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Effective leadership is one of the most crucial elements for successfully completing any group project or activity. A good leader can help bring a diverse group of people together and help them to work effectively for a shared vision and goal.

At one time or another, everyone chooses or is asked to be a leader. With training and understanding, we can all be better leaders when we are called to be in a leadership position.

Leadership week (observed during the first week in February) is an opportunity to learn skills and tools for being effective leaders. These skills will help us throughout our lives, whether we’re called to be leaders in our families, a group, at work, in our communities, or as the leader of a movement.

Leadership Week is also a time to remind our elected officials that in a democracy, leaders are not supposed to be guided by their own vested interests, but are supposed to serve the people they lead.

“A day of peace and sharing can lead to greater understanding and cooperation among political parties, faith groups, and people of different races and economic classes. ”
~ John Conyers

New Year’s is the perfect opportunity for those of us who wish for peace on earth to make a resolution to try to do our best to work to create a better world during the coming year. It’s also the perfect occasion to hold an event that will spread hope for our shared wish of a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. People will be celebrating anyway, and making resolutions about things they want to change about themselves in the coming year. Why not make it celebration with a purpose, and share a resolution that will help unite our local, national and global communities!

This is the very idea behind two January 1 events – One Day In Peace and Global Family Day. A global campaign for One Day In Peace on January 1, 2000 helped inspire a UN Resolution and a joint United States Congressional Resolution, inviting January 1 to be celebrated every year as a day of peace and sharing. If we can live for one day in peace, then we can work together to make peace last, one day at a time.

The day has also come to be known as Global Family Day – a day for peace and sharing. Communities around the world come together for a shared meal on January 1 and talk about how they can help to create a better world. What can you do to help create humanity’s first day of peace, ever?

These Free “BetterWorld Hero” pictures, with thought-provoking quotes, can be used for coloring, and/or a great springboard for:

* Class discussions

* Small group discussions (e.g., “Do you agree with the quote? Why, or why not? Explain.)

* Writing prompts

* Research projects (e.g., bio info for many of the Heroes is available on the same website— and/or have students seek info from other sources, and be ready to discuss and/or write about “Do you agree that this person is a good choice for a “Better World Hero”? Why, or why not? Explain.)