Peace Education

[LARGE][LINK=/agenda/peace-building/teaching-peace-civil-society-peace-education-programmes-insouth-asia.html]Teaching peace: Civil society peace education programmes in South Asia[/LINK] [/LARGE] [LINK=http://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=http://infochangeindia.org/agenda/peacebuilding/teaching-peace-civil-society-peace-education-programmes-in-south-asia.html] [IMG]/templates/ja_teline_iv/images/btn_fb_55px.gif[/IMG] [/LINK] [LINK=#]Share on twitter[/LINK] [LINK=http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=300&winname=addthis&pub=xa4f803a8066c7ab8f&source=tbx-300&lng=enGB&s=stumbleupon&url=http%3A%2F%2Finfochangeindia.org%2Fagenda%2Fpeacebuilding%2Fteaching-peace-civil-society-peace-education-programmes-in-southasia.html&title=Teaching%20peace%3A%20Civil%20society%20peace%20education%20programmes%2 0in%20South%20Asia%20%7C%20Peace-building%20%7C%20Agenda&ate=AT-xa-4f803a8066c7ab8f/-//533d9b1dbe800cb0/2&frommenu=1&uid=533d9b1d9d90f154&ct=1&pre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.goog le.co.in%2F&tt=0&captcha_provider=nucaptcha]Share on stumbleupon[/LINK] [LINK=#]Share on email[/LINK] [LINK=http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pubid=ra4f803a8066c7ab8f]More Sharing Services SHARE [/LINK][LINK=#jac-wrapper][IMG]/images/commentsicon.png[/IMG] COMMENTS [/LINK] [LINK=/agenda/peacebuilding/teaching-peace-civil-society-peace-education-programmes-in-southasia/print.html][IMG]/media/system/images/printButton.png[/IMG][/LINK] Several peace education programmes across South Asia, from the Peace Museum in Karachi to the Sita School near Bangalore, are initiating processes that incorporate ideas of peace and non-violence. But they are fighting for space within the mainstream education system and tend to be confined to private schools, writes [B]Anupama Srinivasan[/B]

We know this about peace education in South Asia: there are many peace education programmes, particularly in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka; those who initiated them were motivated by many different factors that inevitably intersect between the personal and the political and include both their individual and collective histories; peace education programmes are as much about and for the trainers as they are for the trainees or students; there are several qualified, well-intentioned educators eager to expand the boundaries of learning in their classrooms; there are schools that genuinely want to offer their students education that incorporates ideas of peace and non-violence; in these schools, young people are encouraged to develop their individual capacities to acknowledge and address any violence in their lives (1).

We also know that there is no one single type of peace education programme in South Asia (2). Every peace education programme is defined by its specific context: geographical, political, social, psychological, economic, cultural, demographic and environmental, among others. Peace education also embraces a range of meanings, within the ambit of one overarching objective: usually, to achieve and sustain peace. More simply, we can contend that the process of peace education is two-fold: teaching people (adults, men, women, children) about the potential dangers of violence (in its many manifestations) and helping them develop their capacities to counter violence, thereby enabling them to build (and sustain) peaceful communities. [IMG]/images/stories/ag23/ag23_13_1.jpg[/IMG] While there is no obvious taxonomy of peace education, it is evident that programmes have widely differing objectives and processes. Curriculum development, specifically the production of peace manuals for teachers, is the focus of several programmes initiated by non-governmental organisations. Such programmes also seek to establish networks of schools that will use their materials on a regular basis, year after year. The Simorgh Womens Resource and Publication Centres School Text Book Project in Pakistan (3) is one such example.

The Kaleidoscope primers produced by Simorgh are an attempt to counter the culture of intolerance and violence that was being generated by officially produced school texts, (Hussain, no date). These primers address human rights issues linked to life, safety, education, food, and health and can be used through inventive participatory methods in the classroom. Children are also taught to use logic as a problem-solving tool. For teachers, there is an accompanying guide, to motivate them to use the material effectively.

Says Neelam Hussain, founder member of Simorgh, in a personal interview: Some of the standard texts were so boring, so badly produced, also very biased, in terms of promoting nationalism and jingoism. As a feminist, a human rights person, the heavy focus on Muslim identity also bothered me. Even more troubling was the complete stranglehold the education system had over the minds of students, effectively closing any possibility for student-led debate. [IMG]/images/stories/ag23/ag23_13_2.jpg[/IMG] Peace and Human Rights, Karachi Participants at the Children's Museum for

Other peace education programmes have focused on establishing safe spaces for children, such as the Childrens Museum for Peace and Human Rights (CMPHR) (4), based in Karachi in Pakistan. The CMPHR is an example of a long-term endeavour to create and sustain a stimulating space for children to interact in. Originally launched as the Human Rights Education Progamme (HREP) in 1995, this project was a response to the growing violence in Karachi in the early-1990s. HREP was therefore born of the

conviction that education had to be socially relevant. To even talk about peace, children first had to understand the world they lived in, and acknowledge and deal with its many complexities.

CMPHRs museum concept was therefore envisaged as a multi-dimensional educational space that will provide children with structured opportunities to explore, interact with, reflect upon and understand a wide spectrum of social issues in an enjoyable, interactive and inspiring environment, (CMPHR 2009). This working model anticipates that schools will continue to come to CMPHR, instead of the other way around. This is the process: any interested school is added onto CMPHRs mailing list; its students must then actively participate in any or all of the current campaigns. At present, most activities take place during class hours and are structured around specific campaigns. Each school receives five mailings in an academic year, containing posters, leaflets and booklets with lesson plans for teachers. Depending on the nature of the current campaign, schools can choose to use the material in the appropriate session; art classes might be best suited for one campaign, whereas language sessions might be more appropriate for another. At any given point, there are at least 300 schools working with CMPHR, and often as many as 500.

The Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliations (CDR) programme in Jammu & Kashmir (5) has its roots in specific phases of violence that the state experienced. CDR focused on two main areas -- training schoolteachers across the state to address and cope with issues of violence, conflict, religion and identity in their classrooms; and developing an appropriate curriculum that these teachers could use. Neither process was a mutually exclusive one -- the curriculum was a literal outcome of training workshops and classroom activities.

Over a five-year period from 2001, CDR worked extensively with schoolteachers in the state. Initial workshops revealed that teachers faced the same obstacles as other teachers around the world -- lack of support from the authorities, inflexibility of the official syllabus and therefore their inability to find time for anything extra. Sushobha Barve, CDRs executive secretary, is encouraged by the innovation and courage some teachers have shown. One teacher took her class, made up mainly of young Muslims, for a walk to an area where there had been a large population of Hindu Pandits. As they walked along the river, they passed by broken, destroyed houses, remnants of violence. She then casually began a conversation:

Teacher: What are these houses? Why are they like this? Students: Some bad people used to live there. Now theyre gone.

Teacher: How do you know they are bad people? What happened to them? Why dont they live here anymore?

