Title of our book. . . .is . . .

The Power of International Stories: Coming of Age in the Global Village.

 

Coming of Age in the Global Village, the subtitle of The Power of Culture project, was inspired by a combination of phrases and ideas.  A “coming of age” story in literature is a story that describes a main character’s transition from childhood to adulthood; it is marked by greater responsibility, some loss of innocence, and the gaining of wisdom.  As I was reading some of the students’ stories, I was struck by the way they captured their imagination, their hope to connect to other young people around the world, and their innovative ways of playing “host” to their nation and region.  As they became good hosts, they created personal points of entry to their nations, their regions, and their hearts.  Their stories and essays will inspire readers not only to travel to their cities and towns, but also to see these places through their eyes.  How could we read that the Siberian winter is the soul of Russia, and not see its splendor?   How could we read the simple lyric beauty of a story like “Frozen” and not wish to meet the Estonian student who created such an elegant balance of loss and struggle for forgiveness?  Through this project, our students have become our teachers.

            The phrase “global village” comes from a Nigerian proverb from the Igbo and Yaruba people, “it takes a whole village to raise a child” as well as the idea that the whole world in now linked, making it both large and small.  Through this proverb, the community is upholding the concept that children are a blessing, and because they are so valued, the community collectively tends to and invests in guiding young people to adulthood.  These organizers and contributing teachers are cultivating a shared place, a village, where we can nurture our students together, reflecting a shared vision that values our own cultural identities, welcomes those different than our own, and hopes that the seeds planted through this project will lead to greater understanding and peace within that global village.   

 Best Regards,

Allyson Daly, MA English

Teaching Excellence and Achievement Alumna

Goldsboro, USA