WHY SHOULD WE CARE?

We care and share because "knowledge is power!"

By sharing the Harmony Approach we hope to heighten the ecological awareness in people so that together we can pursue a Sustainable Future for all.

“We stand at an historic moment. We face a future where there is a real prospect that if we fail the Earth, we fail humanity.

To avoid such an outcome, which will comprehensively destroy our children’s future or even our own, we must make choices now that carry monumental implications.

It is beholden upon each and every one of us to help redress the balance that has been so shaken by re-founding our outlook in a firmer set of values that are framed by a clearer, spiritually intact philosophy of life.

Only then can we hope to establish a far more sustainable economic system; only then can we live by more rooted values; and only then might we tread more lightly upon this Earth, the miracle of creation that it is our privilege to call ‘home’.”  King Charles III (2010:325, Harmony, A new Way of Seeing Our World) 

Our HARMONY LESSONS include essential values and competencies to enable reflection and action.

THE PRINCIPLE OF THE CYCLES

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT)

This is our last lesson. We are now familiar with the other timeless principles: ONENESS, DIVERSITY, INTERDEPENDENCE, GEOMETRY, ADAPTATION and HEALTH. 

The principle of the cycles will help us understand the dynamics and repletion of activities within the whole.

Cycles is a series of events that are regularly repeated in the same order. Nature’s cycles, or natural cycles are all terms that refer to the key life-sustaining processes in Nature, that work in cycles. Cycles mean that there is a constant and ongoing exchange of elements between air, earth, water, plants and animals. Nutrients in soils are recycled, rain is generated by forests, and life is sustained by the annual cycles of death and rebirth. Every dead animal becomes food for other organisms. Rotting and decaying twigs and leaves enrich soils and enable plants to grow, while animal waste is processed by microbes and fungi that transform it into yet more vital nutrients. And so Nature replaces and replenishes herself in a completely efficient manner, all without creating great piles of waste. This entire magical process is achieved through cycles. 

We all know that day follows night, seasons follow one another, but there are many more cycles within those broader ones and so many of them are interrelated so that the life cycles of many animals and plants link with one another to keep the bigger cycles moving. Built into these many cycles are self-correcting checks

and balances (adaptation) whereby the relationships between predators and prey, the rate of tree growth, and the replenishment of soil fertility are all subject to factors that facilitate orderly change and progress through the seasons and keep everything in balance. No single aspect of the natural world runs out of proportion with the others – or at least not for long. 

Learning and practicing these principles will help us put Nature back in her rightful place – that is, at the centre of everything! This includes our own imagination as well as in the way we do things. Fashions may change, ideologies may come and go, but what remains certain is that Nature works as she has always done, according to these natural principles. 

We must rethink our perception of the world in a straight line and shift toward seeing it in terms of cycles, loops and systems. Our intention must not be to master Nature and control her, rather we must act in partnership with her and this requires a broader or ‘whole- istic’ view. 

Let us look at a few examples of cycles in Nature we can see that they all have to do with how the earth renews itself. The living things within an ecosystem interact with each other and also with their non-living environment to form an ecological unit that is largely self-contained. Sometimes this renewal process is gradual and gentle. Sometimes it is violent and destructive. Nevertheless, ecosystems contain within themselves the resources to regenerate themselves. 

1.WATER CYCLES

All of the water that is on the earth has always been here. Earth never gets water added to it - nor does water disappear from the earth. Water is constantly recycled in a process known as the hydrologic or water cycle. Fresh water is more scarce than you might think. 97% of all the water on the earth is in the oceans, and so only 3% is fresh water. About 2.4% of the water on earth is permanently frozen in glaciers and at the polar ice caps. About 1/2 of 1% of the water on earth is groundwater. Only about 1/100 of 1% of the water on earth is in the rivers and lakes. Water is essential to life on earth, so it is important that we protect our water resources. 

