Category Archives: EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Mexico: Culture of peace in higher education

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article by Jaime Valls Esponda in El Universal

On February 17, the proposal of the Comprehensive Culture of Peace Plan in the Higher Education Institutions was presented at the headquarters of the ANUIES [National Association of Universities and Institutions of Higher Education]. In addition to the subject of peace, it contains measures for the prevention of addictions and seeks to contribute to the development of young people in school and social settings.

Statistics indicate a deterioration of values ​​that has increased insecurity, which especially affects the most vulnerable sectors of the population: women, the elderly , children and low-income households in general. Without values, society loses cohesion and the social fabric is eroded. What is needed is a culture of peace that returns stability throughout the nation and ensures harmonious coexistence. An active contribution of higher education institutions is needed; they are spaces for the socialization of essential principles of well-being and peace. They are the ideal environment for the flourishing of the rule of law, inclusive justice and citizenship.

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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

Where is peace education taking place?

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The proposal, which is the result of the work of the academics and specialists of the associated institutions, will be submitted to the ANUIES National Council for consideration next March. One of the main actions foreseen is the figure of Peace Agents formed by university students and citizens, in order to strengthen the social fabric in their environment. Similarly, it is proposed to establish Specialized Care Centers to delineate peace programs with a social sense. The “Together for Peace” campaign will be supported with the participation of academics and students; the opening of Clubs for peace, the implementation of health and wellness projects with drug use prevention measures and the offer of courses, workshops and materials related to addictions.

Likewise, it was agreed to integrate an inter-institutional group of specialists and experts from the Center for Documentation, Research and Prospect for Security, Justice and Peace of ANUIES. They are to develop programs and indicators on the subject. It was proposed to create, in the medium term, a School of thought for peace, with an educational offer focused on social transformation. Finally, it was recognized that since society is central to the construction of peace, there is need for an active change that involves the joint management of citizenship, family and school.

ANUIES calls for the creation of a National Network of Specialists and Experts in the Criminal Justice System. One of its tasks should be the promotion of a culture of peace in the justice system in all regions of the country.

Higher education institutions, in the full exercise of their social responsibility, expressed in teaching, research, innovation and culture, should recognize the demands of society and contribute to solving the problems of the nation. Higher education institutions are sensitive and in solidarity with the causes of a culture of peace, social justice and full respect for human rights.

Jaime Valls Esponda is the Executive Secretary General of ANUIES.

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

For Bob Marley’s 75th Birthday, Ziggy Marley Reflects On His Father’s Legacy

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from National Public Radio for Central California

It can be hard to reconcile Bob Marley’s massive and ongoing influence with the fact that the genre-defining reggae artist was just 36 when he died of cancer in 1981. Marley would have turned 75 this Thursday; to this day, his music accounts for nearly a quarter of the reggae listened to in the United States.


Redemption Song

Question for this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?

To celebrate Marley’s 75th birthday, his estate is launching a year of events and releases, including concerts featuring Marley’s sons, Ziggy and Stephen, new music videos and reissues. NPR’s Scott Simon talked to Ziggy Marley about his own memories of his father and his music

Ziggy was 12 years old when his father died, and he says he most of all remembers his father as a generous person. “He’s a loving man; I think that is the most important thing,” he says.

True to the Marley tradition, Ziggy says that the classic Bob Marley message of peace, love and happiness still has a place in an often bleak world.

“The majority of people are good people, are peaceful people,” Marley says.

“But we’re just not loud, we’re just not on the TV, we’re not in the news — it’s just the people making war in the news.”

Listen to their full conversation in the player.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global, Latin America,

Spain: Professor Marta Gonzalo Quiroga recognized for her impetus to the culture of peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Universidad Rey Juan Carlos

A teacher from FCJS [Faculty of Law and Social Sciences Campus de Madrid] has recently received the ‘Medal of Professional Merit for promoting the Culture of Peace, Dialogue and Mediation’, awarded by the Spanish School of Mediation and the Journal of Mediation.

The award rewards more than 20 years of work in this field from the URJC professor who explains that she felt very grateful for this recognition.

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(click here for a version in Spanish).

Question for this article:

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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This medal falls to Marta Gonzalo for promoting mediation with its own scientific autonomy at the Spanish University. In this sense, the teacher recalled that “for a long time now the URJC has opted to introduce mediation and the Culture of Peace.” This fact is demonstrated by the existence of the Own Title of ‘Mediation Expert’ and the University’s membership in various interuniversity research networks in the field.

