Keelung City Zhongzheng Junior High School—Refugees are people, just like you and me!
In recent years, the world has been in turmoil, with news of wars a common sight in the media. In places like Myanmar, Sudan, Ukraine, and the Gaza Strip, countless lives have been lost, forced to flee their homes, and become refugees. According to the latest UN statistics, by the end of 2024, the number of forcibly displaced people worldwide exceeded 114 million.
Are most children and teachers indifferent to these "distant misfortunes"? To most, war and refugees seem like mere numbers and news footage, unrelated to us, or we ignore them because we feel we can't do anything about it. In fact, many international media outlets and scholars have suggested that there are several regions of the world vulnerable to war and conflict in the 21st century: the Gaza Strip, Ukraine, the Taiwan Strait, and the Korean Peninsula. The Gaza Strip has been the site of decades of military conflict, and Ukraine was attacked by Russia in 2022. In Taiwan, where we live, China has been threatening us with military aircraft and warships since 2020. As a result, Taiwan was named the "most dangerous place in the world" by The Economist magazine in 2023. We should be more empathetic and vigilant about this issue. If we don't want to understand the current refugee problem, or are unwilling to do our part to help, then if Taiwan faces military conflict one day and we become homeless, will people from other places be willing to help us? War and conflict may not be the most terrifying things. The most terrifying thing is losing trust in humanity, losing hope in life, and losing faith in a better life.
War has a significant impact on mental health, with survivors experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. Many people around the world, including in Taiwan, may be constantly threatened, even without experiencing military conflict, resulting in significant psychological stress.
Our teachers understand the sensitive nature of implementing this curriculum design and hope that through it, students will understand that war is commonplace. No life should be harmed, regardless of the reason, and everyone's right to life and freedom must be respected. Through the course, students will develop a sensibility for the refugee issue, propose areas and methods for assistance, and identify feasible solutions for middle school students. Artistic creations will convey their concern for refugee issues and their urgency to maintain the current status quo of freedom and peace. Action plans will be developed to address issues of fairness, justice, and human rights. Proceeds from the sale of artworks produced by teachers and students related to refugee issues will be donated to organizations like Doctors Without Borders and Amnesty International, contributing to the relief efforts of displaced refugees.
