World Language for Equal Dignity (WLED)

Francisco Gomes de Matos, Director and Coordinator
An Applied Peace Linguist, Recife, Brazil, E-mail fcgm [at] hotlink.com.br, currently President of the Board, Associação Brasil América, a Binational Center. Please see an Interview with Francisco Gomes de Matos in the APIRS Newsletter (May 2005).

 

•  Poems on Broad Topics by Francisco Gomes de Matos
•  Francisco Gomes de Matos' Reactions to Current Events
•  Contributions by Others
•  Reviews

HumanDHS is primarily grounded in academic work. We are independent of any religious or political agenda. However, we wish to bring academic work into "real life." Our research focuses on topics such as dignity (with humiliation as its violation), or, more precisely, on respect for equal dignity for all human beings in the world. This is not only our research topic, but also our core value, in line with Article 1 of the Human Rights Declaration that states that every human being is born with equal dignity (that ought not be humiliated). We agree with Professor Shibley Telhami, who advocates the building of bridges from academia as follows, "I have always believed that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential for public policy. It is possible to affect public policy without being an advocate; to be passionate about peace without losing analytical rigor; to be moved by what is just while conceding that no one has a monopoly on justice." We would like to add that we believe that good scholarship can be relevant and consequential not only for public policy, but for raising awareness in general.

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Our World Language for Equal Dignity (WLED) project aims at focusing on linguistic habits that can help (or undermine) dignity, even though we might not always be aware of it. Please see some texts further down that highlight different aspects of this issue. The notion of human rights and its ideal of equal dignity for all call for attention to the details of the language we use, as a task within the quest for equal dignity for all.

Francisco Gomes de Matos writes about Humiliation in Brazilian History as follows (10th January 2006): Humiliation deserves inclusion in a list of Universals of Human Behavior: it is a trait characterizing human beings from earliest recorded history, sometimes documented through historical literature on forms of humiliation imposed on persons / groups / communities / nations, for example, humiliations imposed on peoples whose countries / lands were invaded, on slaves (here included people subjected, even today, to diverse forms of bondage as working for food and housing with no or minimal economic compensation), prison inmates, prisoners of war, political prisoners, and a whole range of socially excluded, marginalized humans such as people living in absolute poverty. As I look out my apartment rear window, I see a family of four using the Setúbal Canal bank as their home, having the grass and the shade of palm trees as their living space. To the huge list of types of humiliated in Brazilian urban areas, we should also add the psychically handicapped who beg on street corners or outside public places (especially churches), the jobless, the landless, and street corner kids (who readily, sometimes unexpectedly, wipe car windows, in exchange for a coin). Informal businesses (selling food and beverages without the municipal government permission), as the label for economic survival practices go in our culture, reflects both a sad economic reality, and a widespread loss of dignity and self-respect experienced by human beings deprived of fundamental human rights.
Given the universality of humiliation, its study, from mono, multi and interdisciplinary perspectives is to be expected. Thus, professionals in many domains have started identifying and analyzing aspects of such dehumanizing practices. In Brazil , interest in Humilation has drawn the attention of university researchers. An example of this is the Internacional Colloquium on Humiliation - Feelings, Gestures, and Words - which took place May 3 - 7, 2004 at UNICAMP, State University of Campinas, São Paulo . Its central theme was the place of feelings in History and a two-stranded organization was adopted: (1) a conceptual investigation of humiliation of the basis of knowledge created by Sociology, Psychoanalysis, Literature, Philosophy, Politics, and History; (2) the treatment of Brazilian and European historical experiences in the 19 th and 20 th centuries which reflected practices influenced by Liberarism, Anarchism, and Getulismo (a kind of -ISM inspired by the ideology advocated by President Getúlio Vargas /1883-1954). One of UNICAMP researchers from the History Department, Izabel Andrade Mason told participants about her Ph.D. dissertation, on the Revolução Praieira (Revolution on the beach). That label describes a liberal movement which took place in the then provinces of Pernambuco and Paraíba from 1848 to 1849, against the imperial government then ruling Brazil . Revolutionists were promised amnesty to those who surrendered their weapons, but such promise turned out to be a trap: on surrendering, the movement leaders were sent to prison, sentenced to life imprisonment with hard labor. As Mason puts it in her press interview (www.unicamp.br/unicamp_hoje/ju/maio2004/ju251pag05.html), a humiliating punishment was imposed on the then called rebels, by recently graduated magistrates.19 th century prisons in Brazil thus used humiliation as a way for reeducating inmates. Another UNICAMP History scholar, Italo Tronca told Colloquium participants that humiliation is not a distinguishing feature of contemporary Brazilian History (from 1950) but also of almost all universal History. He added that the world's greatest religions, Christianity and Islamism, give primordial attention to humiliation.
These introductory remarks, to do justice to the Past dimension in studying Humiliation in a Brazilian context, pave the way for a look at the Present Dimension, in a sociolinguistic perspective, given my professional preparation in such field.

Francisco Gomes de Matos has developed a sociolinguistic checklist with the aim to identify how humiliation is communicated in daily life, so as to create a database that can be used by policy planners who attempt to diminish and end humiliating practices. Please see Communicative Humiliation: A Sociolinguistic Checklist (2005).

Please see also his Two Typologies of Linguistic Rights (2007/1984).

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Poems on Broad Topics by Francisco Gomes de Matos

 

What Can HUMILIATION Be?
Francisco Gomes de Matos

It can be pungent
It can be pitiless
It can be poignant
It can be peaceless

It can be venomous
It can be virulent
It can be villanous
It can be violent

It can be depressive
It can be debasing
It can be destructive
It can be dehumanizing

Alas, it can be intangible
And very often invisible
Or even be indiscernible
But always humanly vincible !

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What Can HUMANENESS Be?
Francisco Gomes de Matos

We are human
Are we humane?
Do we ever walk
On Compassion Lane?

What's humanely being?
A set of values pure
Ways of humanizing
Making others secure?

How can we be merciful
When others we criticize
Can we show mercifulness
And make a humane surprise?

Human beings
All mortals are
Humane beings?
We're still so far!

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The Dignity of Differences
A Plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

There is
difference
disagreement
discord
dissidence
dissimilarity
distinctiveness
divergence
diversity

Needed: DIGNITY

We are
different
disagreeable
discordant
dissident
dissimilar
distinctive
divergent
diverse

Needed: DIGNIFYING OUR DIFFERENCES

Lets be DIGNIFIERS IN OUR DAILY DOINGS

.

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A WORLD NEED: Let’s BE(come) DIGNIFIERS
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Let’s become dignifiers
and treat one another with respect
Let’s become dignifiers
and always interact with affect

Let’s become dignifiers
and engage in peaceful communication
Let’s become dignifiers
always promoting global cooperation

Let’s become dignifiers
and foster gender sensitivity
Let’s become dignifiers
Enhancing cultural diversity

Let’s become dignifiers
and help in the formation of persons humane
Let’s become dignifiers
Seeing the worth of men and women as the same

Let’s become dignifiers
and support all forms of integrity
Let’s become dignifiers
Denouncing all types of dishonesty

Let’s become dignifiers
and develop universal humanization
Let’s become dignifiers
vetoing all kinds of humiliation

Let’s become dignifiers
And help acts of Justice increase
Let’s become dignifiers
Contributing to violence decrease

Let’s become dignifiers
and uphold individual magnanimity
Let’s become dignifiers
Reeducating agents of perversity

Let’s become dignifiers
and help economic injustice eliminate
Let’s become dignifiers
Ensuring Human Security to perpetuate

Let’s become dignifiers
and strive to solve conflicts constructively
Let’s become dignifiers
and avoid deciding disputes destructively

Let’s become dignifiers
and dignify others’ lives and our own
Let’s become dignifiers
and doing GOOD everywhere will be sown

Let’s become dignifiers
And responsibly our role in Nature play
Let’s become dignifiers
Helping Life on Earth sustainable to stay

Let’s become dignifiers
and help the position of FREEEDOM elevate
Let’s become dignifiers
and the RIGHT TO PEACE permanently cultivate

Let’s become dignifiers
Going beyond what we can signify
Let’s BE DIGNIFIERS
BECOMING WHO/WHAT we can DIGNIFY

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On Alliterations
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Alliterations are attractive
Senses and sounds synergized
Images, intentions if inactive
emerge, enchantingly energized

Alliterations are astounding
Sentence structure they simplify
Rhetoric and rhythm resounding
Transformative texts they typify

Alliterations are adorable
tact & tranquillity they transmit
Hope & Humility are honorable
Analogies, Applications they admit

Alliterations are associations
Similarity in sound is supplied
always in artistic appreciations
information or insight is implied

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PEACE: A TRANScending need
Francisco Gomes de Matos

PEACE
Much more than a longed-for universality
PEACE
Much more than a wished-for responsibility
PEACE
Much more than a deeply humanizing capability
PEACE
Dignity and Justice for Life-sustainability

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Peace through Prose and Poetry
Francisco Gomes de Matos

What is PEACE through PROSE?
A literary tradition which is long
What is PEACE through POETRY?
A new type of deeply humanizing song

Both call for creative imagination
Each constitutes a sublime translation
While prose thrives on argumentation

Poetry excels in sound-image creationProse can aim at human (re)conciliation
Poetry can inspire us with illumination
In peace prose, unlimited decisions to make
In peace poetry, a myriad delights to create

Oh, Peace writers, through your wisely-crafted prose
in universal peaceful language help us communicate
Peace writers, in all kinds of cultures please show
That a truly peaceful world only Harmony can generate

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Peace Day
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Establish a day as peaceday?
Peace is needed all the time
Every day should be peaceday
That’s my plea in this rhyme

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Prerequisites for Planetary Peace
Francisco Gomes de Matos

The list below has been created on the basis of the concept of alliteration. In this case, the author’s Thril Technique has been applied: threefold repetition of a word-initial letter in a meaningful, memorable message. Readers are asked/challenged to contribute to the enumeration, by adding items and filling gaps.

