Alice,
while in Wonderland, is presented with the question, "Who are YOU?" by
the Caterpillar. A simple question, yet most challenging to answer.
Understandably, Alice is stumped. Stammering, she replies, “rather
shyly, ‘I--I hardly know, sir, just at present-- at least I know who I
WAS when I got up this morning, but I think I must have been changed
several times since then.’” Life presents us with many factors that
shape the person we are today and the person we may become in the
future. One day we are confident and feel we can accomplish anything,
and the next day we are uncertain of our capabilities. Young adults, in
particular, struggle with who they are and where they belong, as the world
is changing as fast as they are. In fact, it may seem as though they
are falling down a rabbit hole only to find themselves in a strange
world. Becoming aware of the factors that surround you
may help you shape the person you want to become, helping you to crawl
out of the rabbit hole and answer the Caterpillar’s question, “Who are
YOU?”
Many young adults around the world, have made sense of their world, realized their potential,
and have become giving, global citizens. The
International Children's Peace Prize organization presents an annual
award “to a child, whose courageous or otherwise remarkable acts have
made a difference in countering problems, which affect children around
the world.” These young adults, because of the factors that surrounded
them (good and/or bad), fought to not only make their life better, but
also the lives of other children. If asked, “Who are you?”, they can
proudly respond, "I am someone who fights to make a difference."
This
year, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Desmond Tutu, presented the
International Peace Prize 2012 to a 13 year old boy named Kesz. As a result
of the factors that impacted Kesz’s life; “abused and forced to scavenge
dumpsites at the age of two”, he is fighting to improve the rights of
street children in the Philippines “where more than 246,000 street
children are subjected to abuse, violence and child labour.” See
video below that shares Kesz’s personal identity journey:
Kesz is not alone; read about other exceptional award winning recipients from 2005 to 2011 on the Children’s Peace Prize website. Consider the factors that shaped these youths’ lives and their goal to fight to make a difference in the world.