Nature has a way of keeping the amount of water on the earth relatively constant. A large amount of water evaporates from the surfaces of oceans, rivers, and lakes every day. It forms water vapour that rises into the air until it cools, condenses, and forms water droplets. Millions of these droplets come together to form clouds. When clouds get heavy enough, gravity tugs on the droplets, and the clouds release their water as rain or snow. This precipitation falls into streams and rivers, which flow back to the oceans, seas, and lakes, where the water cycle can begin again. 

It is obviously clear that Water Cycle and the Life Cycle are one!

2. ENERGY CYCLES

The sun is the source of all life on our earth. Every form of energy, except for atomic energy, can be traced back to the sun. Happily, the earth is at the best possible distance from the sun for the sun’s heat to provide this energy for life. 

Energy from sunlight is used by plants to make food from air, water, and the minerals in the soil. This energy is stored by plants who are the primary producers in ecosystems. Energy sources such as the fossil fuels of coal, petroleum, and natural gas are really just ancient stockpiles of the sun’s energy stored in plants and the animals that ate those plants that are thousands or millions of years old. These fuels came from plants that used sunlight when they lived long ago. When these plants died, they fell to the ground where their remains piled up over thousands or millions of years. As this pile grew large, the remains at the very bottom became pressed together. Over time, these remains changed. Some became a gas - natural gas. Some became a liquid - petroleum. Some became a solid or a rock - coal. We use these forms of energy to power vehicles, heat homes, and run industries. Fossil fuels are considered non-renewable sources of energy because they cannot be replaced once they are used up.

3. LIFE CYCLE OF ANIMALS 

The life cycle of an organism refers to the sequence of developmental stages that it passes through on its way to adulthood. Mammals, reptiles, amphibians, birds, fish, insects and other invertebrates - they each have their own unique way of reproducing life. There is an amazing variety of life cycles within the animal world. Surprisingly, only about 3% of all animal species give birth to live young as part of their life cycle. Most animals lay eggs. All animals need to eat, to grow, to be safe, and to reproduce. This is all part of the life cycle. Their bodies are adapted in a wonderful range of ways to solve these problems of survival. 

In our Booklet you can read more about 4-LIFE CYCLE OF PLANTS 5-SEASONAL CYCLES 6-PLANETARY CYCLES 7-OXYGEN CYCLE 8-CARBON CYCLE and 9-NITROGEN CYCLE

The Principles of Harmony are reminders that Nature is ordered and that the laws that maintain balance are timeless.

King Charles III summarises this brilliantly:

“Fashions may change, ideologies may come and go, but what remains certain is that Nature works as she has always done, according to these natural principles. If we work against the principles, nature will rid herself of us. She has done so with other life forms five times.”

Values for THE CYCLES:

HOPE: A feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen.

Responsibility: The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something.

Competency for THE CYCLES:

 Adaptability:

Maintaining effectiveness in different situations, environments and cultures. This competency relates to the ability to interact effectively with people from varying backgrounds, environments, and cultures to operate effectively under systems and procedures that vary from one culture to another: and to modify behaviour as culture and environments change through time. Adaptability differs from Flexibility in that it focuses on a person’s ability to change behaviour in DIFFERENT cultures and changing environments. Flexibility relates to the ability to change behaviour within the SAME culture or environment. 

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.

THE PRINCIPLE OF HEALTH

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT)

Lesson six explored the importance of adaptation in maintaining life as we know it in our natural surroundings and even within our own body systems.

We already know that nature embraces biological diversity and that the health of each element is enhanced by there being a great diversity.

Biological diversity or ‘biodiversity’ for short is a complex web made up of many forms of life. For this web to work best, there is a tendency towards variety, which is interdependent, meaning no one element can survive for long in isolation.

This deep mutual interdependence within the active system sustains the health of each individual component so that the great diversity of life can flourish within the controlling limits of oneness. Every ecosystem contains an interlinked diversity of life, where each animal and plant is dependent upon the health of its neighbours. In other words, nature maintains health systems. 