A A A - Advocating amicable actions

A A A - Achieving goals with appreciative actions

B B B - Building bridges of benevolence

C C C - Creating coalitions of NGOs on conflict issues

C C C - Cultivating constructive communication

C C C - Dignifying the discourse of divergence

D D D - Doing away with destructive devices

D D D - Deepening the dialogue through Democracy

D D D - Develop dynamic democratic institutions

E E E - Engaging in Earth-saving efforts

F F F – Fostering fidelity to freedom

G G G - Governing with global guarantees

H H H – Halting harm and humiliation

H H H - Harvesting a heaven of humility

I I I - Implementing instruction for integrity

I I I - Implementing international interconnectedness

J J J - Joining forces for the joy of justice

L L L - Learning to lead with Liberty

M M M - Mediating through moderation and morality

M M M - Multiplying measures against Misery

N N N - Nourishing a NO! to nuclear weapons

O O O  - Opening organizations to crosscultural orientation
             Orienting organizations to open-mindedness

P P P - Planting Peace all over the Planet

P P P - Promoting prosperity for the Poor

P P P - Promoting participatory Pedagogy

Q Q Q - Questioning quixotic queries

R R R - Relating Rights and Responsibilities

R R R – Redistributing richness realistically

S S S – Sailing on seas of serenity

S S S - Supporting safety and security

T T T - Treating tensions tactfully

V V V - Vetoing villainy and violence

V V V - Visioning values and environmental validity

W W W - Working for a world without wars

Milton Schwebel kindly added:

E E E - Enlightening Every Earthling

F F F - Facilitatiung feelings of friendship

G G G - Guaranteeing Good Governance

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On QUESTIONING - An Alphabetically Arranged List of Features
By Francisco Gomes de Matos, Brazil, assisted by Brian Ward, New Zealand

Introductory remarks

One of the most fascinating ways to CREactivate our cognition communicatively is by engaging in the process of QUESTIONING.
Below, an open-ended listing made up of NOUN + VERB in -ING. Also note that there is repetition of the initial letter in each compound phrase so as to enhance alliterative memorability.

What features would you question and why? What items would you add so as to probe a QUESTIONER’s repertoire of desirable features and describe the attributes of good questioning dialogue.

If an ADJECTIVE + VERB in ‘-ING’ construction were also being considered, what contributions could you make? Do challenge your word knowledge and competence as a user of concise English and try this in other languages as well.

Have fun and do contact me if you find this communicatively relevant!
A - AUTHOR-asking, autonomy-ascending, alternative-aspiring, advancement-anticipating..
B - Bravery-building, bridge-building, belligerence-barring, boldness-broaching..
C - Convention-challenging, criticism-constructing, change-making, counsel-creating, creativity-carving, counterbalance-composing, counterargument-creating collaboratively-creating..
D – Doubt-dipping, dignity-deepening, diversity-developing, divergence-disturbing, dogma-dreading..
E – Empathy-energizing, essence-examining, equality-enhancing, erudition-examining..
F – fact-fathoming, future-fantasizing, fantasy-filling, future facts finding..
G – goodness-guiding, grace-garnishing, gratitude go-getting..
H – Humankind-humanizing, honesty-harvesting, humiliation-halting, history-helping
I - In-depth-inquiring, insight-immersing, idea(s)-integrating, idea-inspiring
J - Justice-joining, justice-judging, joy-jousting..
K - Knowledge-kindling, kindness-keeping..
L - Liberty-leaping, life-liberating, language-leaping..
M - Mind-multiplying, maturity-marveling..
N - Nature-nurturing, negativity-nullifying or NOing..
O - Opinion-offering, option-optimizing, opposition-opening..
p - Perspective-probing, proposition-presenting..
Q - Quality-quenching, query-qualifying, quietude-questing, quantum-questing..
R - Reality-reaping, relevance-reassuring, research-readying, relevance-reasoning, reason-resonating..
S - Society-serving, strength-sowing, simplicity-sensing, sensitivity-searching..
T - Text toiling, truth-tilling, tradition-transforming, thought-testing..
U - University-understanding, unfriendliness-undoing, unintentionalities-unlocking, universally-unifying..
V - Value verifying, vulnerability-valuing, vision-valuing..
W - Wisdom-weaving, word-weighing, wellness-willing, wonderment-wandering..
X - Xenophobia-X-raying..
Y - YES-yielding, YES-yearning
Z - Zest-zooming

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Redefin(d)ing Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Peace as "absence of war" is traditionally defined
A positively-phrased conception has long been needed
So now, Peace is being more comprehensively designed
But how universally is such perception being heeded?

There is Peace in every kind prayer for good-will
And in every communicative action toward harmony
But other forms of peacebuilding there are still
That can turn Life on Earth into a friendly symphony

On the foundations of positive attitudes Peace can thrive
In brave acts of mediation Peace can play its powerful role
In intra/intercultural negotiation, conciliation can survive
For Peace is presence of justice serene in heart and soul

Peace is a permanent call to a free, democratic cooperation
And a force for reducing/eliminating all forms of violence
Peace is also a power against Human Rights violation
And a commitment to a sustained environmental conscience

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Creating a Paradigm for Peace
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Dear Evelin,
In my workshops on Communicative Peace, I challenge participants to create a PARADIGM FOR PEACE, that is, a list of verbs which can fill the first position in the phrase ACT FOR PEACE.

The challenge can be enhanced, if you say USE THE FIRST VERB THAT COMES TO MIND, THEN WRITE IT DOWN. ON COMPLETION OF THE ALPHABETICALLY ARRANGED PARADIGM, EXCHANGE YOUR LISTS WITH OTHER PERSONS AND DISCUSS HOW HUMANIZINGLY MEANINGFUL VERB CHOICES CAN BE AND WHY.

Here is a typical PARADIGM, from one of such cognitively-linguistically challenging practices:

FOR P E A C E

A - attract
B - build
C - create
D- dignify
E- empathize
F - feed
G - group
H - humanize
I - interact
J- joy
K - kindle
L - Lead
M - mobilize
N- nucleate
O- opt
P - reconcile
Q - quest
R - ally
S- speak
T - teach
U - unite
V - vitalize
W- work
Y - yield

Additionally, participants can be asked to creactivate one example of Paradigm for the letters x and z. The dual goal of this Peace-focused wordplay is to show that Peace is paradigmatic (exemplary) and that we can enhance Communicative Peace by probing its phraseology, through paradigms such as the one illustrated above.

Wonder if members of our group have ever thought of this communicative dimension?

Liven up for Peace!
Francisco Gomes de Matos, Recife, Brazil

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Conjugating for Peace
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Introduction - Conjugating is the practice of presenting the inflected forms of a verb. In English, it has to do with tense formation. In materials for learners of English as a second language, the following are considered TENSES: Present simple, present progressive or continuous, present perfect, past simple, past perfect, past perfect progressive, future
tense, future perfect, conditional tense(hypothetical past). In the poetic-statements to follow, that terminology will be used. Tense forms will be CAPITALIZED. Brief contextualization will be provided, for communicative realism. Readers are invited to provide other examples of CONJUGATION FOR PEACE.

Present simple

AM I peaceful, when insulted?
ARE you peaceful, when intimidated?
IS s/he peaceful, when antagonized?
ARE we/you/they peaceful, when criticized?

Present progressive

When AM I BEING peaceful?
When ARE you BEING peaceful?
When IS s/he BEING peaceful?
When ARE we/you/they BEING peaceful?

Present perfect

HAVE I BEEN a peaceable person?
HAVE you BEEN a peaceloving person?
HAS s/he BEEN a peacebuilding person?
HAVE we/you/they BEEN peacepromoting persons?

Past simple

When WAS I peaceful?
When WERE you peaceful?
When WAS s/he peaceful?
When WERE we/you/they peaceful?

Past perfect

HAD I BEEN peaceful, what good would that do?
HAD YOU BEEN peaceful, what change would that make?
HAD S/HE BEEN peaceful, what good would that do?
HAD we/you/they BEEN peaceful, what change would that make?

Future

When WILL I BE a peaceful person everywhere?
When WILL you BE a peaceful person in difficult circumstances?
When WILL s/he BE a peaceful person at home, at work, at school?
When WILL we/you/they BE peaceful persons in trying experiences?