“We need mediation to be transversal”

Marta Gonzalo considers “very necessary” the impulse of a culture of greater dialogue and understanding, “now we are in a moment in which everything is radicalized and judicialized, we must promote dialogue and negotiation”.

For this teacher “mediation must be transversal and especially exercised by politicians to do their job better and find solutions to the problems of citizenship.”

The delivery of medals was held last Friday 17 and took place within the framework of the Chair of Social Welfare, Communication, Education and Employment UDIMA-EDAE. In the previous edition, personalities such as the former mayor of Madrid, Manuela Carmena and the journalist Irene Villa were awarded.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe

Lebanon: Interview with Ogarit Younan (prize for conflict prevention and peace)

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Agenda Culturel

The CHAML association has been awarded the “Prize for Conflict Prevention and Peace in Lebanon 2019” from the Ghazal Foundation, which annually awards an NGO. This award adds to the long career of its founders, Ogarit Younan and Walid Slaiby. Pioneers of non-violence in Lebanon and in the region. Initiators of interactive training in Lebanon, they have been recognized as figures of civil society for over 30 years. They have to their credit the creation of several associations and especially the foundation of the University Academy for Nonviolence and Human Rights – AUNOHR.

On the occasion of the award ceremony, Ogarit Younan answers questions from the Cultural Agenda.

How long has the Chaml association existed and what are its goals?

First of all, I would like to salute the GHAZAL Foundation and its founding president Michel Ghazal, for this link, active rather than passive, that he ties with his country, by supporting concrete actions of peace and citizenship each year.

CHAML (“شمل” ، “شباب مواطنون لاعنفيون لاطائفيون”), was created in the heart of the upheavals of 2005 which deeply divided the country. It brought together 260 young people, through activities in all the mohafazats of the country. The members of the founding group come from different backgrounds but without being “denominational” because this is absolutely not the philosophy of CHAML.

In 2008, CHAML obtained the official status of a civil association in accordance with Lebanese law (Opinion No 1040 / Date September 10, 2008).

The CHAML coordination and administration committee is made up of professionals in civil action, trainers who are among the most senior trainers in Lebanon. They have a special qualification and are the first in Lebanon to hold a Masters in Human Rights and Non-violence.

Through its objectives, CHAML works mainly to contribute in the following areas:

* Raise awareness among young students, especially adolescents in secondary classes through an annual program in public and private schools in all regions of the country.

* Undertake peace and citizenship initiatives aimed at resolving conflicts and deep “wounds” in Lebanese society.

* Fight for change in the denominational system and unjust laws.

* Support, through its expertise, other civil organizations, at national and regional level, in projects for young people, women, education and refugees.

Read here for examples of CHAML activities.

The revolution that began October 17 last year aimed be a peaceful uprising. Did you expect such a rising of a population that some previously believed was “in a coma”?

Obviously, we expected something that said “enough is enough”, but it was beyond measure with this massive NO. Moreover, this uprising is the result of an accumulation of small gradual ‘no’ s. Rather than a ‘coma’, I prefer to say longtemps a long silent latent anger, repeatedly expressed through actions, sometimes successful and mostly unsuccessful. The most important thing now is that “the spirit of the revolution” builds a professional and well-organized strategy that is still lacking but developing.

(Click here for the original article in French.)

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Question for this article:

Can peace be guaranteed through nonviolent means?

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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During this uprising and in your opinion, what effects have the trainings you have given in recent years had?

We have seen everywhere and in all regions the people we have trained over the past 30 years. They participated in the organization of groups, training in non-violent means of action, the animation of tents in public places, the development of alternatives, coordination between groups, courageous demonstrations in the face of the recall to the civil war and the “denominational style of the militias” and there I could in particular quote the demonstration of the “nonviolent mothers” in Chiyah-Ayn Remmaneh organized by activists of CHAML and students of AUNOHR.

Can nonviolence have the last word?

Non-violence is the only way. Through my meetings and discussions in public places in Beirut and Tripoli, even the people claiming that there is a revolution “only by blood” changed their minds, when they discovered that non-violence is courage, strength and effective solutions, contrary to what they have learned. This leads us to end the glorification of violence, to cultivate the spirit of non-violence and to spread its concrete examples.

