Islamabad, Pakistan
Babar A. Mufti, 31, Development Sector
The most important value to pass on to the next generation is the value of questioning. For example they say ‘you should respect your elders’ but they don’t say why. They should also tell them why it is important to respect elders. We should not just accept that we do something, we should think about it and decide if it is something we should value and cherish. We should re-evaluate our belief system.
Wes and Barbara Roller, 64, Commercial Plumber
The most important value to pass on to the next generation are several: honesty, integrity, love of justice and morality -- especially morality.
Timisoara, Romania
Kuki Carmen Floriana, 34, Chemist Engineer (on maternity leave)
I would try to make sure that our children will have an unpolluted environment and that they are well taught to be responsible in everything they do. We should suffice for them to have a good environment to live in.
Brisbane, Australia
Angela Owen-Taylor, Brisbane City Councillor
One of the most critical [values] is to establish a sense of community and to participate in your local community. Because by looking after our friends and our neighbours, we can build a strong foundation on which to build the wider community and the wider sense of state and country. The other value that I feel is important for young people to learn is the value of ensuring that they have control of their future by way of making sensible choices about their career directions and also ensuring that they can establish themselves financially in the situation where they need to progress from.
Sirirat Itthirojanakul, 33, Assistant to Managing Director
“The most important things that I would like to pass onto the next generation in my own country would be instill good moral values and ethics, honesty and hard working. As I am Thai and Thailand is a Buddhist country so being a good person, doing and thinking good deeds are very significant things that we should teach our next generations. I very much feel fortunate to be born in this country and would like our next generations to be perceived with these mentioned values. They will not only make the country to be a better place to live, but also making ourselves to be better persons.”
Cheida Chaparro, Vendor
To be honest, to be generous with homeless people, and have good feelings towards other people.
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Vinãcuis S. Santiago, 59, Architect
I feel I’m responsible to pass onto to the new generation those values I’ve learned from my family and at school. I belong to that generation that lived the youth during the 60’s and it was a time of questioning the old values. However, I’ve preserved the most basic values like, to respect other people’s limits, to respect the law, to avoid throwing garbage on the ground, to give back lost belongings to their owners, to respect our parents, neighbors and teachers, and etc. I still get moved when I see the national flag flying and when I listen to the national anthem. The new generation not even knows how to sing it, and this absence of patriotism brings a lot of trouble to our society.
Robin Mark, 43, Cleaner
Respect. Respecting everything, family, themselves, the kids, respect for the older generations, respect for the past cultures, the good way of life in the past compared to today’s hustle bustle, trying to carry the old values like spending time with your kids - they don’t learn from you if you don’t spend time with them.
Presov, Slovakia
Zuzana Kovacova, 20, student of literature and aesthetics
It’s very difficult to specify one particular value, since all those we have constitute our life. I don’t know if it can be called a value, but I think what people should strive for is love, to be kind to each other. That’s what make us human beings and what differentiates us from the machines. Next generations should also behave according to certain principles, perceive the world with open eyes and look at things from different perspectives. They should not lose smile and light in their life.
Xaralampos Hatzidimitriou, 34, Public Service
Values such as truth, self-confidence and honesty.
Tel Aviv, Israel
Uri Eshet, Technical School Teacher and Headmaster
Being loyal to the nation, the country and the family; love of humanity; keeping traditions; being happy; optimism; aspiration for a healthy and moral life; raising children. Solidarity with the Jewish people all over the world, and justice.
Cuthbert Lee, 76, Commercial Property Manager
Respect for elders; hard work; a commitment to work and they (young people) have to learn to work. The world doesn’t owe them a living. This is a problem today – it is why you see so many marriages breakdown. Teachers are not respected. Young people all know their rights but do not know their responsibilities. Young women are worse than the men. The consumption of alcohol is ridiculous. Young women today have no self-respect. They can’t expect others to respect them if they don’t respect others.
Friends Read Free