Hypothetical past (conditional)

If I communicated peacefully, the disagreement would have ended (or would end?)
If you communicated peacefully, the disrespect would have ended
If s/he communicated peacefully, the dispute would have ended
If we/you/they communicated peacefully, the distrust would have ended

Concluding remarks

If all of us practice and probe this type of Conjugation
And power it with humanizing feelings from our heart and soul
People will act as a cooperative, harmonizing congregation
And PEACE will become a permanent, sustained Life-supporting goal

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A Peacelanguage for All: Universalese
A bilingual’s plea, by Francisco Gomes de Matos, an applied peace linguist from Recife, Brazil

In most of my life I have activated bilingual speech
and have benefited from a true marvel of cognition
privilegedly, in two languages I have been able to teach
I wish Bilingualism had been given global recognition

Portuguese and English I’ve also been visually representing
from one language to the other, my mind can so easily go
two languages integrated or kept apart, I’ve been presenting
I wish Bilingualism had been educationally implemented so

Bilingualism is a process or a phenomenon, some say
Others tend to view it as a unique, extraordinary ability
In fact, it has become a most desirable asset today
And also a much sought-after communicative quality

For me, the English language is “the other”
Since my native language is Portuguese
For all peoples to understand one another
A peacelanguage is needed: Universalese

Significantly, Multilingualism can be found in countries big and small
Peace for International Understanding is a desirable humanizing expertise
Farsightedly, couldn't Humankind wish there was a peace language for all?
In such spirit, communicative visionaries would create it: UNIVERSALESE

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Dreaming of Peaceland
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Indignity had already gone away
Humiliation would never take place
Injustice was not allowed to play
Inequality had changed its face

Now, dignity here could always stay
Respect was given a permanent seat
Justice helped all live the right way
Equality was treated as a shared feat

Had all of this finally come true?
Had life on Earth really changed so?
Had Harmony created planethood anew?
Had Humans learned friendship to sow?

Alas, that was only my sleeping imagination
visioning a Peaceland to be found everywhere
After waking up from that deep humanization,
I said: By always doing good, we'll get there!!

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Peace day? Every day
A poem by Francisco Gomes de Matos

There's an International Day of Peace
September 21 for it has been declared
Since conflicts never seem to cease
For peace every day have we truly cared?

It's great for Peace to have a special day
so the Calendar we live by can be humanized
Let's promote Peace in every possible way
And show that we are peacefully organized.

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A Plea for Positive –Isms
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

In human experience hundreds of -isms there are
many of which consisting of constructive facts
but alas there are also -isms undignifying by far
which often result in terrible, destructive acts

When well-established laws and institutions are rejected
And when violence and threats are used to intimidate
Human beings suffer for negative -isms are being projected
with an abominable, underlying intent to humans annihilate

How can utterly negative -isms be prevented?
Does Humankind have to be educated a-new?
More ways of unlimited love can be invented
For positive -isms to inspire us in what to do.

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A Plea for Using Positivizers
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Let's learn to use words that create affect
and their role in doing good let's weigh
for kindness has a communicative effect
on how constructively we live every day

Let's use words that can help dignify
and make people seek reconciliation
let's use words that can truly magnify
our ways to express deep appreciation

Let's use warm words that forgive
and interact with other persons well
the communicative example we give
may become an edifying story to tell

Let's use words that humanize
And help Justice to restore
Let´s use words that positivize
And say to Harm: Never more!

Evelin Gerda Lindner wrote (25/11/2007):
Wonderful, as always, dearest Francisco!
We will need your linguistic support in our NY workshops, because we always have the discussion whether using warm words does not unduly obscure the truth!
Sunniest admiration!
Evelin

Francisco Gomes de Matos replied (25/11/2007):
Warm words shine, hence, illuminate rather than obscure the truth. Using warm
words are communicative acts of courage, Evelin. They challenge us to
do good communicatively, a dimension which is also so often neglected in
human interaction... warm words, unlike WARRing words, can bring people
together... Warm words are not like WARNing words, often intimidating...

Francisco Gomes de Matos wrote (25/11/2007):
Dear Evelin,
Note that I coined the term POSITIVIZER on the analogy of Emphasizer, etc., which are used in well-known grammars of English, such as the one by Randolph Quirk et al. I think the term POSITIVIZER is productive: as language users we can positivize our messages, and use positivizing words, etc
The word always reminds us that communicatively, we navigate in waters that may be disturbed by NEGATIVIZERS. Wonder if you knew that there are Dictionaries of Insults in many languages... The corresponding Dictionaries of Humanizing words/expressions do not exist in print, as far as I know. They do exist in human hearts...
What would you and participants in the NY Workshop include in a list of Positivizing Nouns? Adjectives? Verbs? Why? This may generate a lively discussion.
Sunniest thoughts
Positivizingly,
Francisco

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On Tolerance: A Vertical Reading
Francisco Gomes de Matos

T enderness
O penness
L iberty
E quality
R espect
A cceptance
N on-violence
C ompassion
E mpath

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A Call to the Creative Reading of READING
A list describing or characterizing the many dimensions and distinctive features of Reading
Francisco Gomes de Matos

READING is forming
informing
reforming
transforming

READING is ascending
descending
transcending

READING is lighting
delighting
enlightening

READING is covering
recovering
discovering

READING is conceiving
receiving
perceiving

READING is mind-using
mind-musing
mind-amusing
mind-infusing

To provide an extra challenge to TESOLERs, for instance, I would ask them to add to the -ING sets and to contextualize all of the above uses. This can be fun. Take a set like

READING is anticipating
participating
precipitating (in the sense of separating...)

How would teachers contextualize each of the above?

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The Hardest Fight: For Human Rights
Francisco Gomes de Matos

First, we fight for The Right to Life
Which is the Right-Before
A primordial member
of a family to care for

Then the Rights-After
Not simply derived
But vitally realizing
A vision/mission of Human Rights

For all kinds of Human Rights
Living is a permanent fight
And how to realize them
Is a challenge to our might

The force of Human Rights
Still fragile it remains
Appeals, Declarations
Let's create new campaigns

Human Civil Society
Calls for a deep social change
Activism, engagement
A vast political range

Dangers, threats and tragedies
Human Rights fighters, let's face
And forms of violations
Let's continue to erase

The road to humanization
Watch for all kinds of traps and mines
That should be promptly neutralized
By courageous actions and signs

As Human Rights fighters
Let's combat the violence that stays
By providing Peace with full Power
Solving conflicts in effective ways

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HUMANIZing RIGHTS: A terminological plea
Francisco Gomes de Matos

How humanizing is Humanism
When we speak of Human Rights?
Let’s give the concept dynamism
and also call it HUMANIZing RIGHTS

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The Personal Nature of Human Rights - A Linguistics Approach
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Given the need for work in HUMAN RIGHTS to become more dynamic, engaging, involving, interactive, I would like to suggest that -ING be added to HUMAN so that whenever we think of / apply a philosophy/policy of HUMAN RIGHTS we do so dynamically by also saying HUMANIZING RIGHTS. This would reflect an intention to use such rights HUMANIZINGLY and, in doing so, to become a HUMANIZER and to see other human beings as potential HUMANIZERS.

Note that I´m not suggesting that HUMANIZING replace HUMAN but rather than we also use an alternate adjective which can convey the DYNAMISM implied by the actions of HUMANIZING, especially in the area of RIGHTS (and corresponding RESPONSIBILITIES).

In the spirit of our HUMAN DIGNITY community, for instance, we would speak of the HUMANIZING RIGHT of DIGNIFYING OUR DAILY DIALOGUES. Thus, HUMANIZING COMMUNICATIVE RIGHTS would be conceived of and represented dynamically with the addition of the -ING suffix.

Hope this will prove thought-provoking and worth discussing across cultures.

Francisco
Francisco Gomes de Matos, an applied peace linguist from Recife, Brazil

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The Vocabulary of Indignity: A Mnemonic Checklist
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Dear Evelin,
Our Research Group homepage is inspiringly titled Human Dignity and Humiliation. What happens if we change the word order and create this phrase: Humiliation of Human Dignity? As an applied peace linguist, I would reply: such combination of words could mean "humiliating treatment", usually conveyed/represented by nouns. Interestingly, such nouns typically begin with the prefix DIS, which has a negative, reversive communicative force. If colleagues ever decide to probe the language of Indignity, an easy way to start is to compile a list of such nouns in DIS. In my workshops on Communicative Peace (for teachers of English) I challenge participants to produce the mnemonically-activated "list of nouns to be avoided" and to discuss ways to change each item into its positive, dignified meaning. Thus, on suggesting that DIScord be added to the list, a positive opposite would be given: Accord.

Before providing a sample of such vocabulary of indignity, I'd like to share a bit of usage information: in American English slang, DIS is used with the meaning of "to show disrespect for "to belittle" (cf. Random House Webster's College Dictionary, 1997, p.372) Such Americanism made its written debut in 1980, and, as can be easily inferred, it is the initial syllable taken from such verbs as disrespect, disparage. Now, here is the checklist. What to do with it? One creative possibility is to provide the corresponding phraseology that can go with the noun. What would language users typically say when there isdiscourtesy, for instance? Research on the phraseology of both dignity and indignity would be most revealing, both intra and interculturally.

List of Nouns in DIS (would you agree with all inclusions? Why (not)?

