(ANS – Santo Domingo) – To promote a culture of respect for children and all minors,  the Salesian NGO “International Voluntary Service for Development” (VIS) and other partners local and international has organises an inter-religious meeting of prayer and discussion entitled: “Enough with violence against children: a positive education without cruel or degrading corporal punishment.”

The event took place yesterday afternoon, Thursday 17 November, in the Library of the main University in Santo Domingo. In addition to VIS, it was promoted by “Muchachos con Don Bosco”, a local Salesian partner, the international NGO “Vision Mundial” the local committee of the “Global Network of Religions for Children” (GNRC) and the Coalition of NGO for children.

The main purpose was to bring together for a moment of prayer the religious and faith communities in the country who share a great concern about the high levels of  violence suffered by children in the country in all kinds of situations: at home, in school, on the streets … Among those present were adults and children who are Catholics, Evangelicals, Protestants, Hindus, from the Bahai, Reiki, Sai Baba communities and the International Society for Divine Fulfilment.

It was aimed at assisting the main religious and spiritual leader to assume ethical and moral responsibility to encourage their faithful to make us of positive disciplinary methods, a loving disciplinary and educative approach instead of degrading corporal punishments.

After an opening inter-religious prayer prepared by adults and children of different faiths, the religious representatives signed a declaration committing them to fight every form of violence against children at national level and in the individual communities. The children played their part lighting a candle as each signature was added to the declaration.

The declaration will be handed over to Marta Santos Pais, the special representative of the Secretary General of the UNO for action against violence  against children  and the President of CONANI (the main Government Institution for children and adolescents) during a Central-American Meeting on this issue (Santo Domingo, 1-2 December 2011).

The event was held in the context of the worldwide preparations for “World Day of Prayer  and Action for Children” to be held on 20 November the  anniversary of the adoption of the UNO Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Published 18/11/2011