Barve believes that the teacher in question showed exceptional courage in even bringing up the subject, knowing all along that her students would return home and inevitably discuss this with their families. If we can trigger that kind of initiative in even a handful of teachers across the valley; if they can find ways to use their own methods to pass on things to their students, without always waiting for official sanction she says. [IMG]/images/stories/ag23/ag23_13_3.jpg[/IMG]Sita School, Silvepura Young people in rural areas have had fewer opportunities to participate in peace education programmes. Some exceptions include the Garden of Peace day school in Tamil Nadu, also based on the concept of a peace museum. This primary school teaches 100 students from neighbouring rural areas. Although compelled to adhere to the mainstream curriculum, Ramu Manivannan and his team of teachers find ways to maximise outward learning. For example, students learn from an early age to take care of plants, nurture small gardens, and will eventually be equipped, Manivannan hopes, to address issues of cattle and organic farming which are particularly relevant to the local area.

Similarly, the Sita School in Silvepura, outside Bangalore, works with children who drop out of the mainstream education system for a number of reasons. The majority of students at the Sita School are from the socially and economically underprivileged sections of the dalit community; children of migrant workers, children of uprooted and unstable families, (Learning Network, no date). These children would normally have limited access to education, for both social and economic reasons.

At both these schools, peace education is integrated into every facet of functioning, as opposed to being a stand-alone curriculum.

Each of the above examples illustrates the strikingly distinct approaches to peace that organisations have chosen to adopt. But all of them face several common challenges, most of all that of sustainability. On the one hand, there is the question of organisations facing a constant resource crunch and having to depend on external funding. This means that programmes are inevitably interrupted just as they are gathering momentum or, worse, forced to shut down at least temporarily. One possible way to circumvent this problem is to continue to focus on teacher training, thereby initiating a process of transferring ownership of peace education to the teaching community.

What is evident is that a peace education programme is not, and cannot be, an independent, standalone entity that a well-meaning organisation introduces to a community. In each case, peace educators have had to and will continue to fight for space within the mainstream education system that educates the vast majority of young people in the region.

Finally, there is also the question of affordability and access to peace education. There [I]are [/I]projects that work with public sector schools, but these are rare. This means that a large number of NGOs are forced to or choose to implement peace education programmes in private schools that remain out of reach of the average South Asian family. Equally, private schools that have greater access to new resources and ideas and are sometimes more willing to innovate, like the Riverside School (6) or Bluebells International (7) (both in India), are more likely to incorporate ideas of peace and citizenship. We need to find ways to address this issue of access, so as to ensure that students from less privileged backgrounds are not deprived of engaging with such ideas and activities. It would be unforgivably ironic if we allowed peace education to, however unwittingly, become discriminatory in nature.

[B]Treaties are made by governments, peace is made by the people[/B]

[I]Two young participants in peace-building programmes recount their experiences and insights[/I]

Peace is an extremely elusive concept. So many different levels, so many influential factors. International peace, intra-national peace, peace within communities and families, and, lastly, inner peace. I see it as an inverted pyramid. Logically, inner peace looks like it would be easiest to achieve. After all, by definition, you are in control of your own peace of mind.

Seeds of Peace (SoP) is an international non-profit conflict resolution programme. It started, as do many other projects and movements of value, with a man with a vision. John Wallach, an award-winning author and journalist, founded SoP in 1993 to provide an opportunity for children from the war-torn Middle East to meet and befriend their faceless enemy, and in doing so, to plant the seeds for future peace. At summer camp in Maine, sitting beside the lake and beneath the pines, teenagers (referred to as Seeds) from both sides of a border get to know one another as individuals, and as friends. Israelis, Palestinians, Egyptians, Jordanians and Americans all sit together at a table to dine after a day of playing football and basketball, canoeing, singing, and engaging in serious dialogue with the help of experienced facilitators. Indians, Pakistanis and Afghans joined them in 2001, when SoP began to include South Asia as well.

I went to camp in 2007 and 2009. I had never harboured any real stereotypes about Pakistanis, but nevertheless my camp experience was eye-opening. I knew, of course, that we were one country originally; but it never really registered how similar we were. My very first experience with a Pakistani was during my first meal. Ive forgotten why, but one of the counsellors at my table was trying to explain what a chickpea was. He was going on and on about the colour and size and texture, when the boy sitting across me finally said: *I+Arrey*/I+, hes talking about *I+chole*/I+. I stared at him. Youre Indian?! No, silly. Im Pakistani.

After leaving camp, we all kept in touch over Facebook and Skype. In 2008, we went to Pakistan for home-stays (the most anticipated post-camp activity, where Seeds travel across the border and live for a week in the home of a friend from the other side). I stayed with my friend Maha. Her mother would make sure all meals were vegetarian, and that I liked what she was going to cook before she started. I met her friends and uncles and aunts. We visited a few schools, and made presentations. At the end of it, all these girls who Id never met before were giving me goodbye hugs; one even invited me to her home.

Today, I would count a few of these Pakistanis amongst my closest friends. And although this seems irrelevant, it means that when someone around me makes a sweeping statement about how Pakistanis are this or that, I dont agree. It means that I can distinguish between the Pakistani government and the Pakistani people. And it makes me oppose any policy or movement that would harm the Pakistani common man, especially a full-blown war, because I care about these people.

A line oft-quoted at Seeds of Peace is that treaties are made by the government, but peace is made by the people. Person-to-person interaction and eradication of stereotypes seem to be the first steps to international peace. It will take a while, but peace doesnt seem all that impossible now. *B+*I+-- Jahnvi Vaidya[/I][/B]

[/LINK]***

Recently, Seeds of Peace-India held a workshop in Vasind, about an hour-and-a-half from Mumbai. Amongst the various things we did, we were asked to come up with a quote of our own; just invent a quote. I thought of this: The more we try to define peace, the more we realise that it cant be defined. Peace is difficult to explain, but it *I+can*/I+ be shared. In fact, thats what its all about.

Founder of Seeds of Peace John Wallach said: The enemy has a face. His vision was for the youth of the world to see the face of their constructed enemy and to understand them for who they really are. Dialogue about international conflict is a daily process at camp. Indians, Pakistanis and Afghans come together at camp, along with Israelis, Palestinians, Jordanians and Egyptians. Apart from these delegations, there are the Americans. The presence of the Americans at camp is often questioned, but I have come to realise that their presence is essential. It is easy for the Indians and Pakistanis to blame all their problems on America. So Americans must be there to present a defence. Without them, the dialogue would not be complete.

For me, dialogue was tough, taxing and yet one of the most enriching experiences of my life. It was not debate, it was much more. Other than that, at camp we played football in the rain, sang songs along the lake, danced, laughed, stayed up nights together and bonded. When we came back to India, we had regular follow-up sessions, meetings, workshops, events. We all sincerely tried to spread the peace we now felt to people around us.