Disagreement
Discomfort
Disapproval
Discord
Disconnection
Discouragement
Discourtesy
Disgrace
Dishonor
Disharmony
Disorder
Disintegration
Disorganization
Disparagement
Displeasure
Disregard
Distrust
Disunion /Disunity

Before closing, let me share two quotations. One by the Italian playwright Luigi Pirandelo, in his play "Six characters in search of an author, Act 1, 1921)

"Each of us, face to face with other persons, is clothed with some sort of dignity, but we know only too well all the unspeakable things that go in the heart" (cf. Words on Words. Quotations about language and languages, edited by David Crystal and Hilary Crystal, Penguin Books, 2000, p.)

How about applying such provocative thinking to our uses of languages for dignity?

Another quote is from the Greek playwright Aristophanes, who, by the way, wrote a play named PEACE. In his play The Frogs (translated by D. Barrett), two Greek playwrights - Euripedes and Aeschylus - engage in a lively interaction. The latter says: "Noble themes and noble sentiments must be couched in suitably dignified language." (My source: Words on Words. Quotations about Language and Languages, compiled by David Crystal and Hilary Crystal, Penguin Books, 2000, p. 147).

Cogently, peace educators have been reminding us that it is society's responsibility to help create conditions for human beings to be educated for dignity. In such spirit, applied peace linguists would add that "communicative dignity" is one of the requirements for "communicative peace" (to know more about that coinage, google the term) and that part of our challenge as researchers centered on dignity and humiliation studies is to documents, analyze both dignified and undignified uses of languages and the effects of such choices on people, groups, communities. It is largely through our vocabulary that we can humanize or dehumanize our communicative life, so may I ask you to apply this mnemonically-construed principle: Let's dignify our daily dialogue/discourse.

Francisco Gomes de Matos
Federal University of Pernambuco and Associação Brasil América, Recife, Brazil

---

A Call to Altruism
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Needed: unlimited unselfishness
In today’s self-centered world
Will more people value goodness
What lesson could they be told?

That unlimited giving can always exist
when expressed as good-will fractions
That, in doing good, humans can persist
And there will be more humane actions

Wise travelers on Selflessness Way
All of us can humanizingly become
As love-abiding citizens let’s say:
Honor thy neighbor, for we are oneone

---

A HumanizING LIFE
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Are we seeking a life of simplicity
in a world of increasing complexity?
Are we seeking a life of clarity
In a world suffering from obscurity?

Are we seeking a life of generosity
in a world of increasing stinginess
Are we seeking a life of compassion
in a world suffering from indifference?

Are se seeking a life of dignity
In a world of increasing indignity
Are we seeking a life of humility
In a world suffering from haughtiness?

Are we seeking a life of serenity
In a world of increasing disturbance
Are we seeking a life of sincerity
In a world suffering from insincerity?

Are we seeking a life of responsibility
In a world of increasing irresponsibility
Are we seeking a life of humanity
In a world suffering from inhumanity?

Are we seeking a life of integrity
In a world of increasing corruption
Are we seeking a life of unity
in a world suffering from disunity

Then, lets seek a humanizing life
And live by humanizing rights
That can humanize all humankind
And help us become humanizers

---

A Checklist for Givers
Francisco Gomes de Matos

1- Is your GIVING on, when there is GrieVING?

2- When does your GIVING become forGIVING?

3- Can your GIVING cure/heal/prevent misGIVING?

4- How can your GIVING become transGIVING?

5- Why is OTHER-GIVING (or ALTERgiving) also SELF-GIVING?

6- Why is GIVING the core of LOVING?

Note: TRANSgiving can be thought of as the in-depth, spiritual dimension of GIVING.

---

God, the Great (For)Giver
Francisco Gomes de Matos

GOD
GIVE
GIVER
GIVING
GOD GIVES
GOD IS A GIVER
GOD IS GIVING
GOD IS (FOR)GIVING
GOD IS FOR GIVING

---

Doing GOOD, an alliterative poem
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Doing GOOD derives from exemplary Dignity
Calling for courage, compassion, cooperation
It’s an OTHER-centered, altruistic activity
Showing harmony, humility, and humanization

Doing GOOD also derives from Divinity
Calling for commitment to consolation
It’s an indomitable, inspiring identity
Showing to limitless love a deep loyalty

---

Communicating Peacefully: A list of some of its distinctive features, in alphabetical order
Francisco Gomes de Matos

A cceptance, Affinity, Altruism, Amity
B enefaction, Benevolence, Benignness, Blessedness
C onciliation, Conflict-resolution, Cooperation, Cordiality
D edication, Dialogue, Dignity, Diversity
E mpathy, Equality, Equity, Ethics
F aith, Freedom , Friendship, Forgiveness
H armony,Humaneness,Human Rights-Awareness, Humility
I magination, Interaction, Integration, Interdependence
J oy, Judiciousness, Jurisprudence, Justice
M agnanimity, Mediation, Meditation, Morality
N on-aggression, Non-bellicosity, Non-belligerence, Non-violence
P atience, Politeness, Positiveness , Prudence
R apport, Respect, Responsibility, Reconsideration
S ecurity,Sharing, Solidarity, Spirituality
T act,Tenderness, Tolerance, Tranquility
U nderstanding, Union, Universality,Utopia

-------------
YOU are invited to add to the above list, either individually or in a spirit of sharing. What other features or traits could be added, so as to comprehensively
and deeply characterize COMMUNICATING PEACEFULLY? Challenge yourself/yourselves to adding other Letters of the Alphabet. Next time you communicate peacefully, reflect on its underlying features or qualities.


Contributions to the list, sent by Asher Shla'in:

A cknowledgement
A cquaintance
C elebrating
C ommitment
C oncern
D irectness
E xcitement
E mbrace
E ncounter
E ncouragement
G race
H ealing
I nvolvement
I ntimacy
L iberty
L inking
O utspokenness
R ecognition
R eassuring
S ulha
S traightforwardness
S upport
T ogetherness
T rust
T herapy
W elcome


Contribution to the list, sent by Robert T. Craig:

G entle persistence

Contribution by Tania Bosch Tamayo:
Dear Professor: I have been reading all the poems and I like them all.
I hope I can write such beautiful things some day.

P eople from Latin America
E ngage your hands and lift them up
A rise your voices in just one tone
C limb all together and in a song
E xpress those feelings of Peace and Love.

F ight for your rights
R eveal your hopes
E xpand the way to come across
E nhance your principles
D emand your thoughts
O rganize people in just one chorus
M ean it's America a Freedom Port.

Peace and Freedom

P eople from Latin America
E ngage your hands and lift them up
A rise from your voices in just one tone
C limb all together and in a song
E xpress your feelings of Peace and Love.

F ight for your rights
R eveal your hopes
E xpand the way to come across
E nhance your principles
D esire your thoughts
O rganize people in just one chorus
M ean, it’s America a Freedom Port.

Peace Smell in a Rainy Day

It's a beautiful and rainy day
The air feels so fresh
The nice smell of wet land
Gives a flavour of Peace and Faith.

How exciting it would be!!!
If the whole earth could feel this
Children, women, men could taste
Then, could share it, no regrets!!

Humanization

H uman kind needs to preserve
U nity, among countries
M agnanimity to disdain injustice
A lliance to disclaim poverty
N ationality to defend
I ntegration among nations
Z ipping cultures, sharing earth
A ltruism, between males
T enderness for females
I ndependence, not for sale
O ptimism plus deep faith
N etting World in Human Web

Saludos,
Lic. Tania Bosch Tamayo
Formación y Desarrollo

---

What is PEACE? What does PEACE look like?
Francisco Gomes de Matos

PEACE is such a humanizing flower
Whose fruit has a unique duality
Some of its seeds are inner power
Others are a transforming quality

When PEACE is seen as spiritual elevations
Its individual face is that of meditation
When PEACE is seen as improved relations
Its collective face is that of mediation

PEACE is a creation living in the heart
When it is shared, it becomes a symphony
PEACE is the most beautiful form of art
When it is played, it becomes all HARMONY

PEACE is compassion, cooperation, and hospitality
A deep respect for differences it always shows
How can we describe its captivating personality?
It is a positive presence we hope always grows

PEACE is deeply embedded in LOVE
Persons and peoples together it brings
Why is PEACE symbolized as a DOVE?
Dignity and Justice can fly on its wings

What does PEACE look like, we may ask
The answers are myriad, we should say
It can be everyone’s day-to-day task
PEACE is the road to GOOD under way

---

A Plea for Peace: A Creative Approach
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create a world free from war
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create for dignity an open door

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create a Society where Justice thrives
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create solidarity throughout our lives

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create friendly cooperation worldwide
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create places for enemies side by side

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create a world asking to be TRANSformed
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create a new Democracy humanizingly formed

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create for Peace a permanent place in the sun
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create equality, justice and respect for everyone

Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create new ways of being in harmony
Let’s deeply apply our imagination
And create a life-supporting symphony

Lets deeply apply our imagination
And create conditions for fair distribution of wealth
Lets deeply apply our imagination
And create a world strong in ethical and moral health

Lets deeply apply our imagination
And create new  forms of communication that are always kind
Lets deeply apply our imagination
And create communities that dignify, honor, and serve Humankind

---

Linguists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Linguists in their goals
Are certainly unique
To WHAT IS LANGUAGE?
Creative answers they seek

Language? A multidimensionality
Multifaceted, mentally marvelous
Shared by speakers, writers, or signers
For thoughts dignified or dangerous

Linguists can look at languages
As unified, holistic systems
Or can take these apart
But do languages have a heart?