 

For any organism to be healthy it must be in harmony. The converse is that a body is ‘diseased’ - it does not enjoy equilibrium. So, although we cannot see it, our health depends upon harmony and that extends to the impact of those external things that influence and shape our experience of and responses to the world. 

The principle of health requires us to look closely and learn from nature’s system to understand that the same dynamics that underpin the health of the natural world applies to our bodies. Our bodies remain in balance through self-sustaining systems. The way bodies maintain equilibrium mirrors the way that nature works. 

Better health can be promoted through understanding the self- regulating systems that are at the heart of how we thrive. It is crucial once and for all to remember that in order for humanity to endure alongside the natural world, we must have better relationship with everything else present on our miraculous planet. The soil upon which we stand on, is home to trillions of living creatures that air it and fertilise it to make it possible for us to grow our food. Soil per se is an abiotic entity. Like water, soil is not alive but it contains living organisms. The overall health of all these organisms is intimately linked to our very survival. 

All living things take and give back to nature to maintain harmony. Ancients knew how to “read” the soil, and developed appropriate farming systems to ensure it maintains its fertility and yields abundance. This abundance depended on nature’s cycles and even today indigenous societies still farm sustainably. However, it has become increasingly acceptable to use excessive synthetic fertiliser and pesticides for profitability. This industrial farming mode is not sustainable because it cannot be repeated again and again. 

A truly durable farming system is the one that has kept things going for 10,000 years – the one that is commonly called ‘organic farming’. This is actually how farming was always conducted before industrial techniques came to dominate agriculture. It means farming in a way that preserves the long-term health of the soil, which comes down to giving back to nature, organic matter to replace what has been taken out. It means maintaining microbes and invertebrates in the soil and good moisture. It means using good water catchment management, planting trees that prevent the soil being eroded and maintaining the teeming biodiversity, including the beneficial and essential insects, such as bees. 

Human beings are among the most complex of all life forms and yet it seems that we sometimes regard our collective and individual wellbeing as something equivalent to looking after a car. We mend the parts as they fail rather than seeking out and securing the causes of health, which tend to include wholesome food, rest, relaxation, exercise, a sense of community, enhanced by the quality of surroundings, relationships and contact with natural spaces. In fact, many developed countries have reported long-term increases in mental health problems. 

The combination of the stress of trying to keep pace with rampant consumerism and the impact of people living more isolated lives has led to many millions becoming victims rather than the beneficiaries of how we have chosen to achieve and measure progress. We must try and avoid cheap globalised food, bereft of identity and produced at massive environmental cost, holding huge risks for humankind, at many different levels. 

A more harmonious relationship with land and food – and thus ultimately with nature – can deliver improved health and food security for people if we embrace the more integrated and holistic approaches that can take us there. Indeed, if we allow nature to be our inspiration, we will be able to moderate our consumption, maintain healthy bodies and have time for mindful reflection about our life’s purpose. 

Mahatma Gandhi points out that: “It is health that is real wealth and not pieces of gold and silver.” 

Values for HEALTH:

care: Feel concern or interest; attach importance to something.

moderation: Doing something in a way that is reasonable and not excessive.  - An Ancient Greek Philosopher Epictetus observed that: “If one oversteps the bounds of moderation, the greatest pleasures cease to please”

Competency for HEALTH: 

Analytical Thinking

Logically breaking problems down into their essential elements (vitally important; absolutely necessary): carrying out diagnosis and developing solutions. Analytical Thinking involves looking for underlying causes, thinking through the consequences of the different courses of action and developing clear criteria for guiding decisions. 

Unlike Conceptual Thinking in INTERDEPENDENCE, which is about relating things and putting them together. Analytical Thinking is about breaking problems down into their different constituent elements –it is about deduction, drawing logical conclusions from the available information. As such, it uniquely describes the kind of sequential thinking, which for example, underpins planning activity. 

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.

