the destruction of social relations and spoiling of biological interconnections in communities of organisms connected with the expression of people's egoism? Give some examples.
   8. How is the way out of the ecological crisis, the building of social benefits, and the setting up of world peace connected with the expression of people's altruism? Give some examples.
      
      
6. Spiritual evolution of people
   1. What destinations of human spiritual activity do you know?
   2. What whips up fear and superstitions?
   3. In your opinion, what develops a person spiritually: the fear of God's punishment or the love of God? Explain.
   4. What is faith? Is it always based on the truth?
   5. Name the world religions created by humanity. How is their evolution expressed?
   6. How do fanaticism and dogmatism influence the development of the spiritual activity of humanity?
   7. Do you think wild nature is heavenly? Should it be considered an eco-religion?
   8. How do religion, music, art and literature influence people? What is the purpose of these activities? How do they influence the spiritual development of the human personality and society?
   9. How does the degradation of personality happen and how does it influence the development of society and nature?
   10. How do you understand F. M. Dostoevskii's expression "Love and beauty will save the world"?
   11. Explain the concept of repentance and confession. Why are they necessary? What is their influence on the spiritual growth of a person?
   12. Which leads to progress for a personality: liberty of choice or limiting restrictions? Explain the role of laws, rules, and religious rituals in social life.
   13. Does the spiritual development of modern civilizations correspond to their intellectual development?
   14. Which of the world religions engraft a love towards nature? Give examples.
       
       
7. Biological evolution of the human being
   1. How did social evolution influence biological evolution and the physical adaptive abilities of a human being in the natural environment?
   2. During his social evolution, why did the human oppose himself to its habitation?
   3. In the fight for survival, what advantages did social evolution give to people?
   4. How did scientific/technical progress influence the physical abilities of humans?
   5. Find an interconnection between scientific/technical progress and the satiation of the human genofund with negative mutations. How do you imagine people's future in such a case?
   6. How are negative mutations reflected on the physical abilities of people? To what consequences can they lead?
   7. What mechanisms did nature use for purging negative mutations and why do these mechanisms not work in the population of the Homo sapiens species?
   8. What societal attitude towards handicaps and people with physical shortages was produced? What is the attitude towards this problem?
   9. What are your suggestions on firming and developing the physical abilities of humans?
   10. Can nature help us recreate our physical potential? How?
   11. How do you feel about eugenics (a psuedo-science which alleges the racial superiority of some groups of people above others and the proclamation of narrow-caste ideas about the physical and mental superiority of some people above others and destruction of "unfit people")?
   12. Does modern medicine contribute to the development and firming of the physical potential of humanity?
   13. Where are the beginnings of harmony of the spiritual, physical and mental abilities of a human? Give your opinion.
       
       
8. Difference between men's and women's values
   1. Whose values dominate in modern society, men's or women's?
   2. Is harmony in society possible if the values of one sex prevail over the values of another?
   3. In whom do moral traits like trust, open-heartedness, tendency to partnership and help prevail, men or women?
   4. Does the modern patriarchal society contribute to the development of relations like friendship, love, altruism, and collaboration?
   5. The way of internal development of positive traits is a feminine way. The masculine way is external success, with its attributes of power and suppression. How did this originate, and why?
   6. What masculine values provoked bloody, unending wars, violence, the destruction of nature and the ruthless exploitation of peoples?
   7. What do you think: Are there signs of the world turning to feminine values and a coming of the Epoch of the World's Mother?
   8. Would the coming of the Epoch of the World's Mother influence nature? How?

Announcement, 22 December 2005 (Nina Streapan, Chair, EEIU Moldova CYEO)

The EEIU Moldova Chapter has prepared a brochure entitled "Eco-Ethics of Life", published in Russian and Romanian, based on its experiences. The Chapter's primary focus for the year, the brochure is intended for tutors, students and pupils.

Sections include: Methods of eco-ethical education; articles on eco-ethical education; results of the project "Eco-Ethics of Life"; and questions for eco-ethical trainings (offered in English for members of other EEIU Chapters).