Regarding your university, to whom are the doors of AUNOHR open?

The University Academy for Nonviolence and Human Rights – AUNOHR, the only one of its kind in Lebanon and a pioneer worldwide, was officially founded in 2014 and the courses started in 2015-2016.

AUNOHR was conceived according to a philosophy which deals with education rather than teaching, where training within the university is a life in itself, and in the words of Comenius “professional Humanist workshops”.

We offer 9 areas of specialization at the Master and University Diploma (DU) level, drawing on all academic and professional fields, and creating new job opportunities that are internationally qualified as “the jobs of this present in transition and of the future”.

Students come from Lebanon and all Arab countries; the first three promotions are from six countries: Syria, Palestine, Iraq including Kurdistan, Egypt, Jordan and Lebanon.

The participants are from 21 to 67 years old, women and men.

As these are new specializations in higher education, students are from various academic and professional backgrounds: teachers, school directors, journalists, lawyers, university teachers, activists, founders of associations, doctors , elected officials, executives in the public sector, bank employees, religious, coordinators of civil campaigns and political actors, artists, etc.

At the same time, dozens of participants have joined ‘individual’ courses with flexible hours, and received official certificates (each course: 3 credits).

How can everyone participate in spreading messages of non-violence around them?

The best message could only be that of the people trained with us, and I invite you to listen to the testimonies of the students who expressed themselves unanimously that it was a “turning point” in their personal and professional life.

See “AUNOHR in the eyes of its students”, a video with short testimonial videos by the students of the University of Non-violence and Human Rights.

Thanks to Phyllis Kotite, the reporter for this article.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Mideast

Querétaro, Mexico: Mediation has benefited almost 8 thousand people in the capital

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

A article by Gonzalo Flores in am de Queretaro

Since its creation in March of this year to date, the Mediation Directorate of the Municipality of Querétaro has treated 4,870 citizen conflicts, benefitting 7,850 people who have resorted to this unit for conflict resolution , informed Joaquín Gerardo González de León, head of the Directorate of the Interior and coordinator of the mediation area.


Interview with Joaquín Gerardo González de León

According to the official, only 20 cases out of the total have been sent to the civil courts, when mediation did not work and some of those involved reoccurrent actions of the dispute, although he said that these cases are minimal and correspond to administrative failures.

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(click here for a version in Spanish).

Question for this article:

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

Mediation as a tool for nonviolence and culture of peace

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González de León added that in March of this year the operation began with 8 offices in the municipality and 18 mediators who were trained by the State Superior Court of Justice.

Of the total files created for mediation, he said that in 60 percent of the issues conflicts have to do with neighborhood issues, including noise, parking issues, trash on public roads and pets, which he listed as the main reasons for complaints

Mediation Directorate has resolved more than half of the conflicts between individuals.

He also revealed that in 60 percent of the cases they have reached agreements between neighbors, “and although the problems are not resolved in depth, opening the dialogue is already an advance and on that agreements are made that both parties must respect.”

In the remaining cases, he stressed that no agreements are reached due to the denial of any of the two parties involved, or because they do not attend mediations.

“The high percentage of conflict resolution indicates that the population is interested in solving their conflicts through dialogue,” he said.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Alpha Blondy in concert in Daloa, Côte d’Ivoire: “Don’t let politics divide us”

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Yeclo

In his concert on Saturday January 4, 2020 Alpha Blondy called on the people of Daloa for stronger union and mutual understanding.

“Don’t let politics divide us. we are one and indivisible and our strength is in unity and understanding that we can face adversity. “said Alpha Blondy at his concert.

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(Click here for the French original of this article)

 

Question related to this article:

What place does music have in the peace movement?

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The concert was scheduled to start around 5 p.m. but did not really start until around 11 p.m. Music lovers, too numerous for the space, came to listen to the artist and his messages. This disrupted the smooth running of the concert. Agents committed to security were overwhelmed by young spectators, but calm returned after an energetic police intervention.

In the middle of the day, the artist met with communities living in Daloa to talk to them about the need to remain united for stability and peace in Côte d’Ivoire. After Dimbokro, Ferkéssedougou, Korhogo, it was in Daloa that the artist held his concert funded by Prime Minister Amadou Gon Coulibaly to raise awareness of the need for union and the culture of peace.

Africa, EDUCATION FOR PEACE

Parents should buy peace toys for their children

.. EDUCATION FOR PEACE ..

