Where: Over 20 countries
Solutions: Education and advocacy, Involvement of Iocal communities and indigenous peoples, Ecological consciousness
ATOP Meaningfulworld created peace and forgiveness gardens around the world for communities affected by human-made and natural disasters. The community is invited to gather around the garden to engender inner peace, to help forgive oneself and others, to raise consciousness on being mindful of one’s own feelings, managing and transforming negative feelings of anger, rage, envy, and greed, and replacing them with positive and uplifting feelings such as love, gratitude, forgiveness, empathy, compassion, abundance, and acceptance.
Central to their educational programs is the 7-Step Integrative Healing Model. The 6th step of this Model integrates ecological principles of Mother Earth, for engendering inner peace, peace all around, as well as physical, mental & spiritual health. Creating gardens as sanctuaries is important to reconnect with Mother Nature and honor our presence in this world in harmony with our Mother Earth. Feelings of fear, isolation, hopelessness, and uncertainty decreased immensely once we established these special sanctuaries. Communities continue to use these gardens as places of healing and reconnection with earth and within for generations to come.
ATOP MeaningfulWorld created peace and forgiveness gardens for students, faculty, clinics, hospitals, and community centers in over 20 countries in the Middle East, The Caucuses, the Caribbean, South and North Americas, and Africa.
In addition to droughts and floods, the most prevalent obstacle they have faced with each garden is the local communities lack of respect for nature. The second year of the project revealed that there was no attempt to maintain the gardens. They were strewn with trash and weeds. So ATOP MeaningfulWorld created the “Haiti is my home”, “Puerto Rico is my home” and “Nigeria is my home” campaign to encourage the community to view the entire environment in their country as their home. This campaign has been a success, especially encouraging younger generations to care for our planet, no matter the scale.
Photo provided by Dr. Ani Kalayjian/ATOP Meaningfulworld
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