Education and World Peace
Dr. Houda Al-Housni
World Peace Through Education
•Children’s literature can bring such a huge impact on
children and informing them about. world peace.
Children’s literature can help to shape children's minds
into becoming peacemakers. Educating children about
world peace will help teach to care for one another.
Having many books about world peace can spread the
awareness. World peace can be achieved through
children’s literature by educating about diversity, social
justice and gender equality.
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Think
World Peace is not only possible, but Inevitable.
Transforming the World through Peace
Education
World Peace, a euphoric idea, one that’s desired by many.
Relatively, no one would desire to live in a world infested with
wars and afflictions.
We all wish to be a part of an amicable global union, where
nation is in good books with every other nation, where men
and women are treated fairly and equally. We all wish to live
where children coexist in harmony with other children and
with their elders; where justice is the epitome of life.
Is it possible to attain World Peace,
“
with all the chaos we see everyday?”
Education For Peace: Top 10 Ways Education
Promotes Peace
1 -Education Boosts Confidence & Hope
Confucius said it as far back as 500 B.C.: “Education breeds confidence. Confidence breeds
hope. Hope breeds peace.” Confidence has been defined as the belief that you can succeed
at something and a sense of self assuredness. Knowledge is a key confidence builder; it
allows one to feel a sense of accomplishment, to be more fearless, and to grow in
unexpected ways. This confidence and self assuredness in turn sparks motivation and
optimism—or hope as Confucius says— to work towards peace.
2 -Education Promotes Independent Thinking
Education encourages independent thinking, and it opens doors to new ideas. Independent
thinkers tend to try to make sense of the world and draw their own conclusions instead of
blindly following the beliefs of others. Independent thinkers may be less likely to join
militant groups or be followers, and may instead be leaders towards positive change and
action.
3 Education Inspires Problem Solving Skills
Along with math skills that are learned in classrooms, students are often
challenged to use logical thinking in order to analyze different pieces of literature,
the significance of historical events, and scientific findings. Coupled with
independent thinking, these critical thinking skills can lead to innovative solutions
and alternatives to violence.
4 Education Builds Communication Skills
In the classroom, students are often asked to speak or read in front of others, offer opinions,
and break into small groups to work on projects together. This is how communication skills are
honed, and communication is they key to solving conflict.
Through quality education, students may be armed with the tools to work within their
communities to solve problems, or to do so on a global scale-
5- Education Opens Doors
There’s no doubt that education for peace leads to career enhancement, employment
opportunities, and chances of higher earnings. What was once out of reach for girls in the
remote villages we work with—say becoming a doctor or a lawyer—are now possibilities.
And with these careers in place, many come back to work within their communities and
support their families, often promoting peace.
6- Education Reduces Poverty
Imagine always being uncomfortable, malnourished, and fearful, not knowing where your
next meal will come from if it comes at all. This fear can often lead to anger, and anger to
violence. Education, especially when it’s combined with technical training (read more
about CAI’s vocational training programs), has been proven to reduce poverty. This is one
driving force behind education for peace. With education comes knowledge, power,
safety, security, and peace. One study by UNESCO found that income around the world
would be 23 percent higher per capita in countries with education for all. If poverty were
reduced, violence would follow suit.
7 Education Increases Political Involvement
Educated citizens are less likely to stand for government corruption and can spur more
government accountability. For women, education can even the playing field, and they are more
likely to participate in political discussions, town meetings, and decision making, therefore
leading to a government that represents its citizens more equally. Because educated women are
less likely to support terrorism (see number 8), they can promote alternatives through politics.
8 Education Reduces Support of Terrorism & Militancy
According to a University of Maryland School of Public Policy survey, uneducated women are more
likely to support militancy and terrorism, and educated women are less likely than their educated
male peers to support this way of life. And if a woman doesn’t support it, perhaps she can talk her
husband into not supporting it, and then her kids, other family members, and other members of
her community.
9- Education Builds Empathy & Tolerance
The Human Rights conventions declare: “Education must prepare a child for responsible
life and effective participation in a free society in a spirit of understanding, peace,
tolerance, equality of sexes and friendships among all peoples, ethnic, national and
religious groups and persons of indigenous origin.” Therefore with quality education, a
child can learn the quality of empathy and understanding towards those who are
different from them. And they may be more accepting of others and less likely to solve
problems with violence.
10 Education Cultivates Respect
In the classroom, students learn to respect their teachers and their peers. They are
taught to let others speak and express opinions, not to interrupt, how to deal with stress,
and how to conduct themselves within a group setting. Perhaps this learned respect for
other humans can be practiced on a global scale, where there’s a respect for each and
every life, not just those who share the same religious beliefs and backgrounds.
The Young People’s Chorus of New York City sings a song with the words, “Let there be
peace on earth, and let it begin with me.” Through quality education for all, around the
world, by promoting education for peace, young people can be the voice of change and
peace.
An African’s Point of view
According to Tino Gumbo, a member of MCC Zimbabwe, “Peace
Education has done a lot in breaking certain cultural norms in African
societies. Some of those cultural norms include voicelessness
amongst children and women in the society; Child abuses both at
home and schools, and children manipulations among others.”
He also says that when children are taught about keeping peace and
building peace, it gives them an innate confidence and skill to
resolving conflicts and maintaining peace during confrontations.
Peace Education is therefore, imperative in our societies, because it
builds much better communities, making our world a better place.
At Africa Peacebuilding Institute, we are of the view that Peace
Education can help a lot of people live in perfect harmony as God
had initially intended for humans.
Peace Education Success Stories
In Zambia, like in most African countries, women and girls have always been considered
second class citizens. A perfect example would be when a family has four children, two
boys and two girls. in any case that family encounters financial constraints, naturally it
would be considered rightful to send only the two boys to school. This was usually the
norm in Zambia, until when Women and Children rights activists stood together with Peace
Clubs in schools to challenge a Zambian system which discriminated the girl child.
Again in Zambia it was the case that when a girl child would get pregnant at school. The
system would not allow the child to continue with her education. Through Peace Clubs and
Activism, this was challenged and the Zambian Government finally resolved to setting up a
Child Reintegration Policy which protected all children from being discriminated.
In Rwanda and Burundi, it took enacting Community Peace Centres to help resolve certain
Ethnic Conflicts after the mass killings and genocides. In every community and Ward in
these countries You find Peace Educators and facilitators who help ease and resolve ethnic
enmities.
Is Peace Education really
helpful?
How can you reinforce the concept of
?peace education among your students
