A World with Dignity
June, 2007
By Dan Shine, 50x15 Program Director

All of us are teachers.

We may not work in a school, or get paid the ridiculously low salaries teachers earn, but we still teach in some way. We teach each other; we teach our own kids how to navigate life; we share our view of the world. So then, how do you teach someone about dignity? I recently got the chance to visit a secondary school in Amman and talk to students about dignity.

It sounded pretty simple. We had a syllabus. We had posters. We had a translator. We were completely unprepared. Why? Because the students, who spoke better English than I do, had a better understanding about dignity than most people I have ever met. They understood that dignity isn’t something that can be given or taken away, but also recognized that without healthcare, education, income, and security, the pursuit of a dignified life becomes significantly more difficult. Their clarity regarding dignity as well as the instability of our world today was stunning. They each wrote a few lines that morning on what dignity means to them. Each essay was remarkable. Tamara’s, below, took my breath away, and I wanted to share it with you.

Dignity

When we hear it for the first time, you think about freedom of speech, free decisions, and even achievements.

If you decide to arrive to it (achieve dignity) you have to follow or share the right role in the play. Like Shakespeare said, the world is a stage. I think he meant our souls, because it is a big stage supported by a lot of actors and some secrets.

When we want to find it (dignity) we have to scour the continent in cooperation and even communication to make life ablaze by power and aims.

— Tamara, age 12, Al-Jubeiha Secondary School, Amman, Jordan

The empowerment of the Internet enables global visibility and understanding for people everywhere. If a child in Jordan can use Shakespeare to explain how to lead a dignified life, then certainly we must all become teachers, to make their lives ablaze by power and aims.

Dan Shine
50x15 Program Director