Education and Peace
by  Dr. Bimal Charan Swain & Dr. Rajalakshmi Das
Category: Art

The growing literature on Peace Education reflects a dynamic filed. Since the early decades of the 20th century, “Peace Education” programmes around the world have represented a number of focal themes, including anti-nuclearism, environmental responsibility, international understanding, communication skills, non-violence, human right awareness, democracy, conflict resolution techniques, tolerance of diversity, co-existence and gender equality among others. Peace Education includes cultivation of peacebuilding skills, e.g. dialogue, mediation, artistic endeavors. Peace educators, then teach the value of respect, understanding and nonviolence, present skills for analyzing international conflict, educate for alternative security systems and use a pedagogy that is democratic and particular. Thus, peace education as a practice and philosophy refers to matching complementary element between education and society, where the social purpose (i.e. why teach), educative process are conducive to fostering peace. Accordingly, peace education is dialogical experience conducted through participatory learning, where learners communally and co-operatively grapple with contemporary issues (i.e., talking points) related to local and global contexts (Akaamaa, 2013).