Please contact Chair Nina Streapan if you are interested in obtaining a copy.

Report, 10 May 2005 (Nina Streapan, Chair, EEIU Moldova CYEO)

On the 22nd of April, 2005, the Children and Youth Environmental Organization, under the leadership of Nina Streapan and on the base of School Nr. 13 of Kishinev, celebrated Earth Day. The program of ecological performances was composed by the school's biology teacher, Schwarz-Gazzaeva A. A.

The competition's Jury consisted of Chairman, doctor of biology Bushmakiu G., doctor of agriculture, representing the Institute of Ecology Kuharuk E. S., doctor of biology, Poyras L., doctor of phylosophy, Batyr T.

The traditional theatrical festival of ecological performances passed on a very high level and showed how important this direction is for the pupils' ecological education.

Fifteen groups from different schools participated in the festival. They discovered miscellaneous, local and global ecological problems of humanity and offered original ways to solve the problems. Participants presented scenarios, of which some were exceptionally interesting: Lyceums Iliade, Alecu Russo.

In the scenario "Once at a Dumpster" by biology teacher Schwarz-Gazzaeva A. A. problems of interrelations in society and attitudes toward homeless animals were raised. Problems of garbage utilization were discussed, with the solution of building factories on garbage utilization for obtaining of ecologically pure fuel — biogas — proposed to solve this problem.

A fascinating burst of children's fantasy was expressed in the competition of ecological posters. Creativity and inspiration was in the air: the hall was decorated with flowers, balloons, and posters, and the participants, wearing special costumes, had prepared delightful decorations and beautiful ikebans.

Such activities are very important for the ecoethical education and self-identification of children in our Republic, as they bring up the person of the future, who is full of love towards Nature and all humankind.

On April 29th at the Alecu-Russo Lyceum of Kishinev a philosophical and ecological seminar on the topic "21st century. Nature, Culture, Future of humanity" was conducted.  CYEO Members, pupils of School Nr. 13 under the leadership of biology teacher Schwarz-Gazzaeva A. A., presented their work on the importance of eco-ethical education. The work was declared a great success and the seminar passed in a friendly and productive atmosphere.

This year we celebated the 5th anniversary of our eco-pefomances. Since 1999 the Youth Ecological Association has been organizing these competitions. This "small jubilee" emulation was held on a high professional level due to the qualitative and faithful work of our Organizing Committee.

In addition to the eco-performances, the competition included flower, poster, picture and drawings handicraft and ecological newspaper exhibitions. The celebrations took place in School Nr. 13 where a truly festive atmosphere dominated. The best performance was considered to be the one played by the host-pupils of Nr.13 — prize winners of the previous years.

The new participants (junior pupils) from Eminescu Lyceum greatly surprised all of us. They manifested artistic skills and an optimistic view towards many important ecological issues. It was a very good example for senior pupils.

The perfomances touched upon ethical problems of the interaction between a human being and rivers, forests, etc. The problem of atmosphere and air pollution was dwelt upon as well. The spectators admired two eco-ethical tales, which the schoolchilden presented using a lot of folklore and satire. In this respect one cannot but mention Hiperion Lyceum.

Six theatrical studios received financial remuneration, the rest were awarded diplomas of encouragement for participants and various symbolic prices. The best actors and actresses were marked as well. There was an ecological quiz for spectators.