Linguists know that human beings
Can Sense, No Sense, or Nonsense make
But to help humanize users
Brave steps linguists will have to take

Linguists can theorize
But they can also apply
Principles,concepts, insights
Socioeducationally justify

Very long and open is the list
of things linguists can do
To help human Society
Communicatively start anew

Linguists all over the world
In such spirit, unite
To describe, explain, promote
each language as a communicative (de)LIGHT.

---

Applied Linguists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

During the mid-forties you were challenged to write textbooks
The first extensive applications of Linguistics then took place
Giving Language Teaching materials good linguistic looks
Was the major problem you creatively had to face

Language and Culture you soon learned to relate
Learners' errors you contrastively worked to systematize
Language and Mind you boldly seek to integrate
Language Policy and Planning you now emphasize

In your mission, you can inspire Humankind
On how communicative problems to solve
So commit yourselves as linguists of a new kind
By doing Applied Linguistics with a deep resolve

Among the emerging areas in your macrodomain
Deserving a place in your interdisciplinary sun
A Peace Linguistics help develop and sustain
And so bring Communicative Peace to everyone

---

Filmmakers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Audiences universally you have been helping entertain
with films that make people experience a myriad emotions
the ultimate in cinematography you work hard to attain
But how well has PEACE been served by your productions?

Films focused on destruction, violence and war abound
How about movies on values such as dignity and respect?
Only a few films on Peace for Humankind can be found
So, please can’t you excel both in effects and in affect?

For peacebuilding films there is a growing need
Calling for deeply humanizing moviemaking
Into new dimensions your creativity can lead
So that fiction or facts, films be life-sustaining

---

Peace through Language
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

What is Language? A mental marvel
Used for all kinds of meaning-making
But how to integrate languages
Into the blessed marvel of Peace-making?

By avoiding verbal abuse
And aggressive acts of Discourse
So that our intended meanings
Are free from a collision course

Being communicatively friendly
In speaking, reading, writing, or signing
By interacting with persons and groups
And linguistically dignifying

For all languages to shine
Deep inside the human soul
Let's promote peaceful language
A global, permanent goal

Assuring everyone the Right to Learn
Is a universal priority
Learning to communicate peacefully
Is also a vital necessity

Language use can be loaded
As a weapon, some might say
Instead, give it PeacePower
As the true humane way

As language users, we are all different
But there's one role where alike we can be
As committed peaceful language users
Let's have faith: A kinder world we will see

June 10, 2005, Evelin writes:
Thanks so very much, dearest Francisco!
Again, a masterpiece! Again, what you write reminds me of our discussion as to whether avoiding "tough" language is naiv or not! You know my stance, namely that we can promote deep change in this world by recognizing that we are not mere re-actors to others' abuse, but that we are actors who can introduce a new culture of peace. The fact that others use abusive language, for example, has no power over us. It does not compell us to respond with "tough" language. As I wrote to you earlier, I admire you for doing the toughest thing there is, namely introducing a new culture, that, indeed, refrains from "tough" language!

Francisco Gomes de Matos responds:
Thanks for your warm, supportive message, Evelin.
Yes, we should be FIRM in our FAITH/BELIEF/CONVICTION that a CULTURE OF (Communicative) PEACE can and should be co-constructed everywhere, especially so in contexts where Language is being used as a weapon for dehumanizing, destructing, debasing, humiliating our "linguistic neighbor".
In such spirit,TOUGH, AGGRESSIVE, OFFENSIVE, INSULTING TALK should be NOT ONLY COUNTERBALANCED with TENDER TALK, but replaced by a UNIVERSAL, PEACE LITERACY ...
That's why I feel that an Applied Peace Linguistics has so much to offer, through prose and poetry. So do many other areas of humanization, among which EDUCATION,PSYCHOLOGY, SOCIOLOGY, LITERACY, COMMUNICATION, LITERATURE, ECOLOGY, to name but a few potential contributory areas.
Most gratifying to count on your affective support, Evelin.
Francisco

---

Language Learning for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Its at least a 25-century-old activity
Of Human History its a significant part
It has given language contact a quality
By activating each learners mind & heart

Language Learning is crossculturally useful
To enhance cognitive flexibility its a way
To apply Human Rights it can also be fruitful
Its relevance is great, language educators say

Language Learning has a deeper mission to achieve
Aimed at persons and peoples everywhere unifying
That of integrating Language, Learning and Peace
For communicative peace to be most dignifying

Language Learning is indispensable for planetary education
Its essential for making a constructive citizen of you
Language Learning can be a powerful force for humanization
Lets help all of our learners become peacepatriots, too

---

Children's Right to Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Why are children being killed
In today’s shameful, terrible wars?
Has Humankind become skilled
In keeping closed the Peace door ?

Why are children being victimized
In conflicts ripe for brutal escalation
Has Humankind been duly sensitized
In neutralizing such cruel aberration ?

Why are children being martyred
In bombings based on bitter belief
Has Humankind been duly mobilized
In giving suffering children due relief ?

Why are children’s rights being violated
In dehumanizing acts of every evil kind
Has Humankind been duly orchestrated
In showing our greatest duty is being kind?

Why can’t Humankind always do things that elevate?
Why do many people instead decide to say Yes to war?
Why opt for damaging, destructive actions that decimate?
Lets show children how adults can keep open the Peace Door!

---

EQUALism
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos for Robert W. Fuller, author of Rankism

That human societies are vertical
Is a sad universal generalization
That societies could be horizontal
Is a much-needed new interpretation

Why are people made socially unequal?
What roles/positions do they occupy?
How can persons be treated as equal?
What humanizing system could satisfy?

Lets seek a deeper  human quality
To replace the injustice of rankism
Lets transform todays reality
By planting the seeds of equalism

---

Rid the World of Rankism
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

When we put a person or people down
There's more than an act of humiliation
Because it's on Humanity we frown
And commit a human rights violation

When we put a person or people down
There's more than an act of minimization
Because it's on Human Dignity we frown
And disrespect the wisdom of cooperation

When we put a person or people down
There's more than an act of domination
Because it's on Human Equality we frown
And of Rankism we teach perpetuation

But if we treat a person or people well
So they will share their place in the Sun
The same humanizing story we will tell
Our World has become a Family of One

---

Textbook Writers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Your formative influence educators universally recognize
Creations of yours are made available almost everywhere
New approaches, techniques, and contents you organize
What humanizing, transformative role for all of you is there?

In your materials, relevant principles and values are introduced
To your great Tradition something deeper can now be added
For PEACE as a significantly present quality to be produced
Your creative talents and humanizing traits could be wedded

For PEACE educationally and crossculturally to be a Universal
Actions for personal and community harmony you could share
By taking Peacebuilding as a strong textbook-sculpting principle
And showing that for all of Humankind you have love and care

---

Women for Peace
Francisco Gomes de Matos

On March 8, worldwide your day is celebrated
For who/what you are, what you have done and do
But are your rights being recognized and protected?
Are you being treated with dignity and equality, too?

You are sung in multilingual prose and poetry
All forms of artistic creations you inspire
But between you and men: is there symmetry?
Against you many forms of discrimination still conspire

As mothers, daughters, sisters, or wives you serve Humankind
And caringly help build exemplary, sustainable family relations
As professionals you demand equal opportunities of every kind
Violence against you to diminish, disappear? Supreme elations!

Given the varied, crucial roles that in Society you play
To a deeply humanizing mission please be committed:
That of using you powers in body and soul to firmly say
May Peace in homes everywhere be permanently admitted!

---

Women
Francisco Gomes de Matos

W O M E N
your day
W O M E N
every day
W O M E N
Create the way
W O M E N
Harmonize,you say
W O M E N
Your love will stay

---

Literature for Peace
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Literature?
Feelings,forms,functions
Ideas, genres, and texts
Persons, personas, and plots
In esthetic, creative contexts

Meanings, metrics, metaphors
Prose, poetry, points of view
Writers, poets, critics
Imaginatively what can they do ?

Their attitudes, beliefs, and conflicts
Can be focused on facts, fiction, or force
Voiced through e-mails, epics, essays
In simple or mixed types of discourse

In verses, visions, and voices
New ways to be acquired
In songs, sonnets, and speeches
Irenic touches required

Let's claim a brave, universal right
Well beyond creative imagination:
That of sharing sublime Literature
Aimed at profound humanization!

---

A Plea for Peaceful Poerty
Francisco Gomes de Matos

Dear Poets,

Life and Liberty are themes you have explored
You often share reflections on forms of Passion
Among the values you wisely haven't ignored
Two inspiringly stand out: love and compassion

Poetry can give texts ecological validity
By making sounds, words and sentences perform
Varied roles with such humanizing quality
That the world you poets can help TRANSform

Please poets, use your creative power
To plant interactive harmony everywhere
For Poetry can become our Peace flower
Cared for and admired here and there

In one universal family united
Violence will always be told: NO!
Dignity and Justice, always invited
Will help Humankind peacefully grow

---

Peace through Prose and Poetry
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

What is PEACE through PROSE?
A TRADITION long
What is PEACE through POETRY?
A new type of song

Both call for imagination
Each a sublime translation
Prose thrives on argumentation
Poetry, on imagecreation

Prose aims at conciliation
Poetry, illumination
In Peace Prose, decisions to make
In Peace Poetry, delights to create

In Poetry, if an idea
Reflecting an ideal
Can become idealism
Live idealistically!