This summer we had a workshop, Voices of the People, where the Pakistanis and Afghans came to Mumbai. They stayed in our homes, met our parents, came to our schools, and entered our daily lives. My parents and family friends met Zohra, my Afghan friend who stayed with me, and they had so much to ask her. They were curious, intrigued and loving. She was loving in return. It was a beautiful process of cultural and emotional exchange. It was an example of how peace can be shared. And yet, my journey has not ended. It has barely begun. [B][I]-- Ira Chadha-Sridhar[/I][/B]

[I](Anupama Srinivasan is Programme Director of the Gender Violence Research and Information Taskforce (GRIT) at [/I][I][LINK=http://www.prajnya.in/]Prajnya[/LINK],[/I][I] a non-profit organisation based in Chennai, India. She is a social sciences researcher, with a particular interest in issues related to public health and gender)[/I]

[B]Endnotes[/B]

1 This article is adapted and excerpted from A Survey of Civil Society Peace Education Programmes in South Asia, a study published in 2009 and funded by a grant from The Sir Ratan Tata Trust. The study is available in full at: [LINK=http://prajnya.in/eprsI2.pdf]http://prajnya.in/eprsI2.pdf[/LINK]. The research

process included several interviews with educationists and peace activists, in person, on the phone, and via email 2 This essay understands peace education as a process whereby people learn about the dangers of violence, develop their capacities to counter violence and build sustainable peace in their communities 3 Simorgh Womens Resource and Publication Centre, [LINK=http://www.simorghpk.org/]www.simorghpk.org[/LINK] 4 Childrens Museum for Peace and Human Rights, www.cmphr.org 5 Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation, www.cdr-india.org 6 www.schoolriverside.com 7 bluebellsinternational.com

[B]References[/B]

Galtung, Johan. 2008. Form and Content of Peace Education. *I+Encyclopaedia of Peace Education*/I+. Teachers College, Columbia University. [LINK=http://www.tc.edu/centers/epe/PDF%20articles/Galtung_ch6_22feb08.pdf]http://www.tc.edu/c enters/epe/PDF%20articles/Galtung_ch6_22feb08.pdf[/LINK] (accessed March 3, 2009)

Galtung, Johan. 1973. Education For and With Peace: Is it Possible?. PRIO publication No 23-19 (accessed March 17, 2009)

Harris, Ian. Peace Education in Different Countries and Contexts. Mie University, Faculty of Humanities, Law and Economics. [LINK=http://faculty.human.mieu.ac.jp/~peace/reportonthe%20latestpeaceeduca tioncommimeeting.htm]http://faculty.human.mieu.ac.jp/~peace/reportonthe%20 latestpeaceeducationcommimeeting.htm[/LINK] (accessed February 14, 2009)

Harris, Ian. 2008. History of Peace Education. *I+Encyclopaedia of Peace Education*/I+. Teachers College, Columbia University.

[LINK=http://www.tc.edu/centers/epe/PDF%20articles/Harris_ch2_22feb08.pdf]http://www.tc.edu/cen ters/epe/PDF%20articles/Harris_ch2_22feb08.pdf[/LINK] (accessed March 3, 2009)

Hussain, Neelam. Seeds of Change: School Texts for Teaching Gender Equality, Human Rights and Peace*B+. */B+*I+Human Rights Education in Asian Schools: Volume Eight*/I+. http://www.hurights.or.jp/pub/hreas/8/04SeedsOfChange.htm (accessed February 22, 2009)

Iqbal, Nasreen. Peace and Human Rights Education: Pakistan Experience. *I+Human Rights Education in Asian Schools: Volume Eight. [/I]http://www.hurights.or.jp/pub/hreas/8/03PakistanExperience.htm (accessed February 22, 2009)

Learning Network India. Sita School. [LINK=http://www.learningnetindia.org/lni/data/groups/karnataka/JaneSahi/index.php]http://www. learningnetindia.org/lni/data/groups/karnataka/JaneSahi/index.php[/LINK] (accessed March 9, 2009)

Reardon, Betty. 2000. Peace Education: A Review and Projection. In *I+International Companion to Education[/I]. Moon, Brown and Peretz, eds. Routledge. New York

Sahi, Jane. 2000. Education for Peace. Akshar Mudra. Pune, India

Tint, Barbara and Prasad, G K. Peace Education in India: Academics, Politics and Peace. *I+The Canadian Journal of Peace and Conflict Studies.[/I] Volume 39, Numbers 1-2 (2007): 2337

1 WHAT IS PEACE EDUCATION?

'Peace is possible for life at all stages and it is up to man to choose his destiny or to suffer from the horrors of war. Today mankind is at the crossroad where he has to choose with courage, determination and imagination.' Federico Mayor

On seeing this guide a teacher might wonder 'Is it really necessary to teach peace as such? Whole education is for peace. Isn't it already in the curriculum?' She may be right in a sense. But the questions remain: Are we giving adequate attention today to teach peace? Are our schools really interested in producing a peaceful young generation ? Is it enough having mere peace concepts in the curriculum? Violence is emerging in an unprecedented manner in human society. Looking at the world today any sensible person feels disheartened and even horrified to see the kind of violent acts being committed by man against man and nature. It is sad to realize that we live in an era of unprecedented violence in the forms of terrorism, war, crimes, injustice and oppression and exploitation amidst a seemingly outward development enjoyed by a few. The majority of mankind lives in stark poverty, struggling for bare survival. There is so much disorder and confusion in the society man has built for himself. The saddest part of the story is that this state of disorder and confusion in the society is affecting the children's innocent minds. Children naturally absorb the spirit of violence in the atmosphere and will soon grow to be the next generation of perpetuators of violence. Therefore the need to nurture peace in the hearts of children has arisen as urgent issues to be addressed. Fortunately, a few countries may still remain unaffected by such forces extending over the surface of the earth. But the questions remain: How long can they remain so? No country can remain aloof under the pressures of globalization. Under the present secular forces education is narrowing down into the teaching of certain subject matters necessary only for passing examinations. Due to such subject- centred and examination-oriented learning at school the purpose and the beauty of F