An article from El Dia

After spending the Christmas holidays and those of Reyes approaching, as an expert in Alternative Conflict Resolution and Mediation, I invite parents to purchase peace toys for the entertainment, recreation and reflection for children and adolescents in the coming Kings Day.


Alexis Peña Céspedes, special event guest.

It all started through a campaign in 1999, at the initiative of civil society organizations and the Attorney General’s Office of the National District, so that the family should not give games to their infants that incite violence and aggression in the community, school and family.

The “Let’s play for peace … with life toys” campaign influenced the owners of toy companies to avoid traditional violent games; such as guns, submachine guns, tanks of wars; which have an impact so that the minor can learn from them to handle conflicts aggressively.

I have argued that to prevent domestic violence, the “Christmas Campaign Give Toys of Life”, can help initiate a process of awareness among citizens to promote a “culture of peace” through the media and a wide range of activities in the communities.

It is unfortunate that adults (fathers / mothers, parents, teachers and tutors) have favored a culture of violence due to their ignorance in relation to toys. In addition, this has a strong unfavorable influence on the harmonious development of minors. It is the population of “adults” that most often buys war toys.

This campaign invites the promotion of greater awareness among fathers, mothers, adults and family groups, of the need to promote a climate of harmony and peace within the family to foster a culture of Peace, discarding every type of domestic violence.

I congratulate the importing entrepreneurs, since they are aware thanks to the Let’s Play Peace campaign, where personalities from journalism, arts, social leaders and entrepreneurs have been empowered together to promote a culture of peace in the Dominican Republic.

What boys and girls learn with toys

As an expert in conflict mediation, I understand that minors require age, play and recreation. The toys used by the boy, girl and adolescent can influence the type of person that they will be when adult.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Questions for this article:

Do war toys promote the culture of war?

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I recognize that forever, boys and girls of all ages and all peoples have played, responding to the need for activity, the need to move, browse, to pick up objects that are close to them, manipulating and experimenting with them.

I understand that as the boy, girl and teenager develop, the game changes. According to their stage of development, the young person may substitute real action for imaginary action, creating a world to suit him, between his imagination and the world of adults, to which he wants to belong.

It is through play that the child can express himself and communicate freely. As the girl and the boy grow older, they will adapt their game to that of others, taking common symbols and rules that will respect, exercising their capacity for self-control and autonomy and thus be peaceful and tolerant people with others.

From this approach, the game, in addition to being the activity that gives the child the most pleasure, helps him to develop all his psychic, physical and social functions, allowing him to get to know the outside world better and become aware of the role he will play and affirm his own particular personality.

In general we need to respect the time and space for the child’s play and be very aware of the role it has in his personality development. We need to take into account that through toys we can channel negative energies towards the positive one that the human being possesses.

In the first 18 months of development of the minor, his reality is seen through the senses and at the same time, is seen acting on it. He does activities with a pacifier, moving with dolls, stuffed animals and crafts.

We should encourage toys that motivate construction, that motivate children to be aware of the nature of their context and games that encourage cooperation in the community, family, school, club and churches.

Through play, children tend to achieve a peaceful organization, management and resolution of conflicts; as well as valuation of the environment, cooperation, solidarity, teamwork and, above all, understanding of rules and respect. In addition, attention and creativity can be positive results of games.

I suggest that in these times of violence and aggressiveness in school and school, it is possible to promote a culture of peace and coexistence through toys. For example, the educational entity can build a mural with student participation where the values ​​of peace are contemplated, recognizing the heroines and heroes of peace in humanity and the country.

I also recommend encouraging the educational community to work in teams, cooperation and communication as effective tools to solve and improve coexistence in school or college.

Also as some school have found, you can use recycling material to build toys.

The school can also promote the reading of stories, fables, stories that promote peace as a value for living together and for personal development. We may encourage in addition, that at Christmas parties and kings, cildren can write to the child Jesus and the kings about their lives and requests for games.

Parents can exchange violent toys for life toys through neighborhood and church organizations. These activities are supported by the Ministries of Education, Culture and Sports.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Book review: Cultural Diplomacy: No Bullet, No Blood

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

From: Jay Holdings

“Emerging from financial crisis, world faces growing social inequality, mass immigration, diverse populations, extremism, radicalization, and various forms of threats. Disruptive strategies, expansion of technology and digital communication are transforming societies – changing lifestyles and consumer behavior, which is affecting the balance of economic power, stability, and world order. In such changing and volatile environment, the role of culture is more important than ever.” – Mosi Dorbayani, Author


 

Question for this article:

What are the most important books about the culture of peace?