In Prose, if an act
Reflecting a fact
Can become a Pact,
Live tactfully!

Oh, Peacemakers,through your prose
A Peaceful World help us make
Peacemakers, through your poems
A World of PEACE generate.

---

Peace and Music: Always in Tune!
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

In both, there's accord
And sweet harmony
In four movements
It's a symphony

Both have tempo
Which slowly flows
Or which, presto
Rapidly grows

What's Peace for Two?
A joyful duet
And Peace for Four?
A fine quartet

Both of them are languages
For ideas, emotions
Peacemakers and musicians
share creative devotions

In Music, harmonization
In Peace,there's humanization
Musicians, will you humanize?
Peacemakers, please do harmonize!

---

Philosophers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

In your Love of Wisdom you have probed Truth
Many areas of knowledge you have investigated
Crossing Seas of Life and Oceans of Reason
You have led us to worlds hitherto unnavigated

From Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Wittgenstein we have learned
To understand and appreciate our mysterious Reality
Philosophy has been guiding and illuminating us
As we ask: What is Goodness? Where is Dignity?

Something deep and sublime you can also teach
Showing a Universal of Living which will never cease
Shared by persons and peoples all over the world:
A system for sustaining a Philosophy of Peace.

---

Historians for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

History is uniquely three-TIMENsional:
It can take us back to Antiquity
And it also keeps us company now
Inspiring Humankind into Futurity

History is a record of Ideas of Yesterday and Today
But is can also be used as forewisdom for Tomorrow
Especially as a record of Friendship, Harmony, and Dignity
Rather than only of Separation, Suffering, and Sorrow

Historians, play your formative role creatively
And help people learn on History of Ideas to wisely invest
Seeking lessons in Peace Patriotism East and West
For the love of History to be a universally shared quest.

---

Futurists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

To some extent, many things to come you can anticipate
Current trends in many domains you are asked to examine
As consultants, in creative, varied scenarios you participate
As visionaries, potential developments you help determine

In creating strategies for Humankind’s future
You have to keep up with accelerated changes
The expectations you form are not just a rupture
But the outcome of broad, imaginative exchanges

Persons and organizations worldwide turn to you
Hoping that for them you chart a better future
That with your vision you’ll know what to do:
Provide them with a friendly, far-sighted Culture

As professionals with a futurist’s perspective
New transformative forces you will uncover
One of them could become a permanent objective
That of making all Humankind PEACE discover

---

Future-rhyming
byFrancisco Gomes de Matos

If our future(s) we design
Only on what happens today
Then as foresighters we resign
From transformative roles to play

Although futures are challenging to see
Envision-imagine them positively we can
If humanizing futurists we want to be
Let's treat Life as a wise, creative plan

---

A Maior Riqueza (addressed to the world!)
The Greates Wealth
Poema-apelo de (a poem-plea by) Francisco Gomes de Matos, membro da Comissão de Direitos Humanos Dom Helder Camara, CAC/UFPE/Recife

Ó Mundo, tão poucos possuem tanta riqueza
Ostentam seus crescentes recursos materiais
Ó mundo, tão poucos possuem tanta riqueza
E afirmamos: milhões vivendo tão desiguais!

Ó Mundo, tao poucos possuem tanta riqueza
Falam de avanços, desenvolvimento, inovações
Ó Mundo, tão poucos acumulam tanta riqueza
E lamentamos: quantos milhões têm provações!

Ó Mundo, tão poucos possuem tanta riqueza
Falam de globalização e bem-estar social
Ó Mundo, tão poucos esbanjam tanta riqueza
E choramos:milhões morrem em absoluta pobreza!

Ó Mundo, que partilhemos a mesma Riqueza :
A que promova Amor, Igualdade, Justiça e Paz
Ó Mundo, que todos nós humanizemos a Riqueza
E engajemo-nos cristamente: nossa Fé é capaz!

English version:

Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
We hear boasting of immense profitability
Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
And we say: millions suffering from inequality!

Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
We hear boasting of immense financial innovation
Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
And we regret: millions subjected to deprivation

Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
We hear of globalization and rich market quality
Alas, WORLD, so very much belongs to so very few
And we deplore: millions are in absolute poverty

Oh, WORLD, let's share a wealth of the same kind
One that promotes Justice, Peace, and Social health
Oh, WORLD, let's share a world that honors Humankind
Oh, WORLD, let's all create a deeper kind of wealth

---

Economists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Economics is part of everyday living
As a core profession, it is well recognized
Scientifically, it is ever ramified
As emerging Economic Rights are realized

Working in business, in government or in academia
Different approaches you can apply
To help maximize national development
Individual and social needs to satisfy

You deal with vital goods and services
And make decisions from micro to macro ways
When you help solve problems of hunger and poverty
You bring human beings hope for better days

Economists, please share your expertise
To help improve life for all humankind
Think of yourselves as Patriots for Peace
And your strengths will grow in heart and mind

---

Educators for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Educators, help promote literacies
both well-established, emerging and new
So that more and more people everywhere
develop what, why, where, when, and how to do

May your educational wisdom
Always help foster autonomy
Please commit your learners
to sustaining democracy

In Freirean ways inspiring
You can teach reality reforming
As part of Citizen forming
And help with World transforming

May your profession contribute
To School frontiers transcending
So that learners East and West
To shared values keep ascending

Please Promote Human Rights
And corresponding Responsibilities
So your classrooms become lights
For equal and just opportunities

Of Peace you can be agents
In communities of creation:
Classrooms and Libraries
Integrated for humanization

In the History of Education
Relevant Pedagogies abound
Make Peace through Teaching
A powerful, permanent School sound!

The EARTH is to be loved
cared for and respected
Teach Environmental Education
Help the EARTH feel protected!

---

TEACHING is/involves/has to do with ..... An -ING LIST
by Francisco Gomes de Matos

TEACHING is adducing
deducing
inducing
seducing

TEACHING is elucidating
illuminating
stimulating

TEACHING is challenging
encouraging
engagingTEACHING is invoking
revoking
provoking

TEACHING is activating
captivating
innovating

TEACHING is forming
informing
transforming

---

Environmentalists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Among the universal challenges Humankind has had to face
Environmental problems are being given increasing priority
You're seriously concerned about what Pollution can erase
And tenatiously aim at improving Life on Earth's quality

You fight against the relentless decline of natural resources
But working to preserve the environment has another dimension
It calls for more than educating with eco-awareness sources
For promoting sustainable harmony means a deeper intention

Commendably, you advocate a world that is fecund, fertile, and free
To the right to a clean and healthy environment you contribute
You hope the impact of human beings on the Earth minimal can be
So let’s another relevant environmental mission to you attribute

The expertise and wisdom you have developed in Environmentalism
Are being put to a test wisely through Theory and Application
As environmental educators and scientists sharing values of Humanism
Help further dignify your work, by giving PEACE a permanent habitation

---

Writers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

By your prose and poetry readers everywhere may have been inspired
In your writings in thousands of languages, lessons you must have taught
Your textual creativity is researched, reviewed, probed and oft-admired
But how many hearts by your cognitive power will have been caught?

Your tradition of print is enriched with texts on line
New ways of writing are being ingeniously devised
Your motivations for writing are expected to be fine
But have universal practices of writing been humanized?

In genres that are rhetorically old or stylistically emerging
Values and Virtues, Vices and Vanities textually you propagate
In a myriad of forms and formats, socioculturally diverging
Reality and Fantasy you are cognitively challenged to integrateRejoice!

Communities of friendly writers are constantly being formed
Reflecting the blessing that communicatively humans may be kind
As writers, you can help world citizens be positively transformed
By showing that Peaceful Writing is truly dignifying for Humankind.

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Literacy Educators for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

In human development Literacy plays a crucial role
It enables persons to create their multiavenues
Where to engage in practices heart-and-soul
To cultivate and share deep humanizing values

More and more kinds of Literacy are created
Reflecting wishes, needs, and realities
A new universal type could be celebrated
One which combines distinctive qualities

Literacy educators, you a vitally inspiring source
In a Freirean spirit, you sustain freedom from oppression
Do help make Peace an ever-empowering force
And provide Citizenship with a wise progression

You can also teach Literacy for Peace
Communication and Peace help integrate
Humanizing Literacies will never cease
So Communicative Peace you propagate

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Constructive Communication Through Contrasts
Contrastive, constructive communication: Infinitival pairs for educating toward Communicative Peace. by Francisco Gomes de Matos

In some of my writings I have been advocating the fundamental communicative right, namely, the right every human being should have TO LEARN TO COMMUNICATE PEACEFULLY FOR THE GOOD OF HUMANKIND. One of the techniques I have been sharing with participants in my Constructive Communication workshops in Brazil is C C C: contrastive, constructive communication. By this is meant the pairing of two infinitive verb forms, the first one being the positively marked element, while the second one is the negatively focused element. Such pairing is aimed at challenging language users to reflect on, discuss and imagine contexts in which a constructive communicative act could be realized, and at the same, another act would be avoided. Also, each participant could answer these questions about each instance:

What would that mean to me?
How could I do that, as a language user?

