Posted: Mar. 03 2005,04:04 |
If you wrote this report, you will find a button here that you may click in order to make changes in the report.
|
PROGRESS: Has your organization seen
progress toward a culture of peace and nonviolence in your domain of
action and in your constituency during the first half of the Decade? |
Yes,
there has been progress. Indicators include the following: increasing
number of teachers and youth that we have been able to reach and in
turn they have shown that their beliefs and attitudes have changed:
increasing number of partnerships that have shown peace groups'
cooperation in peace activities such as calls for ceasefires among
armed groups and observance of human rights and international law by
combatants: greater academic interest among colleges and universities
as shown by separate course offerings related to peace and nonviolence.
Many schools too have tried to integrate peace perspectives into
existing subjects.
|
OBSTACLES: What are the most important obstacles that have prevented progress?
|
The
challenges are the following: Lack of sustained funding; competing
demands on advocates' time because they are usually also teachers or
professionals from other fields; difficulty of influencing policy
makers
|
ACTIONS: What actions have been
undertaken by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence during the first half of the Decade?
|
Peace Education Initiatives Miriam College undertakes peace education in the following ways:
1. Curricular Initiatives Peace-focused courses/subjects are offered in the curriculum.
a. The Grade 7 Social Studies' curriculum is
on peace issues and action. The textbook used is entitled
Tungo sa Isang Mapayapang Mundo (Toward a Peaceful World).
b. "Peace Studies" is a
major course in the International
Studies curriculum of the college. c.
"Education for Peace, Gender Equality
and the Environment" is a major course in the Child
Development and Education curriculum of the college.
d. "Education for Peace" is
a major course in the M.A. in Values
Education program of the Graduate School.
e. "Peace Psychology" is part of a major course called
"Current Issues" in the B.S. Psychology program of the College.
f. "International Peace and Security" and
"Nonviolent Social Change"are major courses in the M.A. in
International Studies program, also of the Graduate School. " Peace, Gender Equality and Earth Stewardship" has been proposed as a core course for all students of the college unit. Furthermore,
the faculty are encouraged to integrate peace ideas, themes and
perspectives in their lessons, particularly in the Social Studies.
2. Training Conducted for/with Miriam College Constituents
a.
The faculty of the various units had a peace education
orientation training in April 1999. Thereafter, the new
faculty have been undergoing the same training before the beginning of
each school year, i.e., in the last week of May. b.
All High School and College freshmen undergo Conflict
Resolution education sessions each year through the High School
Homeroom Program and the College Freshmen Development Program. c Selected student leaders from the various units undergo Peer Mediation Training every year. d Selected non-academic personnel and administrators have gone through Conflict Resolution Sessions.
3. Training Conducted for Other Groups
a.
Miriam Center for Peace Education (CPE)
has conducted many training workshops on
peace education in different parts of
the country for teacher-trainors of schools from the Catholic
Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).
Also, three big groups of public school teachers and
administrators from the Department of
Education were given training. The
workshops were held in Laguna,
Cebu and Zamboanga. In all these activities
the co-organizer was the Office of Presidential Adviser on the Peace
Process (OPAPP), the government agency that
has provided both leadership and practical support for
some peace education initiatives of both the private and
public sectors.
b. Trainings or short
orientation talks were also conducted for
many individual schools, such as the Ateneo de
Manila Grade School and Holy Family School, and groups of
schools such as the Don Bosco Educational
Association, Canossian Educational Association
and the Benedictine Educational Association.
c.
The CPE organized two important workshops in 2001 and
2004 for teachers and teacher-educators,
respectively. The first was on
"Educating for a Culture of Peace" that was attended by 50
teachers including a staff member of the Asia-Pacific Center of
Education for International Understanding (APCEIU). The second
was on "The Spiritual and Ethical Foundations of Peace Education"
that was attended by 29 Christian and Muslim faculty members from
Colleges of Education in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The
workshops were held in cooperation with the UNESCO Peace Education
Laureate for 2000 and the Peace Education Centers Network, respectively.
d.
Conflict resolution trainings were conducted for urban
poor women, community leaders, out-of-school youth, and
police officers.
4. Research and Publications/Production of Materials
The following were produced: a. Tungo sa Isang Mapayapang Mundo, 1993 and 2000 b. Peer Mediation Sourcebook, 1999 c. Kapayapaan ang Hangad Ko, 2000 d Peace Education Teacher-Training Manual, 2001 e Weaving Solidarity toward a Culture of Peace, 2003 f. Reducing Prejudice through Peace Education: Training Modules, 2004 g. Various articles on peace education published in local and international journals.
5. Other Forms of Peace Education/Peace Advocacy Work
a.