The festive ecological anniversary ended with a reception for the guests during which everyone was able to express their own ideas on the competition, for exhange about their experience in ecological education. This important ecological event was held thanks to sponsorship from Inter-Research and the very kind attitude towards CYEO of Prof. O. Kinne and the EEIU Coordinator.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

Report, 16 December 2003 (Nina Streapan, Chair, EEIU Moldova CYEO)

—	Project Name	Time Period	Funding	Partners	Project details	Mass-media Publications
1. & 2.	Ant-hill	1999, 2000	National ecological fund, municipal ecological fund	Zoology Institute of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova	Pupils of 7 Chisinau schools inspected 12 town parks with the goal of improving the state of ant-hills and guarding them. One hundred ant-hills were fenced in. Twenty one ant-hills were defined and a density ant-hill map was also made up. Competitions were held: placards, essays, quizzes, etc.	—
3.	School ecological posts	1999-2000	Regional ecological center in Moldova	The ecological organization of Moldova in Chisinau	Worked with schools and lyceums about the program Globe The Ecological Observation. Interrogation about ecoethics (In writing). Competition of ecological performance for "The Day of the Earth"	Articles in newspapers. Published booklet "Penetrating in nature" (1000 ex.)
4.	Ecological festival "Day of the Earth"	2001-2002	Local, national, foreign funds	12 NGOs of Moldova	The E. A. Y. held childrens competitions: pictures, quizzes, lectures, ecological performance "Nature and Us"	Articles in newspapers and magazines, radio reports
5.	Lady Beetle	2001	Municipal ecological fund	Association of zoologists	Studying and writing about Lady Beetles, phonologic observations, competitions, quizzes, pictures	Articles in newspapers and magazines, radio reports
6.	A day without Auto	2002	Municipal, national ecological fund	The ecological organization of Chisinau	Childrens' competitions, eco-concert	Many publications in mass-media
7.	Ecological performance "Nature and Us"	2003	REC Moldova	—	A theme of eco-performances this year was ethical relationships between man and nature.	Many publications in mass-media
8.	Eco-ethics and life	2003	REC Moldova	—	Republican competition of different tasks about ecological ethics and eco-ethical quiz	Many publications in mass-media
9.	Except work, seminary	About round	The project the E.A.Y. takes part in common with other N.Y.O. measures: conferences, tables, environmentalism actions (cleaning garbage out of parks, lakes, springs)

Beauty is radiation of divine ideas (Plato)

While admiring the beauty of the world a human being acquires love in its soul. Many people are constantly repeating the catchwords by Dostoyevsky "Love and beauty are to rescue the world". The more we enrich our knowledge of the Universe, the more we realize the wisdom concealed in this well-known expression.

Feelings that are aroused in us by beauty are very important for ecoethical education. It is beauty that possesses a surprising strength of influence — no matter what kind of beauty it is — beauty of Nature (non-created) or one of "human hands" (created). We are astonished by beauty, perfection, a flower, sunset, or a human face.

What does this wonderful phenomenon 'beauty' represent? In order to be more precise it is worth referring to the 18th century philosopher Edmund Burke's work on aesthetics "A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful". In Chapter 10: " I consider beauty to be a social quality, when men and women and not only they, but all the alive creatures, inspire joy and satisfaction in us by their appearance, they wake in us the feeling of tenderness and love; we would love to have these people nearby... Thus the strength of the beauty is... LOVE. In conformity with eastern conception the energy of love is interpreted as psychic energy or the energy of thought. Not each thought, however, is able to be transformed into the energy of love. Pure and honest thoughts only are capable of this transformation if those who create strive for giving the best feelings and actions to the Love-Object.

True Love does not look forward to taking from and acquiring. It feels like giving to and making others be happier. The Love Object is to be thanked for its existence only. Energy of Love is preserved in the form of information. If the thought-rate was high enough in the process of creation the density of information rises.

Live matter (or biosphere) contains a huge quantity of information. Due to much divine love, this matter is constantly capable of giving to all the Earth creatures, including Homo sapiens, everything necessary for life. The latter has merely to accept it and to learn to read the Great Book of Life that we call Nature. Unfortunately, after the human being has pulled out a great deal of pages in his attempt to erect something more perfect, he realizes that he went a wrong way and calls the latter "ecological crisis".