THE PRINCIPLE OF ADAPTATION

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT)

In lesson five we looked at the principle of geometry and the sacredness of all life. We understood that the structures and patterns made by living creatures look the same whether the animal, bird or insect is in New York, USA or Dodoma, Tanzania. They are all guided by inert infinite intelligence that is constant and automatic. In this lesson we will look at how this infinite intelligence works in nature in order to maintain balance of all living things. The harmony principle of adaptation will reveal the mechanisms that enable life to persist and thrive in a specific geographical place. 

Adaptation refers to modification in being or doing for the purpose of surviving changes. In nature, organisms are constantly adjusting to their environment to fit in and thrive. Organisms can adapt to an environment by altering their body functions to increase their chances of surviving. Human bodies too adjust to their environment. For example; people who live on higher altitudes where air is much thinner than at sea level, inhale fewer oxygen molecules with each breath so their bodies adapt by developing an ability to carry more oxygen in each red blood cell. In other words, although they breathe like everyone else at sea level they are capable of supplying enough oxygen to their bodies without any mountain sickness, which a traveller in their area might experience. There are many examples of how living creatures adapt to their environment. Likewise, all human societies undergo adjustments in ecological, social, or economic systems in response to actual or expected climatic stimuli and their effects or impacts. Adaptation causes changes in processes, practices, and structures to moderate potential damages or to benefit from opportunities associated with climate change. Examples abound; we have seen how humans prepare for storms, floods, and disasters. 

We can see clearly here that the harmony principle of adaptation is teaching us to constantly “read” what nature is saying and adapt. It teaches us not to overuse resources because something else, somewhere must compensate to maintain balance. Over time, the number of predators and prey in an ecosystem rises and falls in a predator-prey cycle. As the number of prey increases, so does the number of predators shortly afterwards. This is because there is more food. This reduces the number of prey because they are hunted. Which reduces the number of predators because there is less food. This increases the number of prey and the cycle repeats. 

As humans, we consider ourselves the stewards of the earth, because we have imagination, and the ability to create sophisticated technologies for managing our own adaptation to our environment. The question is the sustainability of our development/adaptation models. 

Architecture for instance is at odds with how life is organised. We live in one-area and travel miles to work in another. Same with food production, leisure etc. We are overdependent on motorised transportation for our everyday need. Looking at modern life through the lens of the principle of adaptation we are faced with a big question: why are we not adapting? 

While the case for adaptation is clear, some communities most vulnerable to climate change are the least able to adapt because they are poor and/or in developing countries already struggling to come up with enough resources for basics like health care and education. Equally, the same communities might not want to stay on the right path of “simplicity” simply because they are stigmatised as not “developed.” 

We need to rethink our perception about progress and have the courage to make adaptations that respect cultural and environmental specificity. 

 An adaptation researcher Max Mckeown says: “All failure is failure to adapt, all success is successful adaptation.” 

Values for ADAPTATION: 

COURAGE: Is mental or moral strength to push through a difficult situation 

KINDNESS: Is caring about others and doing things to help make their lives better. 

Competency: Flexibility 

Flexibility refers to the ability to see the merits of differing positions: to change plans if circumstances dictate and modify even strongly held opinions in the light of conflicting evidence. Unlike Adaptability, Flexibility focuses on the ability to modify/change behaviour within the same culture or environment, whereas Adaptability focuses on different or changing environments. 

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.

THE PRINCIPLE OF GEOMETRY

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT)

Lesson four looked at interdependence to reveal the incredible inter-connectedness of Nature’s intricate systems to understand the relationships of giving and taking that sustain life on earth. In this lesson we shall explore the harmony principle of geometry in order to marvel at the greatness of Nature by discovering how it expresses the universal order that underlies all of life. 

The word “geometry” comes from the Greek word geometrein (geo-, “earth,” and metrein, “to measure”), meaning “measuring earth.” Geometry was originally the science of measuring land, which can be traced to Ancient Egypt. The Greeks standardised it to become one of the branches of mathematics. Geometry is concerned with properties of space that are related with shape, size, distance and relative position of figures. It is the geometry of matter that allows us to see beauty and differentiate visible entities. Interestingly, although geometry is a knowledge that appears to be produced by human beings, its expression and meaning exists independent of humans. Here we are talking about “sacred geometry,” which is the language of nature that creates visible, interrelated and interdependent patterns.