The CPE organized youth conferences that brought together
hundreds of youth and student leaders from many parts
of the country, including Christian, Muslim and
indigenous youth. These were the Asia-Pacific Youth
Conference on the Culture of Peace in 2000 and the National
Youth Leaders Conference on the Culture
of Peace in 2003. The Conference themes were "Celebrating
the Youth's Potential toward Peace" and "Building Bridges of Tolerance
and Solidarity," respectively.
b It hosted and
co-organized the 2002 International Institute on Peace Education
that was attended by peace
educators from various countries and
Philippine regions. Likewise it
has helped as a member of the local
organizing committee of the
International Symposium on the
Contributions of Psychology to Peace held
in Ateneo de Manila University and of the Asia-Pacific
Peace Research Conference. Both were held in 2001.
c
It has advocated against war both in the home and
global fronts and for the resumption of peace
negotiations between the government and rebel
forces, through statements and participation
in fora and rallies for that
purpose as well as being active
in the Mindanao Solidarity Network.
d
It has shown solidarity with the Mindanao
war victims/refugees by raising funds to
help cover some of their material needs (February and
September 2003).
e. It launched a
twinning project with the Rajah Muda High
School of Pikit, Cotabato, Mindanao to advance
a "people to people" peace process. The goal
is to build friendships between Muslim and Christian youth and break
down the barriers of prejudice that divide them.
f. It
has participated in political activities,
through statements, letter-writing, lobbying and
participation in fora and rallies on
important national issues.
g. It mounts a
Peace Exhibit annually as well as other
consciousness raising activities as holding of fora, poster
making, quilt making, etc.
h. It initiated
the Peace Education Network in March 1999 to bring together
representatives of schools and organizations with a keen
interest in informal and formal peace education. Goals
The
overarching goal of Miriam's peace
education efforts is to advance a culture
of peace within the school and in the larger society, including the
national and global levels. Miriam College sees this goal as
consistent with its vision-mission and its avowed core values.
Note:
The International Day of Peace has been celebrated with a weeklong
Exhibit in our College since 1996, every 3rd Tuesday of September,
until 3 years ago when the International Day was changed to Sept. 21.
Some of the themes of the past Exhibits were: No more Hiroshimas,
Celebrating the International Year of the Culture of Peace(2000), The
Social Costs of War, Helping the Mindanao War Victims, and Campaign
against Small Arms
Participants
of the International Institute on Peace Education that was held at
Miriam College,Philippines. It was co-organized by the Center for Peace
Education and the Peace Education Center of Teachers college, Columbia
University.
Launching
of the Twinning Project between Miriam College (Metro Manila) and Rajah
Muda High School (Cotabato, Mindanao). These schools are attended by
Christian and Muslim students, respectively. The project was initiated
by the Center for Peace Education. It seeks to break down
socio-cultural barriers and to build bridges of peace and solidarity
between the two student groups through exchange of letters and
other common projects.
Workshop
on the Ethical and Spiritual Foundations of Peace Education hosted in
2004 and co-organized by the Center for Peace Education with other
Centers. located in Japan, USA and Lebanon. The Peace Education
Centers Network is coordinated by Dr. Betty Reardon.
|
ADVICE: What advice would you like to
give to the Secretary-General and the General Assembly to promote a
culture of peace and nonviolence during the second half of the Decade? |
The
UN Sec. Gen., the GA and the UNESCO should support peace and
nonviolence education more strongly because it is an important pathway
to peace. They should encourage states to support the mainstreaming of
this education. Peace Ed has to be a central and universal concern.
|
PARTNERSHIPS: What partnerships and
networks does your organization participate in, thus strengthening the
global movement for a culture of peace? |
National- Peace Education Network Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education- Philippines chapter Regional- Asia-Pacific Peace Research Association Global- Hague Appeal for Peace Global Campaign for Peace Education Peace Education Centers Network Peace Education Commission of IPRA Pax Christi International
|
PLANS: What new engagements are
planned by your organization to promote a culture of peace and
nonviolence in the second half of the Decade (2005-2010)? |
Publish a Peace Education Reader for Filipino peace educators Propose the offering of a Peace Studies minor program Engage in Interfaith coalition building Work
for partnerships in Asia such as peace organizations in Cambodia,
Thailand and other Asian countries, in the conduct of joint workshopds
on peace education Strengthen partnership with the HAP Global
Campaign for Peace Education. Within 2005 give service as consulting
editor to its forthcoming publication, Peace Lessons Around the World
|
Postal address of organization
|
U.P.P.O. Box 110 Diliman, Quezon City Philippines
|
E-mail address of organization
|
lcastro@mc.edu.ph
|
Website address of organization
|
www.mc.edu.ph
|
Highest priority action domain of a culture of peace
|
Education for a culture of peace
|
Second priority action domain of a culture of peace
|
Understanding, tolerance, solidarity
|
Highest priority country of action (or international)
|
Philippines
|
Second priority country of action (or international)
|
International
|
Back to top |
|