This publication is a concise researched based material, which shares a multidimensional factual evidence on the influence and effectiveness of the subject matter worldwide. It furnishes its readers with the concept of ‘Cultural Diplomacy’, and it redefines the strategic thinking and applications of arts and culture for public engagement and public diplomacy.

Where to buy the book.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

Xalapa, Mexico: International Film Festival for a Culture of Peace

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

An article from Expression Veracruz

To help reverse the situation of violence that affects the community, the International Film Festival for a Culture of Peace (Ficcpaz) will be held from December 19 to 22, through which more than 140 films will be shown from 32 countries

The film director and coordinator of the event, Ricardo Braojos, explained that the official selection includes fiction and documentary short films that will serve to promote a dialogue about the similarities and opportunities of different societies, including the history of the city of Xalapa.

He added that works from Mexico, Spain, Iran, India and Brazil will be shown. Six feature films will also be screened and there will be four keynote lectures on production, production, cinematography and distribution.

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(Click here for the original Spanish version of this article.)

Question for this article:

Film festivals that promote a culture of peace, Do you know of others?

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

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The head of Dissemination, Promotion and Development of Culture, Jorge Acevedo Olguín, said that for the City Council it is important that a festival of this magnitude occurs in Xalapa, and especially in spaces located in neighborhoods of the periphery, where people are living in situations of vulnerability.

To bring cinema to the public that normally does not have access to these events, the functions will be carried out in spaces such as the Community Management Centers (CGC) Constituents and Las Minas, and the Village Meced, in addition to La Central, La Casa de Nadie, Carmela Rey Cinema, 4 Regions Cafe and Flavia.

The coordinator of the event, Territorios sin Descanso, Rodrigo Zárate, said that experiences on the culture of peace will be shared through art. They highlight the Puro Borde project, which addresses the problem of migration on the border between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso, as well as Tepito Peace School, which explains how education contributes to creating less violent environments in that neighborhood of the City of Mexico.

Accompanied by participant Mitzy Plasencia, actress and jury member Pilar Ixquic Mata said that the RallyHCX will be held, an event where five teams will have 72 hours to make and present short fiction films that will be screened and awarded at the conclusion of the festival.

This Thursday, at 12:00 noon, at La Casa de Nadie, the RallyHC flag will be raised. At 4:00 pm, short films will be screened at the CGC Constituents, Las Minas and Aldea Meced; at 17:30 a theater improvisation meeting will be presented at the CGC Constituents, and at 6:30 pm a film exhibition will be offered in this same space and the Meced Village.

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Global Campaign for Peace Education: Year-end review

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from the Global Campaign for Peace Education

Dear reader, Season’s Greetings! As fall turns to winter here in Washington, DC, we are fond of reminiscing on the many changes and experiences we’ve had thus far in 2019.


Amongst the highlights, we held a big celebration to honor the 90th birthday of Betty Reardon, co-founder of the Global Campaign; we helped launch advocacy campaigns in Cameroon and Nigeria; and we kicked-off Peace Knowledge Press, our new publishing house.

To wind down the year, I just returned from Ukraine where I joined colleagues from the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) Peace Education Working Group to strategize efforts for scaling up peace education from the grassroots to the country level. The Global Campaign will be partnering with GPPAC on an ambitious new project in 2020 to help map the field of peace education – stay tuned for more details!

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Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

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Be sure to check out and share the many new events and job postings shared below. As always, we welcome you to submit your own news, articles, research, and events to share with other campaign members. You can submit your articles for sharing via our online form.

All-in-all, energy continues to bubble up around the world for mainstreaming peace education. We hope you find the actions of our colleagues contained in this month’s newsletter hopeful, and contagious, and embark on new efforts to develop and grow peace education in your community.

Please don’t forget to help us “spread peace ed” by using the hashtags #SpreadPeaceEd and #PeaceEd, following us on social media, and by sharing and reposting news on your timeline and in your communities. This is one small way each of us can help grow the campaign. You can also follow the Global Campaign on Facebook and Twitter.

In peace & solidarity,

Tony Jenkins

Coordinator, Global Campaign for Peace Education

EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global