The Golden Rules Ceremony is excerpted from We Declare! – a collectionof musical projects based on Toward a Global Ethic: an Initial Delcaration(Chicago, 1993), which outlines the values common to all world religions.Every religion has a version of The Golden Rules, and this simple ceremonygives participants an opportunity to hear many of them set to harmoniousmusic.Text reprinted with permission.Council for the Parliament of World Religionswww.cpwr.org© Merrill Collins 2005Published by Spiraling Music (ASCAP)133 Echo Ave. #4, Oakland CA 94611for more information visit:www.SpiralingMusic.comPlease staple all pages together so this work can remain whole.

On CD, Track 1

Skills involvedRecommendedPreparation timeAge GroupPresentationtime

• singing• counting with feet• collecting and pronouncingmultiple languages• art

3-56-1011-1415 to adult4 weeks3 weeks2 weeks1-2 weeks

5:08

Gonkokwe

two

toned

bell

from

Ghana,which

can

heard

onthe

leading

intoeach

refrain,

analert

type

rhythmicsignal.

Instructions:

1) Translate.

Find out what languagesare represented by various projectparticipants and their families. Collecttranslations of the phrase,

“Each of us depends on thewell-being of the whole”.

Have participants practice pronounc-ing the line.

2) Illustrate.

Write the phrase downand illustrate it. Make a bulletin board, banners, post-cards, or other visualmedia.

3) Add Instruments:

Suggested forthis piece: Gonkokwe bell, elephent bells, ankle bells, (“Ghungaroos”),ankle shakers, (“Chachas”).

4) Celebrate!

For the performance,display all the artwork. The leadsinger sings the refrain, then invitesthe assembly to repeat. Speakers taketurns offering the one-line translationsin verse 3.These speakers may line upon stage or at a microphone to delivertheir lines.3