Growing Up With Values

Abstract

The paper deals with the problems of ethic learning. First we look at the social changes of the past three decades and we try to found ethic learning in this historical context of individuals and society, e.g. the Children’s Right Convention of the UN (1989), the Global Ethic (Weltethos) of Hans Küng (1990), inclusive education (Salamanca Statement 1994), holistic learning (esp. Howard Gardner), open learning forms, the foundation of the Institute of Integrative Gestalt Pedagogy and Spiritual Welfare (1983). In this social context the EU projects ETHOS and ETHIKA investigated about the situation of ethic learning in European countries and developed a lot of educational materials for children in kindergarten and schools in the age from 3 to 15. 

We plea to foster the value self-esteem for taking over responsibility because ethic learning and values education contributes basically to forming society. All religions should bring in their ethical potential, that people can consider themselves as citizens of the one global world, for which each one is responsible.