Just as humans use geometry as a mathematical basis for building structures, so does Nature organise life in geometrical patterns from individual cells to complete organs that form a visible organism. Geometry is a visual language that shows how the parts of a certain structure are connected to the whole structure, be it a tree, an insect, flowers, animals, etc.

The most important example of geometry in everyday life is formed by the nature surrounding us. If one looks closely, one will find different geometrical shapes and patterns in leaves, flowers, stems, roots, bark, the list goes on. The leaves on the trees are of varying shapes, sizes, and symmetries. Different fruits and vegetables have different geometrical shapes; take the example of an orange, it is a sphere and after peeling it, one will notice how the individual slices form the perfect sphere. 

Beautiful forms, symmetries and patterns surround us representing Nature’s visual grammar. It is easy to conclude that indeed, geometry is the sacred language of Nature. 

All forms of life are directly related to geometry to accommodate their growth without changing shape. Structures made by living creatures for example the hexagonal honeycomb by bees, spider’s webs etc are interpreted in terms of sacred geometry because they make precise numerical patterns that are replicable by the same creature anywhere on the planet. 

The ancients believed that the nearest the human mind could get to the Divine Mind was through numbers because of the divine proportions and relationship between the arithmetic of number and the geometry of the physical space around us. As a principle of harmony, geometry is considered sacred because it is essentially the original blueprint, the script for all of life and how it is divinely constructed and organised. It is the mathematics of the Universe, which forms consciousness and matter. 

Values for GEOMETRY: 

TRUTH: Is the actual state of a matter, an adherence to reality, or an indisputable fact. 

HONESTY: Is a quality of being sincere and being able to represent ideas in an accurate, convincing manner. 

Competency: Strategic Thinking 

Definition: 

Strategic Thinking shares with Conceptual Thinking the ability to put things in context and to think broadly. It differs from Conceptual Thinking in that it requires, in addition, the kind of thinking which involves looking into the future. Thus, it involves consideration of the future needs; thinking about how present processes and methods might be progressively affected by future development and trends; developing long term goals and strategies extending over significant time spans.

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.

THE PRINCIPLE OF INTERDEPENDENCE

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT)

In lesson three we looked at the principle of diversity in Nature and understood that our differences are to be accepted, because diversity is what makes nature resilient. In this lesson we will explore the principle of interdependence to see how the interconnectedness and inter-relationships of the diverse elements enable harmony within the whole. 

The health of each element is enhanced by the greater diversity within the whole. This is called ‘biological diversity’ or ‘biodiversity’ for short. The result is a complex web made up of many forms of life. For this web to work best there is a tendency towards variety and away from uniformity and, crucially, no one element can survive for long in isolation. There is a deep mutual interdependence within the system, which is active at all levels, sustaining the individual components so that the great diversity of life can flourish within the controlling limits of the whole. 

A good place to start exploring how interdependence works within the whole is our own bodies. The human body is an amazing and complete system made up of billions of living cells, which work in ordered and dynamic inter-relationships to keep us alive. Scientists have come a long way in figuring out the exact number of cells to be around 30 to 40 trillion. These cells work harmoniously, without conscious command from ourselves, as long as we keep supplying them the essential needs. (Oxygen, water, food, warmth, sleep). This process of supplying essential needs to our bodies has led us to have an economic relationship with the natural world. It goes without saying that, being part of the natural order means that we are hardwired to want to make the best use of the natural environment around us for our own survival. 

Humans need nature; we have created civilisation from it, we eat plants and animals, we use trees, sand, and rocks for building. We use chemicals and elements extracted from rock and water and air to power our civilisation. We use plant materials for energy, to clothe ourselves, and we breathe air that is kept at 21 percent oxygen by a complex suite of chemical equations much larger than any of us can comprehend.  We must remember that what we exhale, the trees are inhaling; what the trees exhale, we are inhaling every moment of our life. 

