Schools Events - PIPS: Philosophy in Public Spaces

2020 PIPS Events

Given the current COVID restrictions, schools cannot attend excursions. We are therefore cancelling our final PIPS event that we were hopeful would be able to continue.

We will instead celebrate World Philosophy Day on 19 November in another way. 

WORLD PHILOSOPHY DAY 2020

"In establishing World Philosophy Day UNESCO strives to promote an international culture of philosophical debate that respects human dignity and diversity. The Day encourages academic exchange and highlights the contribution of philosophical knowledge in addressing global issues."

Each year VAPS celebrates World Philosophy Day at Melbourne Museum with a much loved Philosophy in Public Spaces Event. 

Instead, we invite you to organise events and activities at your schools, and to send us photos and ideas to upload to our new Website so we can celebrate together despite our current circumstances.  We are happy to share ideas beforehand.  Please contact Janette at educationofficer@vaps.vic.edu.au for lots of ideas!

Why a Philosophy Day?

Many thinkers state that “astonishment” is the root of philosophy. Indeed, philosophy stems from humans’ natural tendency to be astonished by themselves and the world in which they live.

This field, which sees itself as a form of “wisdom”, teaches us to reflect on reflection itself, to continually question well-established truths, to verify hypotheses and to find conclusions.

For centuries, in every culture, philosophy has given birth to concepts, ideas and analyses, and, through this, has set down the basis for critical, independent and creative thought.

World Philosophy Day celebrates the importance of philosophical reflection, and encourages people all over the world to share their philosophical heritage with each other.

For UNESCO, philosophy provides the conceptual bases of principles and values on which world peace depends: democracy, human rights, justice, and equality.

Philosophy helps consolidate these authentic foundations of peaceful coexistence.

Resources are available here:

https://www.un.org/en/events/philosophyday/resources.shtml