Nature is the Divine space of Love with God's thought implemented. When a human being "touches" Nature he sets a certain portion of Love that depends on the necessity of his/her soul and on its capacity to radiate kindness and Love towards Nature, Likeness attracts Likeness. Thoreau once said that the perception of beauty is a moral jesture. Divine space of Love arouses in the soul of he who contemplates delight and admiration as well as many other lofty and sublime feelings. Beauty is a medicine for the soul. Beauty of Nature in its strength if recovering action cannot be compared to any other "cultured" subject. Its healthy and remedy effect makes clear the propensity of the Human Being for Nature in the most difficult periods in one's lifetime. Instinctively one realizes that nobody can survive unless he/she sets a certain portion of pure vivifying and resuscitating Love-Energy. A human being is given the Great strength of Love. In teenagers the ability of accumulating and Love-radiating cannot be interpreted as love to the opposite sex only. This love is much broader and deeper. It is spread to all the things — alive and dead — that surround us when we are contemplating consciously and unconsciously.

The beauty of Nature bursts into the Name of Love. The more the Human creature gives, the more he gets. This statement sounds ordinary and common. Many would doubt it and would say: "The more he gives, the less he has". We sustain the first one, though we see the apparent truth of the second one. In fact the first statement is obscure and latent. We think that little or even nothing can be obtained if "giving" prevails. His not quite so... However this acquiring is not obvious.

Nature, in the broadest sense, presents us with its gifts. Often we do not realize how it happens. Nature is God's actions and will be with and in us. These cannot be and are not against us. Nature loves, but it also wants to be loved. The more true and pure Love a human being is able to give to nature, the quicker lucidity and transfer (with and in the human being) to the superior level of Evolution — occurs. Love Energy can be called a catalyzer of evolutive process because it is that which generates beauty and harmony. We do not sustain that Nature — untouched and non-spoiled by Man is really wild and call it wild by no means. How can a Man who has driven himself into technocratic jungles and who has, orally grown wild consider the Divine Space of Love to be wild? Wildness and the process of becoming wild is a regression, opposite to evolution. Primordial Nature is perfect and wonderful. Ecologists recognize this fact, but at the same time call it wild. Nonsense!

A word has a great power. Therefore let us believe taiga, steppe, equatorial forests — to be beautiful Nature — worth preserving, taking care of and defending.

Human beings are characterized by creativity. The more Love flourishes in them, the more perfect their creativity is. Great artists, poets, musicians are people who possess enormous reserves of Love.

Proceeding from our standpoint one can enumerate the main facts of ecoethical education. These comprise the following items:

• Breeding the culture of feelings through communication with Nature and Arts
• Creating by Human Beings the Space of Love, Harmony and Beauty

Human Being and Universe, Human Being and Human Being, Human Being and Animals, Plants etc.

Specialists in ecology are not entitled to pass this sort of literature by, as it teaches all of us a thing of vital importance: all mankind and each individual has to realize that the solution of ecological problems lies, firstly, in the changing of values, in their reconsideration and review.

While imbibing the Charms and the Beauty of Nature, people are changing their inner world and the One around them.

Literature: 1. Thoreau (1976) Walden, or Life in the Woods
2. Burke, E (1979) A Philosophical Enquiry into the Origin of our Ideas of the Sublime and Beautiful. Moscow
3. Megre V (1995-2002) Anastasia

Nina Streapan
Tatjana Batyr
Moldova Chapter EEIU
2003

1) Republican competition of different tasks about ecological ethics. For example: a rich man orders furniture made of ancient oaks. His daughter is against this decision, but the father explains that he will pay a large sum of money, enough to plant a whole forest of new oaks. The task is to explain who is right, the father or daughter.

2) Ecological quiz. Questions like:
- How do you understand harmonic cooperation between man and nature?
- Wild nature is a space of love. May a human create such a space?

We are making preparations for this year's ecological event 'A day without cars'.

With local citizens' initiative, united with life values, we began building the first eco-village. The primary aim is to create a space of love. This summer we had a trip in the Codru forest, a very beautiful place, looking for a place for our village. Unfortunately not all participants could afford to buy a plot.