whole education seems to have much lost. The joy of learning is taken away from children. They are trained to cope with the rat race of the corrupt society. Today school is no more a place of leisure or of peace as the very word 'school' means. (The word school drives from Greek '&hole meaning leisure) Today teachers complain about increasing disciplinary problems in schools. One teacher says, "I am appalled to see the mindless behaviour of the adolescents in school. Their mentality seems so different from us!" The public criticizes the youth whom we produce at schools as insensitive to the problems of society, selfish, narrow minded, lacking in intellectual depth and susceptible to the violent and corrupt social pressures. The excellence of a few students cannot make up for the rest. R.D. Laing (1978) puts it this way: 'A child born today in the U.K. stands a ten times greater chance of being admitted to a mental hospital than a university.... We are driving mad our children more effectively than we are genuinely educating them. ' Under the present predicament there is a growing realization in the world of education today that children should be educated in the art of peaceful living. As a result, more and more peace concepts, attitudes, values and behavioural skills are being integrated into school curricula in many countries. There is also renewed interest to develop peace-related disciplines such as values education, moral education, global education, etc. In the past we seemed to have assumed that the more knowledge people have, the better they are. Accordingly, we stressed cognitive learning in schools at the cost of developing children's emotional, social, moral and humanistic aspects. The consequence of such imbalanced learning is evident today in the forms of youth unrest with their antisocial attitudes and behavioural problems. This teachers' guide introduces an educational approach, by the name of Peace Education, which can undo certain basic negative effects discussed above. It attempts to do so by way of bringing in core human values essential for peaceful and health living. It provides a wide range of interesting active methods of teaching and learning to deliver the curriculum effectively alongside with a focus on core human values. This approach has been tried out by educationists and teachers in different countries and found effective. For instance, a student in such a school in Sri Lanka, writes; 'This programme strongly influenced my mind. I was enlightened on how to lead a contented life, to live a conflict-free ltfe in school, to build up mutual co-

operation and make our future happy and successful and most of all, to live as a peaceful citizen ' (National Institute of Education (2000) Bulletin on Education for Conflict Resolution Programme) A teacher who had received a short course training on peace education said at the end, 'I have never received such a wonderful experience and knowledge in my teaching career I have become a changed person with good attitudes. This is indeed a useful Programme which could bring about peace and harmony to our country. ' (Ibid) Robin Montz, another teacher, who tried out such an approach in America writes: 'School started, and I began to weave into our curriculum some of the effective exercises I had experienced or read about. And I saw some "miraculous " things begin to take place. I saw students form meaningful relationships in the classroom. Isaw students who had been bored and in trouble much of the time begin to learn. I saw myself and my own role as teacher begin to change and to take on new meanings. And I saw genuine relationships begin to develop between myself and my students, not so much as teacher and pupil, but as people, human beings meeting each other and leamingLfiom each other '. (George Isaac Brown (1972) Human Teaching and Human Learning, The Gestalt Journal, Highland NY, page1 68) Development of Peace Education In tracing the recent development of peace education, we begin to see that in the past it had been an integral part of education at all times and in all cultures, Every culture regards peace as a noble ideal to attain. However with the advent of Western secularism at the beginning of the 20th century through the guise of a positivist scientific outlook to education, moral and human values including peace were slowly discouraged away from school curricula. Under the ideal of value-free positivist and reductionist knowledge the whole education was viewed narrowly as teaching facts of various subjects. However, in spite of such materialistic views, the thinking of such humanists like Rousseau, Henry Thoreau, Tolstoy and Maria Montessori kept the sense of education alive. With the witness of the horrors of the First and Second World Wars there was-a reawakening to the need of developing the humanistic side of education at least among a few educationists. In.this context Maria Montessori's loud and tireless reiteration on the need for

educating for peace should be mentioned here with respect and appreciation. At the beginning of the 21 st century today we are only rediscovering her vision of peace education which she tried to tell the world in the 1930s. For instance, she said in one of her public talks: Those who want war prepare young people for war; but those, who want peace have neglected young.children and adolescents so that they are unable to organize them for peace. Her vision of education provides a meaningful sound basis for peace education. She looked at education as a tool for building World Peace. To her peace is the guiding principle of man and nature. Any attempt to deviate from the principle will only bring about destruction. However it has never been investigated seriously so far. Peace should be studied as a science identifying its direct and indirect complex factors. She also observed that man had neglected to realize his inner sources of energies. Mastery over the external world alone is inadequate in bringing about a peaceful world. Peace is not only cessation of war. There are many positive qualities in peace. She said that violence destroys the moral perception inherited in man. She described her time as an era of insidious madness, which demanded man to return to reason immediately. Like Rousseau, she believed that man is intrinsically pure by nature. The child's natural innocence has to be preserved from being sidetracked or spoilt by society. To her the child is the promise of mankind. The child has real vision, a bright little flame of enlightenment that brings us a gift. Constructive education for peace must aim to reform humanity so as to permit the inner development of human personality and develop a more conscious vision of the mission of mankind and the present conditions of social life. What we need today is an education that is capable of saving mankind from the present predicament. Such an education involves the spiritual development of man and the enhancement of his value as an individual and prepares the young people to understand the time in which they live. At school we must construct an environment in which children can be actively engaged in learning. Definition of Peace Education Peace education is more effective and meaningful when it is adopted according to the social and cultural context and the needs of a country. It should be enriched by its cultural and spiritual values together with the universal human values. It should also be globally relevant. Peace education could be defined in many ways. There is no universally accepted definition as

such. Here are some good definitions from peace literature. A Peace education is an attempt to respond to problems of conflict and violence on scales ranging from the global and national to the local and personal. It is about exploring ways qf creating more just and sustainable futures - R. D. Laing (I 978) Peace education is holistic. It embraces the physical, emotional, intellectual, and social growth of children within aframework deeply rooted in traditional human values. It is based on philosophy that teaches love, compassion, trust, fairness, co-operation and reverence for the human family and all ltfe on our beautiful planet - Fran Schmidt and Alice Friedman (1988) Peace education is skill building. It empowers children tojnd creative and nondestructive ways to settle conflict and to live in harmony with themselves, others, and their world . . . . . . Peace building is the task of every human being and the challenge of the human family -Fran Schmidt and Alice Friedman (1988) The basic concepts embedded in the above definitions are that peace education is a remedial measure to protect children from falling into the ways of violence in society. It aims at the total development of the child. It tries to inculcate higher human and social values in the mind of the child. In essence it attempts to develop a set of behavioural skills necessary for peaceful living and peace-building from which the whole of humanity will benefit. In fact, two out of the four pillars of education suggested by the Dolor report, namely learning to live together and learning to be, are related to peaceful living. Naming such efforts as peace education is not always necessary. What matters is integrating peaceful attitudes, values, and skills into the teaching and learning process in school and makes it a part of the total curriculum. Certain countries and institutes have it in the form of subjects such as Values Education, (Malaysia and Philippines), Citizenship Education (U.S.A.). Education for Mutual Understanding (Ireland) and Developmental Education (UNICEF).Apart from such subject names it can be integrated into the formal curriculum and co-curriculum of schools. Through applying peace education and creating a peace culture, it has been observed that schools can have the following benefits (as reported by teachers and principals who have used the peace approach in their schools in Sri Lanka. Source: Education for Conflict Resolution Project. National Institute of Education. Sri Lanka)