In using the list below, readers are asked to justify the constructive communication highlighted in each pair and to create mini-dialogues in which the communicative contrast can be seen/heard in plausible conversational exchanges.

Note the partial rhyming at the end of the two infinitives. This is intended to enhance processing ease and memorability. Here are two examples: Construct rather than obstruct; Motivate rather than dominate.

An open-ended listing:

1. Appreciate rather than depreciate
2. Attract rather than retract
3. Include rather than exclude
4. Respect rather than suspect
5. Cooperate rather than manipulate
6. Regard rather than discard
7. Integrate rather than separate
8. Conduct rather than induct
9. Concede rather than impede
10. Intend rather than contend
11. Inspire rather than conspire
12. Invite rather than incite
13. Appeal rather than repeal
14. Illuminate rather than indoctrinate
15. Enthuse rather than confuse
16. Commend rather than offend
17. Propose rather than impose
18. Dignify rather than mortify
19. Conceive rather than deceive
20. Humanize rather than minimize
21. Produce rather than reduce
22. Inspire rather than require
23. Sustain rather than retain
24. Concentrate rather than deviate
25. Assist rather than resist
26. Clarify rather than mystify
27. Ameliorate rather than deteriorate
28. Encourage rather than discourage
29. Upgrade rather than degrade
30. Congregate rather than alienate
31. Partake rather than overtake

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Living and Literacy
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Living and Literacy together they need to go
In a world of being and seeing so many ways
Literates creating to develop and to know
And wishing for Humankind much better day

Living and Literacy together they need to go
For positive transformations to take place
That effectively can social inclusion sow
So people can harmonize on-line or face-to-face

Living and Literacy together they will surely grow
For dignity and human rights everywhere to come true
To all forms of illiteracy let’s committedly say NO!
So all of us help build a world humanizingly new

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LETRAMENTO: poemAÇÃO, por Francisco Gomes de Matos, educador-linguista aposentado (UFPE), atualmente Presidente do Conselho, Associação Brasil, América, Recife

LETRAMENTO....
é muito mais que um procedimento
faz multiplicar a cognição,
da cidadania é desenvolvimento
e promove multi-comunicação

É muito mais que um procedimento
faz toda pessoa sentir-se capaz:
Ler-Escrever integra um movimento
que meios de cultura leva e traz
É muito mais que um procedimento
criATIVA compreensão-produção
valoriza da vida cada momento,
diversifica a diária interação

É muito mais que um procedimento
porque pode ajudar a sobreviver,
a entender e vencer o sofrimento
e continuar dignamente a crescer
É muito mais que um procedimento
Dá pleno suporte à Educação
Saibamos honrar o Letramento
É direito-dever de toda nação!

---

Journalists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Public opinion you help form
Billions everywhere you inform
So much you can help reform
And citizens' lives you transform!

Good and bad news you announce
Bias, discrimination you renounce
Human rights violations you denounce
Freedom of speech do you always pronounce?

When some actions transpire
That against UN efforts conspire
How can you humanizingly inspire
And help us to Dignity aspire?

World events you cover
Challenges, problems you discover
Illegal, unethical acts you uncover
Please help Humankind recover!

By ear, by sight or by touch
You hold the communicative floor
As life-supporting voices
To Peace for all, open the door

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Peace as Global Media Might. A Poem-Plea for Ada Aharoni
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Let’s perceive PEACE as a Universal for harmonious Humanization
And answer "How can its omnipresence be felt, heard or seen?"
By integrating PEACE in an urgently-needed Multiculturalization
Through Global Satellite TV! What could such bold initiative mean?

Communicatively, all regions, countries and communities it would cover
By activating existing marvelous forms of spoken/visual symbolic sign
And also by imagining other creative ways peacebuilders can discover
On how to share PEACE as the core of Identity: yours, theirs, ours, and mine

Let’s support Ada’s PEACE-promoting plea
For it can both universalize and unite
Wherever we are: on air, on land and at sea
Lets help so PEACE can become a Media Might.

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Googlers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Dear Google Scholar-Support Team,
As an applied peace linguist from Brazil (fcgm@hotlink.com.br),
I thought I'd send you a brief poem-plea,
GOOGLERS FOR PEACE
and make a suggestion: that you invite
scholars everywhere to create GOOGLE-centered/inspired poems.

Here is my contribution (to be included in a book I'm preparing, Professions for Peace: Poems-Pleas and Related Texts):

Why is there much more to Googling
Than searching for information?
Because a dimension exists
Enhancing Education

It's a challenging Decision
That Googlers everywhere can make
By probing for Justice and Peace
Humanizing steps we can take

Let's all google for humaneness
Googlers' Road can be wide and wise
By creating peaceful knowledge
Global friendship we maximize

As Googlers we exchange knowledge
But that opens only one door
Let's medi(t)ate for Harmony
GOOGLE becomes PEACELAND ever more!

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Language Teachers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

(1) Language teachers, you are a privileged community indeed
A Federation – FIPLV – is aimed at your rights and needs
It encourages creative solutions to pedagogical problems
That everywhere call for friendly, cooperative deeds

(2) As a knowledgeable educator you can help
Your students make the most of their cognition
Develop their intra/interculcultural competence
And creaCtivate their language acquisition

(3) There is new, universal role
In which you can wisely excel
That of preparing your students
For the good to communicate well

(4) In 1987, LINGUAPAX was created
Having laudable, humanizing aims:
Promoting understanding among nations
Through languages used in peaceful ways

(5) A new constant in your lives is needed
That of peaceful language applying
For human relations to improve
And become mutually satisfying

(6) You can help educate humane learners
Through a Peace Vocabulary selected
So that using friendly language
Of all students can be expected

(7) Very long would be a list
Of peaceful things your students can do
In learning to use languages
Caringly taught by you

(8) When dealing with your learners' errors
Tolerance and sensitivity please display
View your students' creations humanizingly
For more important is what they say

(9) The first language and the second interact
And researchers say mutual is their effect
So view the two languages as integrated
So peaceful language can be direct

(10) In your profession, many parts you play
When meaning-making marvels you teach
Now, please take on the role of Humanizer
And PEACE will always be within reach

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Lexicographers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Dictionaries are certainly outstanding
Among the great monuments minds generate
They record, reveal, revivify cultures
Through what language users communicate

In print, CD, or on-line they are equally relevant
In many languages their benefits can multiply
Literacies varied and vital they are helping promote
With increasing standards of excellence to satisfy

How can all dictionaries deeply serve humankind?
Going beyond definition, exemplification
By improving communicative health everywhere
Making users aware of language humanization

The effective uses of language(s) also depend
On our Education to constructively interact
Lexicographers, please help humanize the World of Words
By treating Communicative Peace as a fact

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TESOLers against Prejudice
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

[TESOL: Teacher of English to Speakers of Other Languages, Inc.]

In a world sadly filled with indignity and humiliation
Against all forms of prejudice TESOLers should fight
So that in Humankind there can be a transformation
And all of us can play our humanizing role with might

Co-agents of equality, justice, and peace we are
To prejudice and related harms let’s always say No
To show that an equal, just, peaceful world is not far
Sustainable universal understanding let’s boldly sow

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Translators for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

The History of Translation is said
To mirror that of the World
But so many translated marvels
Have yet to be told

You go from one language to another
And cross cultures along the way
You're guided by a wise question:
What did the author want to say?

Between author and reader you mediate
By adding your own view and voice
You aim at pleasing both minds
So in your translation they can rejoice

In your goal of transcommunicating
You have your style to refine
So in using the written language
You probe it as a precious mine

You face a very complex challenge:
To translate the meaning-and-form of a text
And see each use of the source language
Placed in a natural-occurring context

When you paraphrase source texts
You're aiming at equivalence
When you crossculturally create
There can be transcendence

Among your many great achievements
There is one in which you really excel
That´s in more and more languages
God´s Word translating well

Translation is a field of studies
That has served human intelligence
It can have another vital mission
To be lived with social conscience

In your important profession there are
Rights and responsibilities to live by
Please think of Peace as a new Universal
In your humanizing work. Will you try?

