CSPAW Birth and Evolution: Talk Story

In the Beginning-Click for photos

"Children Singing Peace Around the World" has been described by many as a world mantra, sung with heartfelt commitment by children and elders around the globe, healing the earth and uplifting humanity.  Originally composed on Mt. Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii by Dawn L. Ferguson in the spring of 2000, the song was inspired by a dream that showed her sharing the song with children.

A few months earlier, a Tibetan singing bowl appeared in Dawn's dreams, showing her using it as an instrument of healing. To her amazement, she found "the bowl" soon thereafter, at a yard sale near her home on Mt. Haleakala, Maui.  She purchased it and her work with the bowl and "Children Singing Peace Around the World" began.

Initially, Dawn envisioned children on Maui singing "Children Singing Peace Around the World" and toning the singing bowl, at the same time as the Dalai Lama spoke on Peace in Washington, D.C. on July 4th, 2000. In so doing, they would amplify the Dalai Lama's message.  Indeed, on July 4th, 2000, Dawn and children did tone the bowl and sing together while consciously connecting in prayer with the Dalai Lama.

Since then, the vision expanded to a circle of children and adults around the earth singing "Children Singing Peace Around the World" on their own soil in their own language while consciously connecting heart to heart with others around the globe, CSPAW has evolved into an international educational experience for children, and the bowl has been named the "Children's Peace Bowl". The Children Singing Peace Around the World project is about honoring truth, being love and walking peace one step at a time. It is about learning to make choices each moment that are in alignment with one's truth and walking the truth of one's heart courageously. It is about promoting an awareness of unity and peace and providing a medium for earth's children to connect with one another, heart to heart. It is about respect, collaboration and balance.

 Most importantly, it is about honoring the innate wisdom of children through empowering their voices to speak up for their birthright to grow and live free in a world at peace. 

Connection with the birth of the Children's Cloth of Many Colors(CCOMC)

In September, 2000, intuition led Dawn, with bowl carried over her shoulder, to Washington, D.C. to be present at  Jimmy Twyman's presentation of the Cloth of Many Colors Peace Quilt at the U.S. Capitol. She convinced her God-daughter, Brynn Stalvey and Brynn's mom, Linda, to join her on this adventure. They toned the Peace Bowl on the Capitol lawn as people gathered and unfurled the Cloth. 

While there, Dawn shared the Children's Peace Bowl and her song with Gerry Eitner, the event organizer and President of the Masters Group, an organization committed to world peace. Upon hearing the song and the bowl, Gerry invited Dawn to come to a Peace ceremony at the Pentagon and to open sacred space as people were entering the room by playing the bowl.  Brynn too was invited to come to represent the children of the world by reading the remarks of 11 year old, Gregory Smith.  These experiences inspired Brynn to volunteer to start the Children's Cloth of Many Colors (CCOMC) in her school, Bonnie Brae Elementary in Fairfax, Va.  Dawn agreed to spread the word by inviting children from Hawaii to join Brynn's class in this effort.

When Dawn returned to Maui, she shared "Children Singing Peace Around the World",  the hula dance she choreographed for it, the singing bowl and the Children's Cloth of Many Colors,with many groups of children.  Realizing that each line of the song was actually a teaching about peace, she began to create age appropriate learning activities to go along with the song.  New ideas spontaneously evolved with each group. Children from Unity of Maui sang "Children Singing Peace Around the World" as they worked on their CCOMC.  It was a beautiful experience as they literally sang their prayers for peace into manifestation. They presented their quilt and sang the song to the Congregation before giving it to Dawn to take to Washington, D.C. to join with Brynn's classmates' quilt at Bonnie Brae.

The Vision Becomes Global

 Just after the Pentagon Peace Ceremony, Dawn dreamed that her peace song would be translated into many languages and that she would share it around the world.  As of July, 2005, the song has  been translated into twenty-six languages. 

In July, 2001, Dawn joined children and staff at Snowy Woods Nature Camp in Whitehorse, Yukon.  The children sang "Children Singing Peace Around the World" and were involved in activities through which they expressed their visions of peace and practiced living them.  Upon hearing about the project, several First Nations women expressed an interest in translating the song in their native tongues and having their children participate in the two projects.

 On September 11, 2001 Dawn was in Washington, D.C. visiting family and friends en route to Israel.  Following the events of that day, her committment deepened and when the airports reopened, she flew to Israel and taught her song to Arabic and Hebrew-speaking children there. Recordings were planned for the Spring of 2002. While in Israel, Dawn shared the Hawaii CCOMC with Israeli children and invited their participation. 

When she returned home to Hawaii in December, 2001, children from Iao School on Maui learned the song and sang it at the Kick off for the Season for Peace and Nonviolence on January 30, 2002.  Many of these children joined others in recording the Hawaiian version and first track of the Children's CD in February, 2002. These Hawaiian children later traveled East to sing "Children Singing Peace Around the World"-Hawaiian style and plant seeds of Aloha in a peace event  in Washington, DC on September 11, 2002.

On February 28, 2002 Dawn continued her global "walk" with "Children Singing Peace Around the World" which will continue until complete.  Ultimately, she envisions recording children singing the song in thirty different languages in their own countries.  As she travels she meets with many groups of children, some who will be part of the audio/video recording and some who will simply participate in Children Singing Peace programs in their home, school or community. 

Dawn teaches each group of children "Children Singing Peace Around the World" in several languages along with the accompanying dances that children from the other countries have choreographed. She shares video footage of children participating in CSPAW programs from around the globe and incorporates stories and activities that inspire creative solutions to day to day life situations while teaching about living peace. 

"Children Singing Peace Around the World" is creating links between children heart to heart that support cultural sharing and the honoring of their uniqueness and diversity in the midst of unity.   It has been a beautiful experience that touches hearts profoundly.  Dawn's role is to seed and record the song so it can be more easily available to all children and to facilitate meaningful educational experiences via music, nature and the arts. Meantime, the children who have already learned the song are integrating it in their peace activities and continuing to spread the song in very beautiful and unique ways. 

In July, 2005, a Children Singing Peace Around the World Volume One CD/DVD was made available including a 32"s music CD of the song in thirteen languages and a 98"s DVD of the children's experiences around the globe. Languages and countries included are Arabic and Hebrew (Israel), English and Hawaiian(U.S.A.), Algonquin(Canada), Mohawk(Mohawk Territories), Irish(Ireland), Ghaidhlig(Scotland), Gamilaraay(Australia), Maori(New Zealand), Argentinian Spanish(Argentina), Japanese(Japan), and Thai (Thailand) as well as American Sign Language and Japanese Sign Language on the DVD. An accompanying songbook is available as a free pdf download on this website and a teachers' activities book will soon be completed to facilitate integration of the song and experiences in classroom peace curricula.

May we listen to the heartsongs of our children
and join them in opening our hearts to Love.

Dawn is available for presenting in a variety of venues as the project evolves every day.  Updates will be regularly added to this website.

Mahalo to all who find it in their hearts to support and assist this project!
 

CLICK to purchase Children Singing Peace Around the World  Volume One CD/DVD!
 
 
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Mahalo to all  for the love, support and dedicated collaboration
that flows Children Singing Peace Around the World!

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