Presentation of the “Tales for Peace 2018” Anthology

By José María Rosas Garibay
May 21st, 2018

What happens when students in Jesuit Schools are asked to write about Peace? You will find yourself facing monsters made out of garbage, soldiers who make a choice not to fire their weapons, farm animals that are worried about their body odor, blue dogs, and brave kids who speak up against violence.

In the end…a question emerges: What is the true definition of Peace? Finding this definition is almost as difficult as it is to keep Peace among and between each of us in the World; it is as if holding a handful of fine sand, if you tighten your fist, the sand just flows out. Holding it gently and sharing it is the best way of keeping it from flowing away.

Tales for Peace is a proposal that Instituto Lux offers to build bridges that serve as a means to share fantastic stories from around the globe. Those stories that, in words of Neil Gaiman, talk about truths not because they say dragons exist, but because they affirm that such dragons may be defeated.

How was the Anthology built?

A Call for Participation was shared on the Educate Magis platform. We received over three hundred stories, and a selection process began by a Committee which was conformed by students, alumni, teachers, parents, and faculty from the Iberoamericana León University.

Once the stories for the anthology were selected, we began the illustration process with the support of all academic levels at Instituto Lux:

  • In High School, the Theater Workshop prepared the stories to be shared in storytelling format with the Preschool students who used crayons, watercolors, and other painting techniques to illustrate the stories told to them.
  • In Elementary, teachers read the stories to their students and they built collaborative illustrations.
  • In Junior High and High School, the students who wanted to participate, took illustration workshops and their final products are now part of the anthology.
  • To wrap everything up, all elements were integrated and the process for the editorial design began. The end result is a beautiful digital anthology.

The official presentation of the 2018 Anthology of Stories for Peace took place on May 3rd. at the National Book Fair which is one of the most important literary events in the region. Writers and illustrators shared their experience with the audience; writers from Spain, Italy and Philippines sent their participation and joy by video.

Video in Spanish

The 2018 Anthology covers fiction works from students in fourteen Jesuit Schools around the World hoping and wishing for a better world.

Italy:
Istituto Gonzaga Palermo
Istituto Leone XIII
Collegio S. Ignazio
Istituto Sociale dei padri gesuiti
Istituto Massimiliano Massimo
Istituto Pontano Naples

Philippines:
Sacred Heart School

Albania:
Shkolla Ate Pjeter Meshkalla

Spain:
Colegio San José
Jesuïtes Sarria-Sant Ignasi
Colegio Nuestra Señora del Recuerdo

Mexico:
Instituto Cultural Tampico
Instituto Lux
UIA León

You can now read and see the complete Anthology, which is an electronic book written and illustrated by the Ignatian Community Network.

The next step now is for us to prepare the new Call for Participation for next year!

If you wish to know more about this project, or if you would like to participate in the 2019 Anthology, or if you would like to develop a similar project, please contact us at cuentosparalapaz@lux.edu.mx