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Posted: Sep. 22 2005,09:08 by Guest from -
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The
following notes come from a discussion on strategy for the Culture
of Peace Decade held in Hartford, CT., USA on the International Day
of Peace, September 21, 2005.
The statement "Education is the
key for teaching peace" launched the discussion. Education, it
was further explained, should be understood in the broad sense,
including not only school, but also education in the family,
education by the mass media, and other forms of non-formal and
informal education, such as the meeting in which we were
participating.
Children should be taught empathy, it was
said, referring to the scientific analysis of the development of
moral thinking in children done many years ago by the psychologist
Jean Piaget. Piaget's research was then incorporated into the
design of the Montessori schools by Maria Montessori, who also wrote
important books and articles for world peace. Today, the
Montessori schools along with other school networks (UNESCO's
Associated Schools, the Life-Link Friendship Schools, the Rudolf
Steiner Schools, etc.) provide education in line with the principles
of a culture of peace.
What is the nature of education for a
culture of peace? One teacher said that it means providing a
safe space to share ideas, whether or not one believes in all of
them. The opposite approach, indoctrination, is not consistent
with a culture of peace. Does this mean that the teacher and the
students should have no passion? Not at all, explained one
teacher. Passion is important in teaching. Another
teacher called passion "the fire" in contrast with the "ice" of
reasoning. He said there needs to be a balance of fire and
ice, and in no case should the pupil be intimidated and afraid to
express his/her opinion even if it is not shared by the
others.
Mention was made of the mass media as an educational
force. How can we deal with its emphasis on violence and
conflict instead of cooperation and learning by listening to
others?
But some expressed was some skepticism that education
by itself could produce a culture of peace. Isn't it necessary
to have political struggle as well in order to change the
institutional structures of the culture of war? There was
discussion of the World Social Forum in Brazil and the Peace Process
and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa as
political processes that can serve as models. The
International Day of Peace, September 21, is the first day of spring
in the southern hemisphere. There was applause when it was
suggested that maybe we should listen to the people of the South and
accept their leadership toward a culture of peace. |