Schools can: Develop a more humanistic management approach. Improve human relations between, teacher-student, teacher-teacher, student-student, etc. Help develop good attitudes in students and teachers as well, e.g. cooperation, mutual respect. Help healthy emotional development in students. Facilitate socialization through participation in interactive and co- operative learning activities Improve students' discipline and moral behaviour. Develop creativity both in students and teachers. Improve standard of quality of teaching and learning. It is interesting to mention here an evaluation done on affective learning techniques by Robin Motz the teacher mentioned above as reported in the same book (p. 168) 1. Better learning of cognitive material. 2. Heightened motivation and response to learning situations. 3. Greater appreciation of self, nature, others, feelings, etc. 4. Greater pupil responsibility A greatly reduced or diminished desire for drug use by some students and for "mind blowing" by others:( to quote his words: A signzficant number of students in the class had been experimenting with drugs or other methods of escaping from their problems. Many used drugs in the attempt to find a more meaningful reality to which they could relate. The use of affective techniques in connection with conventional curriculum showed them another and a better way to achieve normalcy with the same result. Many of them discontinued the use of drugs. Other students, ready to drop out of society, were able to find knowledge and experience that was relevant to them. In general the use of affective techniques has resulted in behavioural change on the part of students that has made them better students, better able to relate to other human beings and has shown other teachers that motivation, interest, awareness, learning and so on, can be increased tfstudents are 'tuned in,

Concluding Thoughts This chapter describes the conditions that make peace education obligatory in our schools. Though it seems to be a recent development, it has been evolving even before the 20th century. No education system is complete without some form of component similar to peace education It may take such forms as moral, value or citizenship, democratic or global education. The differentiating feature of peace education is the focus it has on the problem of human violence. In short, peace education can be defined as an educational response to the problem of human violence. It has the following basic features: It aims at protecting children's minds from being imbued by violence in the society. It prepares them for building a peaceful world by empowering them with necessary knowledge, attitudes, and skills. It humanizes the child, teaching and learning, and school. Schools can directly benefit by adopting peace education. There is ample evidence to show that it improves the quality of teaching and learning, discipline, and helps emotional development in children. Things To Do 1. Identify and discuss the positive and negative impacts that globalization has on your society. What measures need to be taken to curtail them? What changes should be brought into education to face the present challenges? 2 What positive and negative comments do you hear from teachers and parents about the present adolescents? Discuss. 3 'The child is the promise of mankind.' How do you understand Maria Montessori's statement?

Locating Education for Peace in Gandhian Thought

Manju Kumari & Dr. Sujata Raghuvansh*

Abstract The emergence of global issues and problems infesting humankind in general underlines the fact that we need a new philosophy not only of thinking but also of practicing which is epitomized by Gandhian philosophy of peace education. For Gandhi, religious and moral education in the overarching framework of non-violence is complimentary in nature and form the core of peace education. Gandhis thoughts on inequality, social development, education and non-violence if operationalised, can go a long way to negotiate and overcome not only the socio-economic challenges but also the ethical dilemmas of present times. The present nature and content of education undermines the social goal and obligation of developing a balanced personality. For Gandhi value education is necessary for moral development of individual whereas peace education is vital for humankind as a whole. Introduction Gandhi holds an important place in the history of social thought. Though he is not considered as a theoretician in strict sense yet his writings on state and democracy, relationship between individual and the society, moral and ethical values in education and numerous other writings on social issues have made him an invincible part of academic debates across political science, history, sociology, economics among other subjects. This is very well reflected in Akeel Bilgramis argument that the social scientists and historians interest in him has sought out a nationalist leader with a strikingly effective method of non-violent political action (Bilgrami, 2003: 4159).1 Additively, he was basically a man of action whose major contribution consisted in leading his countrys struggle for independence (Parekh, 1997:151). 2 The Gandhian thought of peace is worldwide acknowledged. The name of Gandhi is synonyms with peace & non-violence. That is why United Nation announced World Peace Day on 2nd October, the birth date of Mahatma Gandhi. The contribution of Gandhi to the humanity is incomparable. The present paper is an attempt to locate how he tended to blend peace education & education for peace within his broad schema on his ideas on education in general. Gandhi viewed education as vital in the overall development of individual as well as society. This education has to be given to the students so that they can learn and imbibe the ethics and values of a humanitarian, just and peaceful society i.e. Sarvodya Samaj. Before elaborating on the Gandhian notion of peace education, we need to locate what peace education broadly means. Peace education can be understood education for facilitating peace. According to Page (2008), a fundamental concern of peace education is education to prevent the suffering and wastage of warfare within the modern era (Page, 2008: 2).3Harris and Morrison (2003) argue that peace education, refers to teaching about peace what it is, why it doesnt exist, and how to achieve it (Harris and Morrison, 2003: 25-26). 4According to Peace Education Working Group at UNICEF, peace education refers to the process of promoting the knowledge, skills, attitudes and values . to prevent conflict and violence.5 Hague Appeal for Peace defines peace education as a participatory holistic process that

includes teaching for and about democracy and human rights6 among other issues. For Gandhi, peace can be located in his revolutionary mode of action which he called satyagraha, and his challenging goal of sarvodaya, meaning the welfare and good of all, a fuller and richer concept of peoples democracy than any we have yet known (Bose, 1981: 159).7 Peace to Gandhi is primarily located in his idea of Ahimsa i.e. non-violence however, according to Gupta (1968: 1876), his ideas of trusteeship and passive resistance both form the base peaceful and just society. 8 For Gandhi, A votary of ahimsa remains true to his faith if the spring of all his actions is compassion, if he shuns to the best of his ability the destruction of the tiniest creature, tries to save it, and thus incessantly strives to be free from the deadly coil of himsa. 9 Gandhian concept of education is based on all round development of human personality that includes physical development, intellectual development and spiritual development. According to Gandhi, By education I mean an all round drawing out of the best in child and man. Gandhis important writings on education is compiled in two books; Basic Education(1951) and Towards New Education (1953). He didnt liked the western education. According to him western education is based on materialism. In western philosophy the value of education is like the value of land or property, which is a very narrow concept. He believed that education is very broad concept and if it is implied in a better way, it can solve many problems of society and world. Buniyadi Shiksha (Basic Education also known as Nai Talim) was the base of educational practice as propounded by Gandhi in 1937 at Wardha which subsequent became as Wardha Scheme or Basic National Education. As has been argued by Samuel Ravi, that The principle of non-violence is the basis of basic education. Through itGandhi wants to develop qualities which are necessary for building a non-violent society. It is against exploitation and centralization. (Ravi, 2011: 232).10 His idea of basic education was firmly oriented towards activity based. He elaborated on his notion of Nai Talim as Craft, Art, Health and education should all be integrated into one scheme. Nai Talim is a beautiful blend of all the four and covers the whole education of the individual from the time of conception to the moment of death.11 The idea of sarvadharma samabhava i.e. equality of religions as espoused by Gandhi is an effective tool to counter the increasing tensions among different religious groups. According to Gandhi, a curriculum of religious instruction should include a study of the tenets of faiths other than ones own. For this purpose, the students should be trained to cultivate the habit of understanding and appreciating the doctrines of various great religions of the world in a spirit of reverence and broadminded tolerance. This, if properly done, would help to give them a spiritual assurance and a better appreciation of their own religion. This study of other religions besides ones own will give one a grasp of the rock-bottom unity of all religions, and afford a glimpse also of that universal and absolute Truth which lies beyond the dust of creeds and faiths."12 In some of the recent studies, scholars have tried to contextualize and place the emergence of Gandhian Studies within the framework of education for peace. Field