Going around without being aware of these processes is a “spiritual blindness.” Spirituality is about inclusiveness; allowing our consciousness to embrace the whole existence and our part in it. The wisdom of elders can help us begin to look at the world around us more holistic with eyes that see the essential power of interdependence and diversity. Fundamentally, the principle of interdependence teaches us that we are individual entities within a whole and to thrive, we must interact respectfully with each other because no single human can exist without input from others. Furthermore, it is our joint responsibility to ensure that our economic activities are ethical so that the extraction of resources from our planet is respectful of our planet; the only home known to humans. 

If we start by the awareness that the relationships that are inside us are also outside, and that no single organism can survive on its own, perhaps then we might look at the world more differently. If we observe relationships in the natural world, we will see that the principle of interdependence is

one of giving and taking. Sadly our “development” mode is focused on limitless growth and mechanistic view that does not put value on natural environments. 

The principle of interdependence requires us to think more holistic, respect relationships with other elements of Nature and to take nothing for granted. This way, we can cooperate as a global community in taking care of our shared planet. 

I will end the lesson with a nice summary from the Dalai Lama: 

“Interdependence is a fundamental law of nature. Even tiny insects survive by mutual cooperation based on innate recognition of their interconnectedness. It is because our own human existence is so dependent on the help of others that our need for love lies at the very foundation of our existence. Therefore we need a genuine sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others.” 

To be able to create this “sense of responsibility and a sincere concern for the welfare of others” we chose the values of TRUST AND COOPERATION for the principle of interdependence 

Trust: is a firm belief in the reliability, truth, or ability of someone or something. 

Cooperation: is the action or process of working together to the same end. 

For any cooperation to succeed, all parties must have trust that everyone will act according to what is agreed. In its narrowest sense, TRUST is the expectation that others will act morally.

Competency: Conceptual Thinking. 

Conceptual thinking is the ability to see things as a whole, relate different events, past experiences and new information to make connections and see patterns which can then be used to interpret complex situations.

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.

THE PRINCIPLE OF DIVERSITY

(SWAHILI AUDIO LESSON TRANSCRIPT).

In the second lesson we looked at the Harmony principle of ONENESS and saw clearly that we are part of Nature and not outside of Nature.

We already understand that our body itself is a perfect union of trillions of cells that work together all the time to enable us to live. This union of cells is made up of a great diversity.  Any union comprises of different elements.

In this lesson we will look at the importance of the principle of DIVERSITY to restore its validity and see diversity as a very sacred gift that enables Nature to work. Nature includes humans. Our bodies are made up of the same living cells that make up other organisms in Nature (ie the living world). Without great ecological diversity (biodiversity), the survival of species becomes endangered. The truth is that great DIVERSITY is a sacred gift for all creatures because the intake of food varies according to the systems of organisms. Diversity is therefore very important because it ensures all species thrive and that there is enough energy for every organism. Consider this; Even mosquitoes are gifts to the main ecosystem because their larvae are used as food for other creatures. These same mosquito larvae consume a lot of organic matter in wet areas, helping to restore nutrients to the ecosystem. Every creature returns what it takes from Nature. We all take and give back. There are many examples, I will leave it to you to investigate, you will be surprised by the miracles of this living web of life.

This living web of life is like a BIG FEAST full of different foods. Every creature serves itself according to its needs. All creatures are built with the ability to distinguish what is food, and what is not food or potentially harmful and what is a cure for any ailment. Even our ancestors used Nature as their pharmacy, they also had a moderated approach for enjoying this great buffet without disrupting the abundance or the cycles. The ancients understood the importance of diversity within Nature and that is why their folklore of joyful cooperation with Nature showed the limits that we were not supposed to cross in our daily economic and recreation activities. There was a humility that saw the GREATNESS of all beings and their purpose, because every living and non-living entity in Nature is important and has a right to exist on this planet.

