“The New Planet” is an interactive exercise in which young people work in cooperation and take responsibility for the result of their activities. This is a popular exercise offered in human rights education to young people around the world. It is described in Module 1 of this Guide to Teaching Human Rights. This is a group work where young people are told to imagine that they are the first settlers on a new planet and have to work out the rules of their coexistence so that everyone can live in peace and prosperity.
As a result of this exercise, young people are drafting the Constitution of their planet. Our experience shows that the rules that young people usually write in their “Basic Law of the New Planet” usually reflect the universal values of freedom, equality, security, peaceful development, solidarity and democratic governance. This shows that training in human rights and democratic citizenship has been successful.
The Academy of Human Rights, Norway has a special page with the results of this training of young migrants in Norway. Their ideas for the arrangement of the New Planet can be seen at the following link: www.nyplanet.org
“The new planet” of young people in Bulgaria
The New Planet exercise was successfully held at human rights seminars with young people from Varshets, Montana, Blagoevgrad and Gotse Delchev. Their constitutions of imaginary planets can be seen in the gallery.
Name of the Planet: Earth 6.9. The Rules: 1.Equality beforet the Law; 2.Compulsary education; 3. No violence 4.Respect of other people’s property; 5.Right to health service; 6.Rich people help poor people; 7.Discrimination is forbidden; 8.Organisation of referendums; 9.Environmental protection; 10.Punishment has to be adequate to offence.
Name of the Planet: MuskLand; The Rules: 1.No rasism; 2.Talants has to encouraged; 3.No deseases; 4.No entrance in the discotecs; 5.All basic products neccessary for existence are free; 6.Only eco energy is in use; 7.Use of electric cars.
Name of the Planet: Libertas; The Rules: 1.Equality before the law; 2.Personal freedom and right to vote; 3.No discrimination based on race and religion;4.Leaders are elected by voting; 5.Punishment for rule braking; 6.Leaders can not be re-elected;7.Production of dangerous syntetic materials is forbidden; 8.Care for environment; 9.Free access to health services.
Name of the Planet: Aocopa; The Rules: 1.Universal respect to others; 2.Gender equality; 3.Freedom of speech; 4.Right to education; 5. Right to have a personal choice; 6.No violence and pressure; 7.No punishment without lawful procedures; 8.Freedom of religion; 9.Rights to get married; 10. Right to freedom and security.
Name of the Planet:The Earth 2.0; The Rules: 1.Protection of human personality; 2.Protection of private prperty; 3. Compulsory education; 4.Compulsary work after 20 years of age; 5.Encouraging and helping demographic growth; 6.Ethical behaviour; 7.Protection of flora and founa; 8.Compulsary health care; 9.Lawful process when justice is needed; 10.Discrimination is forbidden.
Name of the Planet: Megatron; The Rules: 1.Law enforcement; 2.Freedom of expression; 3.Freedom of press and speech; 4.It is forbidden people to be judged based on nationality and religion; 5.Every person can create their own religion; 6.Every person should have an identity card; 7.To behave in public space; 8.Private pssessions and personal belonging should not be misused; 9.Everybody should particpate in initiatives cleaning the forests; 10.Everybody above 16 years of age can pilot a space ship.
Name of the Planet: Earthlandia; The Rules: 1. Equality; 2. Freedom of speech; 3. Freedom of beliefs; 4. Private property is protected; 5. Helping the socially disadvantaged people; 6. Do not kill! 7. Freedom of expression; 8. Do not speak untruths; 9. Not guilty until the oposite is proved; 10. Keep Earthlandia clean!