(2006: 231) underlines that nonviolence education or Gandhian Studies emphasizes positive concepts of peace (rather than peace as absence of strife). 13 Monisha Bajaj (2010: 47-63) in her study argues that social and collective action towards peace also appears more frequently in Gandhian studies perhaps because of the focus on structural and cultural forms of violence (Bajaj, 2010: 54).14 Similarly, Tint and Prasad (2007: 23-37) have also observed that there are several programs in Gandhian thought and peace studies, which inform the studies on nonviolence (2007: 27).15 Thus, Gandhi emphasized on value education as it is necessary for moral development of individual whereas peace education is vital for humankind as a whole. His idea of peace education can be seen in his interpretation of religious education though he was critical of it many a times.16 Religious education tends to sensitize individual towards his/her moral duties and responsibilities. All religions are based on love and compassion towards humanity and thus teach tolerance to its respective followers. Religious teachings should not be confused with the dogmatic, conservative and static notions of social reality rather these should be seen as a form of moral cleansing of individual. The practice of non-violence can achieve its optimum if one has an attitude of tolerance of others. He argued that religious and moral education in the overarching framework of non-violence is complimentary in nature and form the core of peace education. Peace education needs to inculcate tolerance among the different faiths. His thoughts on inequality, social development, education and non-violence if operationalised, can go a long way to negotiate and overcome not only the socio-economic challenges but also the ethical dilemmas of present times. Conclusion The present times crisis both at the levels of global and national once again has made our self aware of the immense importance and relevance of Gandhian philosophy. It is true that unlike other theoreticians, he did not theorized the social issues and presented them in a sound methodological framework. Yet, his ideas on education are very much in tune with the needs of the present generation. Peace today has become a rare and priced commodity. As Gandhi has said, that it is in the minds of the grown-ups we need to see the problems and it is in the minds of the children we need to sow the seeds of solution to such problems. Educating the children regarding peace, non-violence and most importantly mutual respect towards each other is very important. Needless to say, Gandhis Basic education engrained such thinking. As violence also has its roots in wealth and individuals desire for accumulating it beyond his/her need, Gandhian notions of Astaya (non-stealing) and Aparigraha (non-possession) needs to be engrained in the educational philosophy. He focused on the internalization of the education in day to day life so as to imbibe its moral values. The practice of non-violence is also central as it not only relates to the physical violence rather the inner soul is mauled and left bleeding. Though it can be argued that Gandhi did not specifically wrote on peace education yet it is diffused across his writings which are very critical for todays time.

Violence is emerging in an unprecedented manner in human society. Looking at the Kashmir today any sensible person feels disheartened and even horrified to see the kind of violent acts being committed by man against man and nature. It is sad to realize that we live in an era of unprecedented violence in the forms of war, crimes, injustice and oppression and exploitation amidst a seemingly outward development enjoyed by a few. The majority of Kashmiri today live in stark poverty, struggling for bare survival. They suffer from free floating anxiety , mental inertia and feeling of hollowness. There is so much disorder and confusion in the society man has built for himself. The saddest part of the story is that this state of disorder and confusion in the Kashmiri society is affecting the children's innocent minds. Children naturally absorb the spirit of violence in the atmosphere and will soon grow to be the next generation of perpetuators of violence. Therefore the need to nurture peace in the hearts of children has arisen as urgent issues to be addressed. Education is narrowing down into the teaching of certain subject matters necessary only for passing examinations. Due to such subject- centered and examination-oriented learning at school the purpose and the beauty of whole education seems to have much lost. The joy of learning is taken away from children. They are trained to cope with the rat race of the corrupt society. Today school is no more a place of leisure or of peace as the very word 'school' means. Today teachers complain about increasing disciplinary problems in schools. One teacher says, "I am appalled to see the mindless behaviour of the adolescents in school. Their mentality seems so different from us!" The public criticizes the youth whom we produce at schools as insensitive to the problems of society, selfish, narrow minded, lacking in intellectual depth and susceptible to the violent and corrupt social pressures.

Ten Steps for Peace Education

Ten Steps for Peace Education From the Alliance for Childhood Revised December 2012 As the world struggles with increasing fears of war and violence, the Alliance for Childhood offers the following brief guide for parents and teachers who seek to nurture the values of compassion and good will in their childrens lives. It is easy to teach children about war. It is much more challenging to teach them how to create peace. These first steps on a path to peace require only small deeds, but will leave profound impressions. 1. Make Room for Peace at Home Outer peace begins with inner peace. Children and adults need special places that give them a sense of privacy and peace, and that can serve as a quiet refuge for times when hurt or angry feelings might lead to violent words or actions. It could be a room or just a corner, decorated simply and lovingly, where any family member can go for quiet reflection or prayer, or to work through turbulent feelings. Put art and writing materials there to help express what lies within. 2. Find Peace in Nature Go outside. Take children for a walk or let them explore nature in their own way. The beauty of nature is a great balm to the soul. Children often seek out their own secret outdoor spaces, even if its only a corner of the backyard. Respect childrens need f or the private exploration and inner reflection that nature inspires. 3. Make Time for Creative Play Young children need plenty of time for unstructured, creative play. Make-believe social play reduces aggression and increases empathy in children. Children use play to work through

feelings of fear and sadness, to find comfort, and to explore the world and develop relationships. Choose childrens toys carefully, avoiding those that encourage or glorify violence. Teachers Resisting Unhealthy Childrens Entertainment (www.truceteachers.org) prepares an annual guide to help parents make wise choices about toys. 4. Engage Childrens Hands and Hearts Children need a direct experience of giving. They love to make things, small and large their own cards, tree ornaments, cookies, or breadfor neighbors, family, friends, or those in need. They can also learn to enjoy sorting through their own things and giving away some treasured possessions to others in need. 5. Establish a Family Foundation Create a homemade bank for donationsa miniature family foundation. Family and friends can put money in the bank. Children can be introduced to tithing when they receive gifts, earnings, or allowance. Choose a charity togetherone that has personal meaning for the children especiallyto give to. Charities like the Heifer Project (www.heifer.org) are much loved by children who relate to the practical deed of giving livestock to needy families. When there is news of a flood, fire, or other disaster, the family can respond with a donation from the bank. As the children mature, talk to them more frankly about the needs of the world and ways to help. 6. Support Peace Education at School Urge your school to establish or strengthen peace-education and conflict-resolution programs. Contact Educators for Social Responsibility (www.esrnational.org) or the National Peace Foundation (www.nationalpeace.org) for ideas, like how to create peace places in schools, where students can go to negotiate and mediate conflicts and resolve disputes nonviolently. Older students can study a conflict-ridden area of the world, looking at it from two or more perspectives. Resources for this kind of study can be found through the Karuna Center for Peacebuilding (www.karunacenter.org); Facing History and Ourselves (www.facinghistory.org); and Public Conversations Project (www.publicconversations.org). 7. Face Local Needs Help children become comfortable with the people in your community who need help the elderly, the disabled, and the poor. Starting in middle school, students benefit enormously from working in hospitals, soup kitchens, animal shelters, and the like. Make sure there is someone there to mentor the young person when such experiences become emotionally painful or confusing. Community service can be especially effective for young people who are growing up in socially and economically stressed neighborhoods where they feel undervalued. 8. Make a Difference in the World Help young people find active ways to collaborate with other children globally, through organizations like Jane Goodalls Roots and Shoots ( www.janegoodall.org), Craig Kielburgers Free the Children (www.freethechildren.org), or Peace Jam, in which students work directly with Nobel Peace Laureates ( www.peacejam.org). 9. Celebrate Peace Link children with others around the world through U.N. celebrations of Peace Day, September 21 (http://www.un.org/en/events/peaceday). The World Peace Prayer Society (www.worldpeace.org) encourages children and communities to plant a peace