How? By connecting authors and readers
And universalizing the force of harmony
By committing translators as peace agents
So everywhere to help build serenity

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Teachers As Readers/Writers: Rights and/0r Responsibilities
by Francisco Gomes de Matos who served as one of the word list reviewers for the first edition of The Literacy Dictionary(1995)

Knowledgeable about Reading and Writing
All teachers should have the right to be
the connection between Reading and Writing
All teachers should have the right to see

The key-vocabulary of Reading and Writing they should know
Of the nature of those processes they should be made aware
They should help all their students as readers-writers grow
and their repertories of creative abilities learn to share

ALL teachers should read exemplarily
And show how Reading/Writing to perfect
All Teachers should write inspiringly
And develop their literacies with affect

Teachers, teach Reading/Writing that empowers
And can universally shine as humanizing lights
help students see Reading/Writing as flowers
that either as prose or poetry create delights

---

Peacemakers for Earth
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Peacemaking is making Peace
Building, promoting peace of mind
Wishing for harmony never to cease
Working for the good of humankind

In the sea of virtues there shines your face
When you serve for sister-and-brotherhood
In the sun of values please find a place
For wholeheartedly caring for planethood

Prime attention to humanity you give
And to Earth you can also do the same
Show that it is ecologically that we live
And Eco-Peace will be your new name

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Peacemakers and Dancers for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

All peacemakers and dancers
Perform in a unique space
For creating happiness
Through movements with strength and grace

Peace words, like dancers movements
Can gently go round and round
And clearly show people
How to share the same ground

Peacewords can jump up
Or come down, it's true
They move from left to right
And vice-versa, too

Peacemakers are like waltzers
Who dance in moderate time
Or like ballet dancers
Whose gestures are sublime

Oh, dancers of the World
True peacemakers you are
Togetherness you play
Always near, never far!

Peacemakers, please open your arms
In movements soft, sure and sweet
Fondly embrace Dignity
And dance on Harmony Street

Dancers? Please perform your Art
Peacemakers? Peaceform your Art
Dancers, Peacemakers: share Arts
Deeply humanize your hearts

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Sociologists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

A dynamic field by thousands joined
Sociology started in 1839
When that key concept was coined
By French philosopher Auguste Comte

All human activities depend on society
Is one of the inspiring beliefs you share
Your permanent query "Where is society going?"
Shows about our well-being you care

Knowledge you take as a central concern
And study its production and transmission
What its social sources and consequences are
You research through ever-renewed discussion

To deal with relevant sociological issues
You can opt for a challenging specialty
And study Sociology of aging or childhood
Or commit yourself to health, law, or poverty

Given your praiseworthy focus
On the functioning of human society
Couldn't your research agenda include
Of humankind another propriety?

By that is meant the system of peaceful relations
Realized through constructive communication
Which can help fight all forms of exclusion
Especially abominable -isms as discrimination

As sociologists you can help the world TRANSform
In these times known for increasing violence
By expanding interdisciplinary horizons
Through a speciality enhancing shared conscience

For a subject promoting universal dignity
May this be considered a Plea
So please give The Sociology of Peace
A place in your sun and your sea

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Anthropologists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Humankind has been your permanent mission
Cultures remote, lesser-known you dignify
Beliefs and customs you describe and explain
In space and time where humans diversify

In your commitment to ancient and modern peoples
Your approaches, methods, techniques are many-sided
You probe archeology, biology, culture
So that insights on who we are can be provided

You integrate science and humanism
So, please echo a strong, universal call
That of always securing and assuring
A life with equality and peace for all

Please apply your anthropological expertise
To solve problems facing the world these days
So create a place in your humanizing sun
And show we're peaceful beings in many ways

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A Many-Cultured World
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

We share an ever-changing, fascinating, many-cultured world
where a myriad customs, traditions, and values daily unfold
where interactions near and far can become creatively bold
Lets unite: some day, only PeaceWorld stories will be told

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Psychologists as Peace Probers-Promoters
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

So much on the human mind
You're helping illuminate
Through domains broad and deep
Which farsightedly you create

To conditions, processes and states
In personal and community dimensions
Your research methods and techniques
Bring new and novel directions

Mental manifestations
Are variously realized
With perceptive organization
In the literature they're described

Harm, hatred, humiliation
Happiness, hope, humanization
Deprivation, deviance, discrimination
Support, sympathy, self-regulation

Denial, deviance, depression
Acceptance, assertion, affection
Villany, violence, victimization
Construction, compassion, cooperation

In today's turbulent world
So many conflicts to solve!
Of you, psychologists
Is expected a new resolve

Commendably you mind the Mind
And Peace of Mind you've inspired
Now to further serve Humankind
Peace probing-promoting is required

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Psychologists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Our knowledge of the human mind
you have been helping illuminate
through science both deep and kind
which farsightedly you can create

From conditions, processes and states
to personal, group, community dimensions
your research methods and procedures
enhance the value of humanizing intentions

A myriad mental manifestation
that is often intricately realized
with keen, perceptive organization
universally is being described

Harm, hatred, humiliation
Happiness, hope, humanization
deprivation, deviance, discrimination
support, sympathy, self-realization

Damage, denial, depression
acceptance, assertion, affection
villany, violence, victimization
care, compassion, cooperation

In today’s psychologically turbulent world
you have challenging problems to solve
of you, as committed Peace psychologists
is expected a new, courageous resolve

Commendably, in studying the Mind
much peace of mind you have inspired
How can you further serve Humankind?
Peace probing and promoting is required

---

From PEACE OF MIND to MIND FOR PEACE
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Is PEACE dozing? Needed: Activation
Is PEACE dying? Needed: REactivation
Is PEACE deciding? Needed: CREactivation
Is PEACE dividing? Needed: TRANSactivation

When PEACE is dozing, lets get it ACTIVATED
When PEACE is dying, lets get it REACTIVATED
When PEACE is deciding, lets get it CREATIVATED
When PEACE is dividing, lets get it TRANSACTIVATED

By ACTIVATING PEACE, its presence becomes a humanizing quality
By REACTIVATING PEACE, its power becomes harmoniously alive
By CREACTIVATING PEACE, its presence becomes a fertile diversity
By TRANSACTIVATING PEACE, its power becomes a planetary mine

Lets think of PEACE OF MIND as MIND FOR PEACE
And the powers of PEACE will be deeply applied
Lets take PEACE OF MIND as MIND FOR PEACE
And the powers of PEACE will be wisely multiplied

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Physicians for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

For my daughter Patrícia, a pediatrician

As old as pre-History
Is your medical profession
Wise traditions and bold trends
Give patients' health more protection

Of you so much is demanded
Of you so much is expected
As omniscient you are thought of
When life-and-death matters are decided

You play a relevant, vital role
In the well-being of humanity
By diagnosing and preventing disease
And persons/animals treating with dignity

You're committed to life preserving
As well as to human/animal life saving
You use technology and science
For life supporting and sustaining

In your Medicine there is poetry
When treatment and cure are facts
Which for your patients you translate
Through deeply humanizing acts

Please update your Hippocratic oath
In working for universal health care
By contributing to peace-promoting health
And to health-promoting peace

The world will always need you
For socially responsible you are
So please add Peace to Health
And make your blessings go far!

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Scientists for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Oh, scientists, the universe you probe
General principles you formulate
Original experiments you conduct
Precision and relevance you advocate

Nature you perceptibly analyze
For scientific knowledge to move on
Through theories renewed and novel
For researchers to be inspired on

In using the tools of technology
Science you're helping improve and refine
By engaging in international cooperation
An ocean of ideas you can fertilize

Whether you are on Earth or in space
You gather data, systematize, and discover
Seek solutions to complex problems
And hope mysteries to uncover

Please, also be peaceresearchers
And help explain harmony and disharmony
So that the findings of science
Can foster serenity and solidarity

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Politicians for Peace - and - Probity
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Aristotle has aptly mused
We are all political animals
This is also true: so privileged few
Are in Politics professionals!

Of those in government involved
Many qualities may be required
Participation, passion, persuasion
Have traditionally been admired

Opinions are always divided
What you, politicians are or do
But is there a Nation on Earth
That can do without you?

In Today's politicizing
Deeper values are in need
Let's add Peace-and-Probity
As indispensable indeed

Politicians be patriotically
Committed to Peaceful Probity
And give your career
A dignifying identity

Use humanizing language
And interact in harmony
So People Politics and Power
Can sing the same melody

Politicians, your values are vital
And your responsibilities manifold
Please, create a "Political UNIVERSAL"
With Peace-and-Probity as a new gold

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Law Enforcement Professionals for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Unique is your vital, dangerous profession
Policing is a universally recognized fact
You fight violent acts and prevent aggression
With citizens and communities you interact

You’re committed to maintaining law and order
Courteous and courageous you’re expected to be
In small towns and large cities you stop disorder
Your power through policing everyone can see

In reality, you’re a community-protecting organization
For the good of citizens your own life you can give
In fantasy you entertain readers and viewers imagination
A safe and happy life, fiction writers make you live

In doing your duty you never seem to be tired
In managing conflicts as a negotiator you play the part
For your strategic community services to be admired
Give *peacemaking*a permanent place in your heart

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Legal Professionals for Peace
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

Law renders a unique, indispensable service to Humankind
It contributes as a judicial system,a science and a profession
It is in courtrooms, law schools or law offices
That human justice finds a strong and clear direction

Legal professionals, you help sustain social order
And as judicial officers you can be so wise
When citizens and communities you represent
And on all kinds of legal matters you advise

Since many of you are justices of the peace
Let's capitalize on that important fact
And make a plea for all of you
As Universal Peace Patriots to act

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On Prisoners’ Rights
A poem plea by Francisco Gomes de Matos

The Human Rights Tradition we so proudly celebrate
Emerging categories of Rights constantly appear
But one of them from our attention can easily escape:
Prisoners’ Rights, that a misinformed Society may fear

Let’s show that ourselves we can humanize
By treating prisoners with dignity and respect
In communicating with them, we can harmonize
And teach Society that prisoners also need affect

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