Global Lessons, Rhymed Reflections

Francisco Gomes de Matos (a peace linguist, professor emeritus of Linguistics, Federal University of Pernambuco and president of the Board, ABA Global Education, Recife, Brazil) has created dozens of posters related to peace education, nonviolence, conflict resolution, and related themes, in both English and Portuguese. (CID has previously published his Cross-cultural Dignity Poem). He feels that “posters can play more than an artistic role / when created to deeply value the human soul.”

One of his posters is included here to provide an example.

Asked to write about the reasons for creating these posters, Gomes de Matos answered with a poem:

“Posters can have more than artistic or business-advertising aims

when they are created to enhance intercultural, communicative aims.

When designed and used for diverse pedagogical purposes

posters become powerful motivators and creativity generators.

I first used posters to communicate alliteratively about PEACE

then decided to make them a permanent challenge in my creative agenda.

I believe that in Second Language Pedagogy, the production of posters should be integrated

so that multilingually/interculturally, with the aid of Poster Literacy, millions can be educated.”

Asked about how he first started creating these posters led to further details:

“My first poster was created for PEACE AND CONFLICT. Journal of PEACE PSYCHOLOGY. The poster was requested by the then journal editor, Milton Schwebel, Rutgers University. The poster, entitled ABCs of PEACE for children and other peace promoting people, was published in 2000 as a journal insert! Given the positive feedback received on that poster, some years later I decided to probe POSTER MAKING. I have also created posters in Portuguese. One of my posters, THE RIGHT TO PEACE was launched in Geneva on International Day of Peace, at Palais des Nations. You might like to know that most of my posters in English have been put together (in 10 thematic categories) as an e-book entitled Rhymed Reflections. A Forest of Ideas/Ideals in 2017.”

I hope that others find these posters as interesting as I do.

Wendy Leeds-Hurwitz, Director
Center for Intercultural Dialogue