pole or host a ceremony of flags from countries around the world. Encourage children to create their own peace prayers, poems, and works of art. Make every day a peace day. 10. Share Inspiring Words of Peace from Different Cultures Children love to hear aloud the inspiring words of Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and other champions of peace, justice, and nonviolence. Teach children the Golden Rule, common to most religions and philosophies. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you is the basis of social respect and cooperation (seewww.teachingvalues.com/goldenrule.html). Also see peaceCENTER (www.salsa.net/peace/prayer14.html) for a list of 12 peace prayers from different world religions, or http://www.worldprayers.org for prayers by individuals.

Peace Education
IntroductionTop
Education is the key to uniting nations, bringing human beings closely together. In many parts of the world, civil society suffers because of situations of violent conflicts and war. It is important to recognise the crucial role of education in contributing to building a culture of peace and condemning instances in which education is undermined in order to attack democracy and tolerance. A culture of peace and non-violence goes to the substance of fundamental human rights: social justice, democracy, literacy, respect and dignity for all, international solidarity, respect for workers rights and corelabourstandards, children rights, equality between men and wome n, cultural identity and diversity, Indigenous peoples and minorities rights, the preservation of the natural environment to name some of the more obvious thematics. These are all issues of concern to EI and its member organizations, as reflected in many resolutions endorsed at EI World Congresses as well as at regional EI supported events. EI affirms the right to peace and pledges its support for the peaceful resolution of conflicts and practice of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation. In 2000, the then UNESCO Director General, Federico Mayor, stressed that Education International is not only a vast repository of experience, it also has the know-how and talent to implement innovation and change far beyond what is normally found in government circles [] Education Inter national and UNESCO can work together to achieve the common goals of an educated, intellectually curious and participatory culture of peace and democracy. Education is a key tool in combating poverty, in promoting peace, social justice, human rights, democracy, cultural diversity and environmental awareness. Education for peace implies an active concept of peace through values, life skills and knowledge in a spirit of equality, respect, empathy, understanding and mutual appreciation among individuals, groups and nations. In its Constitution and resolutions, EI committed itself firmly to international peace activities linked to education promoting human rights and democracy and encouraging international understanding and solidarity. EI called on its member organisations to develop their advocacy in line with UNESCO's Charter and aims, the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. The educational action for promoting the concept of peace concerns the content of education and training, educational resources and material, school and university life, initial and ongoing training for teachers, research, and ongoing training for young people and adults. A culture of peace must take root in the classroom from an early age. It must continue to be reflected in the curricula at secondary and tertiary levels. However, the skills for peace and non-violence can only be learned and perfected through practice. Active listening, dialogue, mediation, and cooperative learning are delicate skills to develop. This is education in the widest sense. It is a dynamic, long term process: a life-time experience. It means providing both children and adults with an understanding of and respect for universal values and rights. It requires participation at all levels - family, school, places of work, news rooms, play grounds, and the community as well as the nation. At the EI World Congress in 1998, EI and its affiliates placed on the record that they wanted "to take every opportunity to promote justice, world peace and education, in the interests of children of all countries. As a token of EIs commitment to a culture of peace, General Secretary Fred van L eeuwen, was one of the first to sign the Manifesto 2000 appeal and to support the International Year for the Culture of Peace. In a resolution adopted in 2004, EI Resolution on Education for Peace, EI member organisations pledged to promote education for p eace and intercultural learning as the best antidote to racist and fundamentalist phenomena in order to prevent social conflict and the recourse to social violence. In 2007, teacher organizations were also invited to promote peaceful behaviour in school environments through disp ute resolution and peer mediation.

PolicyTop
EI's policy is essentially shaped by the various resolutions passed by the consecutive World Congresses since 1995. These resolutions focus on the role of education for international understanding and cooperation and education regarding human rights. [2009] Declaration on Schools as Safe Sanctuaries [2007] Resolution on United for greater social justice [2007] Resolution on peace and an end to violence [2004] Resolution on the Role of the UN in the Current International Context [2004] Resolution on Education for Peace

[2004] Resolution on Education for a Peaceful Environment in Schools [2001] Resolution on the Revision of the Distortion of History in Japanese Textbooks [1998] Resolution on the Elimination of Nuclear Arms [1998] Resolution on Peace Education for Disarmament [1998] Resolution on Children and War [1995] Resolution on Towards Peace, Disarmament and Peace Education [1995] Resolution on Racism, Religious Intolerance

