These networks are empowering people to employ more comprehensive sustainable approaches to a host of problems. Perhaps the strongest consensus to emerge from all the UN conferences concerns the vital importance of the empowerment of women. Successful, sustainable development depends on the active political, economic and social partnership of women at all levels. The involvement of women in managing the affairs of struggling communities in my country Jordan has resulted in significant progress in every aspect of quality of life, from literacy to family income to population control. Enhanced social and economic stability, security and productivity result directly from the full participation of all members of the community in making the decisions that affect their lives.
Informed citizens are vital to such participation.
To that end, a number of institutions and agencies have recently introduced programs focused specifically on education for peace. In Jordan we have seen encouraging results from programs developed over the past decade focusing on the creative use of drama, music and multimedia materials in schools and communities to promote tolerance, reconciliation, non-violence and cross cultural awareness. Education is a supremely effective tool for peace-building especially when it brings together students of differing ideas, backgrounds, even cultures, at a time in their lives when their minds are most open and receptive. Through study and community service, the colleges focus on varied issues of world concern from racial equity to rural social programs to conflict resolution, adding academic structure to the culture of peace that the schools promote. If we can approach peace education with the same level of commitment and expertise that previous generations devoted to their military academies, we will be well on the way achieving a more lasting security than war could ever provide.