NEVER VIOLENCE EXHIBITION OVERVIEW
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‘ Dear friends, ‘ I believe that we should start from ‘ A child that is surrounded by love ‘ The character of even our future ‘ Of course children should respect Never the bottom. With the children. and loves its parents learns from statesmen and politicians is their parents, but make no mistake For as long as we humans have them a loving attitude towards formed before they have reached about it: adults should also have lived on this planet, we have been I want to talk about the children. the whole of its environment, and their fifth birthday –– it’s a dreadful respect for their children, and not Violence! indulging in violence and war, and My worries about them, and my retains that attitude for the whole thought, but it’s true.’ misuse the natural advantages they the fragile peace that sometimes hopes for them.’ of its life.’ – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. have over them. What one would Astrid Lindgren is among the most well- Every five minutes a child dies as a result exists is constantly under threat. – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. known and widely read Swedish authors. of violence. One billion children globally – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. like to see in all parents and all Her inspiring vision of children growing experience emotional, physical or sexual up confident and happy, respected in violence every year, often at the hands So is there any possibility at all children is mutual loving respect.’ their dignity, protected from violence, of people they know, trust and love. This ‘ The children of today will eventually and supported to reach their dreams means half of the world’s children. of our changing fundamentally, – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. remains a reference around the world. It is surely no coincidence that Lindgren’s take over the running of our world, Astrid Lindgren first shared her story home country Sweden was the first in the before it’s too late? Of our ‘Never violence!’ in 1978, when she world to adopt a legal ban on corporal if there is anything left of it. received the German Booksellers’ punishment against children, in 1979. learning to distance ourselves Peace Prize in Frankfurt. In its Building upon Sweden’s ground-breaking essence, this story is also the vision law, more than 50 countries now have from violence? Of our trying quite They are the ones who will make ‘ What decides if a child is going of the Convention on the Rights of the legislation to prohibit all forms of Child. The Convention is the most violence against children, including simply to become a new kind of to become a warm, open, trusting widely ratified human rights treaty in within the home, and many others are decisions concerning war and history and places children’s freedom moving in the same direction. human beings? But how could person with a propensity for from violence at the heart of its peace and the kind of society Ensuring children’s freedom from concerns. Freedom from violence is violence is a goal we must pursue with a communal feelings or a callous, also a fundamental commitment the we go about that, and where they want to have –– if they want deep sense of urgency. Together, we can international community has pledged to achieve a world of peace for children and destructive lone wolf is up to those uphold with the adoption of the global should we start?’ a society in which violence secure a world of peace for us all. Agenda for Sustainable Development, – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. who bring the child into the world which includes a distinct target for the continues to grow, or if they prefer Marta Santos Pais elimination of all forms of violence First UN Special Representative of the Secretary General and teach it the meaning of love –– against children by the year 2030. on Violence against Children (2009-2019) one in which people live in peace and brotherhood.’ or fail to bring home to it what
– Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’. love entails.’ – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech ‘Never violence!’.
Illustrations: Stina Wirsén
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‘ I should like to tell all those clamouring Perhaps it would be a good idea for us for a more rigorous approach and tighter all to have a little stone on a shelf in reins what an old lady once told me. our kitchens as a permanent reminder for She was a young mother in the days ourselves and our children: never violence! Astrid Lindgren when people still believed in the idea Despite everything, that might of “Spare the rod and spoil the child” eventually become a small contribution –– or rather, she didn’t really believe in to world peace.’ Astrid Lindgren (1907–2002) is one of the Astrid was an unafraid and persuasive it, but one day when her little boy did Why never violence – Excerpt from Astrid Lindgren’s speech most widely-read authors of children’s person who fought for children’s rights, something naughty, she decided he had books in the world, and her stories have equality for all of mankind, non- ‘Never violence!’. to have a good hiding, the first one of been translated into almost a hundred violence, and not least for the humane his life. She told him to go out and find a – a statement languages. Pippi Longstocking, Emil, treatment of animals and a respect for suitably supple stick or rod for her to use. Karlson on the Roof, The Brothers Lionheart, nature. Her crusades to mould public The little boy was away for a long time. The Bullerby (Noisy Village) Children, opinion played a noteworthy role in He eventually came back in tears and from a paediatrician Mardie, Ronja the Robber’s Daughter... the fall of a Swedish government, and the introduction of several laws. Her announced: “I can’t find a rod, but here’s Millions of children and grown-ups the significance for Scandinavian culture a stone you can throw at me.” At which world over love these original characters point his mother also burst into tears, and society cannot be overrated. It has long been known and accepted psychological and sexual harassment, and feel right at home in Villa Villekulla, because it had suddenly dawned on her Nangiyala and the woodshed in Katthult. how her little boy must have regarded that physical violence against children but also physical and psychological (abuse) can lead to severe injuries, neglect. In addition, corporal In total, Astrid Lindgren’s books have ‘I want to write for a what was about to happen. He must have been translated from Swedish into over thought: “My mum wants to hurt me, and disabilities and death. But most of the punishment, just like more severe world’s parents believe that corporal violence against children, leads to 100 languages and have sold around 165 readership that can she can do that just as well by throwing million copies. a stone at me.” punishment, such as pulling a child’s mental problems both during childhood create miracles. Children ear or slapping a child’s bottom, should and later in life with increased risk of Best known of all her characters is Pippi She threw her arms round him, and be seen as an accepted reprimand. They depression, social deviance, suicide Longstocking, the strongest girl in the create miracles when they spent some time crying together. also believe that it is an effective and attempts, self-inflicted injuries and world. Pippi Longstocking was Astrid they read. That’s why Then she placed the stone on a shelf necessary part of nurturing that does not drug problems. It is estimated that Lindgren’s breakthrough as an author. in the kitchen, and it stayed there as a harm the child. But they are wrong. violence against children costs the The first book was published in 1945 children need books.’ world economy billions of US dollars permanent reminder of the promise she So far, no research has been able to right after the Second World War, and each year. had made to herself at that moment: show any positive effect on children’s over the years she followed up with never violence! development, behaviour or physical Rather than solving problems, violence another 80 or so books. Many of them health from corporal punishment. The creates problems. Regardless of all have been made into films, television last twenty years of research has instead the negative effects, it is the child’s series and plays for the theatre. established that corporal punishment has absolute right to grow up in a nourishing the same negative effects as all other environment without violence. The world violence, both in the short and long term. would then be populated by children who develop in a more positive way and Corporal punishment often leads to who can be of great benefit and bring repeated and escalated violence. It prosperity to their communities. is associated with increased risk of other forms of punishment, such as – Staffan Janson, professor & paediatrician
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Illustrations: Stina Wirsén Wirsén Illustrations: Stina ‘Give the children love,
Illustrations: Stina Wirsén Wirsén Illustrations: Stina more love and still more love – and the common sense will come by itself.’ – Astrid Lindgren Illustrations: Stina Wirsén Wirsén Illustrations: Stina
‘If I have managed to ‘Everything great that brighten up even one ever happened in this gloomy childhood world happened first in – then I’m satisfied.’ somebody’s imagination.’ – Astrid Lindgren – Astrid Lindgren
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