ActivitiesTop
Peace Education is integrated comprehensive education focusing on life skills covering human rights, democracy, international understanding, tolerance, non-violence, multiculturalism, and all other values conveyed through the school curriculum. Promoting Peace Education in the classroom These are not just lessons for the classroom but lessons for life of immediate relevance, empowering individuals to achieve a just society in which all human rights of all persons are valued and respected. Peace education applies to the contents of all curricula, at every level in the education system. Peace education is the all-round education of each individual. Peace education should be extended to all learners, including refugee and migrant children, children from minorities and disabled with the objective of promoting equal opportunities through education. The training of teachers, education workers and all education stakeholders, including staff from ministries of education is crucial. Educators promote the development of the whole person, so as to enable everyone to contribute to society in a caring and responsible manner. In order to recruit and retain the best teachers, governments should give priority to adequate salary, which must provide teachers with a reasonable standard of living for themselves and for their families, as well as the means of enhancing their professional qualifications by developing their knowledge and improving their cultural resources. Governments must also focus on providing attractive working conditions including small class sizes, career paths and more opportunities for professional growth and development, financial and other incentives, and support systems for new teachers, such as mentoring programs. Education is a participatory and interactive process of instruction and learning, and the curriculum and pedagogy should give prominence to understanding the wealth of distinctive cultural and linguistic characteristics, in response to globalization. The educational context should provide programs addressing psychological and physical violence, including cyberbullying, through violence prevention, conflict resolution and mediation in all levels of education. EI Declaration Schools shall be Safe Sanctuaries Schools must be safe and secure to ensure the best possible situation for teaching and learning. It is incumbent upon Governments and the international community to take action designed to prevent violence in schools and to facilitate an atmosphere where children can learn and teachers can perform their job in a positive, healthy and safe setting. Since September 2008, EI has engaged in multiple cohesive initiatives to protect teachers, students and education worldwide in a context of increased targeted attacks against education. In 2008, EI adopted a Declaration Schools Shall be Safe Sanctuaries demanding that schools be respected and protected as zones of peace. EIs Declaration focuses on Violent Political and Military Attacks Against Schools and Education Institutions, Students, Teachers, Academics and all other Education Personnel, including Support and Transport Staff, Education Officials, Education Trade Unionists and Education Aid Workers. It is the responsibility of all Governments to ensure that students, teachers, schools and universities are protected, that the perpetrators of attacks are punished and that education becomes a force for peace. In 2011, EI developed an analysis of the Education For All Global Monitoring Report which focuses on the impact of armed conflict on education. The EI publication is meant to be a reading guide to the EFA Report. It highlights the major findings, and helps teacher unions use these findings to protect education in their country, and the teachers and children in conflict-afflicted zones. The publication also highlights EIs initiatives to keep education going in all corners of the world, and to make schools safe sanctuaries that guarantee the peace and security of all children, girls and boys, teachers and support staff and communities. EI stresses the importance of re-building education systems in post-conflict situations and of considering education as a priority in humanitarian relief. Living and Learning Together Building dialogue and understanding between cultures has been a priority and a programmatic activity of EI for years. In 1997, EI organised its first international conference for affiliates in Central and Eastern Europe. Entitled Democratic Societies: Living and Learning Together, the Bled conference highlighted the role and responsibilities of teachers and their unions in combatting racism, anti-semitism and xenophobia. The second such conference was organised in Malta in 2002. Over 160 participants from all regions of the world challenged each other to enter into true dialogue among civilisations, cultures and religions and to face up to the dangers of unequal opportunities. Workshops provided participants with examples of best practice of EI member unions in terms of respecting cultures and honouring differences, human rights education, democracy to protect minority rights and access to education of asylum seekers and refugees. Further conferences were organised in Turkey and Morocco to encourage the dialogue between cultures and religions. EI activities continue to be developed to reassert universal values of human rights, peace and democracy and mutual respect through education in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). With its member organizations in Israel and Palestine, EI is also continuing its efforts to make meaningful contributions to the Middle East peace process. 2000, Year for the Culture of Peace and Olympic Truce In 2000, EI and UNESCO joined to produce a grassroots campaign for a culture of peace. The peace initiative was sustained effort by EI to invite all its affiliates to join in the promotion of 2000 as the Year for the Culture of Peace. The kit outlined aspects of EIs ongoing commitment to human rights and a peace culture from an education and union perspective. Papers directed to teachers, education workers, and their students provided topics for classroom discussion and suggested some practical activities.

For example, EI followed up the 1998 Congress resolution that EI commits itself to promoting world peace during the peri od of the summer 2000 Olympic Games, recalling that peace was declared during the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece. The kit provided detai ls of the Olympic Truce campaign which schools and colleges developed in a variety of ways. Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence The Manifesto 2000 for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence was endorsed by EI. Written by Nobel Prize Peace Laureates in order to create a sense of responsibility starting on a personal level, the Manifesto 2000 was not an appeal or petition addressed to a higher authority. Considering it is the responsibility of each and every individual to put into practice the values, attitudes and forms of behaviour which inspire the culture of peace, UNESCO promoted a Manifesto which everyone can contribute to its aims within their family, their area, their town, their region and their country by promoting non-violence, tolerance, dialogue, reconciliation, justice and solidarity on a daily basis. Tackling Violence in Schools The education sector is one of the most exposed to violence. The Fourth European Working Conditions Survey carried out in 2005 in the EU27, in the two candidate countries (Turkey and Croatia), as well as in Switzerland and Norway, shows that overall approximately 10% of workers report having being exposed to violence, bullying or harassment at work in the previous twelve months. The education sector appears to be amongst those where the risk of experiencing some form of violence, bullying or harassment at work is the greatest. For example, workers in the education sector are six times more likely to have encountered the threat of physical violence than their counterparts in the manufacturing sector. Survey data also reveals that around 6.6% of workers in the education sector report having experienced bullying or harassment (against the EU27 average of 5%) and another 7.9% say that they have been personally subjected to physical violence from fellow workers or people outside the workforce (against the EU27 average of 5%) in the previous twelve-month period. In several European countries, measures developed to prevent violence in schools have proven to be successful, thereby underlining the potential benefit of the exchange of best practices and an analysis of best practice transferability. The need for initial teacher training and continuing professional development; the importance of the support of other professionals including psychologists, therapists and counsellors in dealing with bullying and the victims of bullying; as well as the importance of leadership, constructive conflict management and school action plans, are regularly featured by teacher organisations as possible ways to prevent violence in the learning environment. Teacher organisations also insist that the issue has to be collectively addressed by the profession through trade union representatives. Womens engagement in peacebuilding policy The UN Resolution 1325 recognized the relevance of gender in peace and security matters, and mandated all United Nations member-states to ensure full participation of women at all levels of decision-making in conflict resolution and peace processes. It also called for the protection of women and girls against violence during and after conflict, and for the adoption of a gender perspective to prevent and mitigate impacts of conflict on women. While progress has been made at policy levels, translating the goals of Resolution 1325 into reality in conflict-affected countries remains a challenge. In the education sector, more efforts must be made by Governments to identify and strengthen the right methodologies for empowering both male and female teachers to create a safe and secure school environment for girls and boys. Synergies must be created between experience and policies. In 1995, the Beijing Platform of Action recognised education not only as a human right but also as an essential tool for achieving the goals of equality, development and peace. Literacy of women is an important key to improving health, nutrition and education in the family and to empowering women to participate in decision-making and society. The issues raised at the UN Beijing Conference remain relevant. The Conference identified twelve critica l areas of concern. Each concern revealed that womens human rights are very much compromised and at risk in a prevailing culture of violence, and women remain systematically disadvantaged and discriminated against solely on the basis of gender. The Conference concluded that equality between men and women could not be achieved unless the rights of women are fully respected. The 2011 EI Conference On the move for Equality highlighted that womens civil society organizations are an important vehic le for the promotion of womens participation and gender-friendly policies, both important for long-term peace and democracy. Burundi and Nepal are two post-conflict countries that are notable for the large number of women engaged in civil society. In these countries, womens organizations have been a driving force behind womens engagement in public and political life, and for the adoption of laws protecting womens rights. Yet, the impact an d sustainability of these organizations are hampered both by a lack of political will, and by insecure and inflexible funding regimes.