See below to download a copy of keynote speeches by
- Br. John Johnston, FSC
- Mr. Jonah Edelman
- Ms. Audrey Kitagawa
Over the course of three days (November 15-17, 2001), approximately 225 Lasallians were informed, challenged and inspired by the presentations and dialog sessions at the 29th annual Huether Workshop in Chicago. A diverse group of speakers and participants consistently drummed an urgent message throughout the workshop: it is time for advocacy and action to protect and promote the rights of the children in our schools, communities, nation and world.
Setting the tone with a charge of initiating a “culture of action”, Br. John Johnston, FSC, Director of Education for the U.S./Toronto Region, summoned the group to find the “spiritual will to unite and work together and by association to improve the lives of children at home and abroad.” He implored us, as Lasallians, “to open our eyes wide and SEE children as Jesus and our Founder did. Like them we have to feel the indignation when injustice blocks children from being children. Like them we have to ACT.”
(Click here to download a copy of Br. John Johnston’s address.)
In the second keynote address, Jonah Edelman, the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Stand For Children (www.stand.org), shared personally evocative biblical passages of faith-filled people taking risks and action to do God’s work and the remarkable story of the founding and current operation of Stand For Children, America’s only national grassroots voice for children.(Click here to download a copy of Mr. Edelman’s address.)
Ms. Audrey Kitagawa, advisor to the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Children and Armed Conflict at the United Nations, delivered the final keynote address. She effectively explained the profoundly disturbing ramifications of involving children in armed conflict. She also suggested a detailed list of actions, such as creating school projects to heighten awareness and consciousness, strengthening our teaching of ethics, values, spirituality and love, and getting young people interested in and in touch with children in other cultures.
(Click here to download a copy of Ms. Audrey Kitagawa’s address.)
As a complement to the stellar keynote presentations, the twelve breakout sessions provided additional, diverse perspectives and often equally inspirational dialog. The twelve themes covered were: land mines, child soldiers, child labor, young refugees, hungry and starving children, the juvenile justice system, sexual orientation, mental health, gang violence, sexual exploitation of children and youth, literacy, and responses to the September 11th tragedies.
An infectious prayerful spirit summed up into the phrase “we can do all things through Christ” pervaded the workshop from the opening prayer service all the way to the closing Distinguished Lasallian Educator Awards banquet. If the following prophetic words or phrases, offered by the participants of workshop, are any indication, then this year’s experience is bound to result in action:
Also, as is the tradition at the Huether Workshop, the Distinguished Lasallian Educators from each of the districts in the region were honored. Below is a photo of the awardees, in the front row, and of a representative of each district standing behing them. From left to right: San Francisco District - Mr. Greg Vanderzanden and Mr. Gerry Bitz; New Orleans-Santa Fe - Br. Amedy Esquibel; New York District - Ms. Dana Voorhees; Midwest District - Br. Edward Siderewicz; Long Island-New England District - Br. Michael Reis (not present at Huether, but represented by a Brother from his district); and Baltimore District - Br. Gerry Molyneaux
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