In human societies, the diversity of gender, shapes, height, talents etc. was celebrated as a natural wealth that enabled the society to live and flourish. Just as diversity is needed to sustain life on earth, so too, societies need diversity to be able to operate their systems of mutual service. There are many examples, I will let you reflect on the diversity you have encountered since you woke up today, on a bed made by others, you are also reading this message on a device made by others. 

Diversity is an important principle of Nature that enables the resilience and sustainability of the WHOLE, and even human societies depend on the diversity of people’s talents within the society to be able to provide adequate goods and services to everyone. In the past, the times of our ancestors, societies respected and protected the different abilities of people to ensure that all basic services are available. The gift of the healer, the prowess of the farmer, builders, storytellers, midwives, comedians, spiritual messengers and so on. All these disciplines were taught as living oral knowledge and passed on in practice by those who had mastery. Here we see that DIVERSITY was like a NATURAL GIFT, because peoples’ talents differed.

Indigenous Knowledge is rapidly disappearing from the world after science and technology created faster means for connecting our world and standardising concepts that encourage everyone to seek uniformity. The traditional view of reverence for Nature’s diversity and abundance was ignored and societies in the so called “developing world” went on a copy and paste spree “modernity” in order not to seem “uncivilised.” This dangerous path overlooks the fact that progress is time and environmental specific. In 1998, the late Benjamin Mkapa gave an important message about the importance of Indigenous Knowledge through the famous publications of the World Bank:

I QUOTE HIM:

“Early humans tried and tested best practices for ensuring their survival, which they passed on to the next generation. Every geographical area had specific knowledge systems that protected diversity of life on earth. The problem started when standardising education systems enforced monoculture and relegated the role of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the background despite it being far superior in addressing local problems. 

Scientific approaches to knowledge generation,
as we know them today are, historically speaking, a very recent phenomenon. These modern approaches have brought about tremendous results: we have
the capacity to feed more than six billion people satisfactorily; vaccinations protect our children from once deadly diseases, we communicate with the help of satellites around the globe and we compete on global market places with our products. 

Yet, despite these achievements, we still have crises
of hunger, HIV/AIDS, illiteracy, isolation, and conflicts and abject poverty. As scientists struggle to respond to global challenges, they have increasingly distanced themselves from local ways of solving problems. Local solutions were even discriminated against as hindering progress, outdated, “old wives tales” or simply just unfashionable. 

As we “modernised” our societies, a “degree” in traditional or indigenous knowledge was not planned for. Hence, we overlooked its potential as a resource and even further neglected the knowledge that women and men, families and communities had developed themselves for centuries.” 

I FINISH THIS LESSON BY SAYING THAT:

Let us enjoy learning from others whilst respecting OUR UNIQUE GIFTS because diversity should be celebrated and not abolished. We have to develop an understanding of what to take from other cultures, and what to leave behind. We must have faith in ourselves that we are OK as complete and responsible beings, participating within a specific culture and environment and use our unique abilities to be of service to others and enrich our world with our GIFTS. 

VALUES TO ENABLE US TO RESPECT DIVERSITY are HUMANITY and ACCEPTANCE.

HUMANITY: Is the state of being guided by the knowledge given for the benefit of all. HUMANITY distinguishes you from other creatures.

ACCEPTANCE: Is understanding the uniqueness of others instead of ignoring them. It is of great important to live our motto #WE ARE A GIFT. We all entered this planet as gifts, and we have our gifts to be able to serve in THIS WEB OF LIFE.

COMPETENCY: Is INTERPERSONAL AWARENESS. As always, the GOLDEN RULE applies here. When you despise this person or that person; what if it was you? would you like to be despised? Attention to your words and actions will bring you back to HARMONY all the time so that you treat all other beings with HUMANITY and ACCEPT their presence.

For further explanation and understanding please request for the Booklet Copy.