INSA ENGAGING THE YOUTH TO BECOME AGENTS OF JUSTICE AND PEACE Jasmin Nario-Galace Center for Peace Education Miriam College, Quezon City Philippines jgalace@mc.edu.ph
My classmate Yousef
PEACE Absence of direct/physical violence (both macro and micro) JUSTICE Presence of conditions of well-being and just relationships: social, economic, political, ecological
CHALLENGES TO PEACE 250,000 people die each year from armed conflict situations 300,000 die every year from armed violence in non- conflict situations That means, more than 1,500 people in the world die daily from armed violence!
CHALLENGES TO JUSTICE AND PEACE Each day, throughout the world, people are killed or hurt because of HATE as they differ from the rest in terms of ethnicity, religion, sex, ideology, gender, and class, among others.
CHALLENGES TO PEACE: PHILIPPINES In the 2011 Global Peace Index, among the least peaceful countries placing 132 of 149 Reasons: High crime rate: 26 people die daily from murder and homicide
CHALLENGES TO PEACE: PHILIPPINES o 2 major armed conflicts- GPH-NDF; GPH-MILF o Presence of other armed groups- MNLF, BIFF, private armies o Small arms proliferation- 3.9 million Ranks 10th -number of gun homicide rates worldwide (2009)
What if armed actors had enough of life s necessities? What if they had good jobs, decent living standards, drinkable water and healthy food for their children? What if they had stable roofs above their heads and could BUT WHY ARE THERE ARMED CONFLICTS? send their children to school? Would they still
Widespread and deep poverty and an inequitable distribution of wealth Poor governance as manifested in the poor delivery of basic economic and social services, corruption, poor implementation of laws Abuse of authority, human rights violations Structural inequities in the political-economic system and enforcement of such through private armies Source: PHDR, 2004 BUT WHY ARE THERE ARMED CONFLICTS?
At the root of war, there are usually real and serious grievances: injustices suffered, legitimate aspirations frustrated, poverty and the exploitation of multitudes of desperate people who see no real possibility of improving their lot by peaceful means. For this reason, another name for peace is development. -Pope John Paul II BUT WHY ARE THERE ARMED CONFLICTS?
The world s annual spending on military programs is $1.4 trillion (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, 2012) The money spent by the world on weapons in one week is enough to feed all the people on earth for a year. Butler, 2000 -Food, Not Bombs, in
Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies, in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and not clothed... -Dwight Eisenhower, 1953
WHILE MORE THAN A TRILLION DOLLARS ARE SPENT ANNUALLY FOR MILITARY PURPOSES 800 million people go to bed hungry everyday (WHO) 28,000 die because of poverty everyday (UNICEF)
WHILE MORE THAN A TRILLION DOLLARS ARE SPENT ANNUALLY FOR MILITARY PURPOSES Of the world s 6 billion people: 2.8 billion live on less than $2 a day 1.2 billion live on less than $1/day (with 44% living in South Asia) (HDR) Philippines: 32.9% of the population are considered poor
WANTED: GENERATION OF PEACENIKS Respects life Rejects violence Shares her/his resources Respects, appreciates and accepts diversity Cares for the earth Respects equal rights of women and men Advocates justice and peace
WANTED: GENERATION OF PEACENIKS Responsible global citizen Motivated by service Transformer of cultures Constructively critical Skilled in peaceful conflict resolution Compassionate, caring, cooperative
POP QUIZ: What is one attribute of a Generation Peacenik?
Peace and Justice Education as a Pathway to create GenPeaceniks Schools can consider infusing justice and peace education into their learning content as well as in their processes within and outside the classrooms (Whole School Approach to Justice and Peace). Schools can serve as agents of change through active peace and justice advocacy and solidarity with kindred institutions and groups.
Justice and Peace Education is Transformative Education Build Awareness 1. Situation/Forms of violence and injustice 2. Roots of conflict and violence and injustice 3. Alternatives to violence and injustice Build concern 1. Empathy and compassion 2. Positive vision of the future 3. Social responsibility (Use ideas and lives of peace and justice advocates) Encourage action 1. Personal change-own mindset, attitudes, behavior/lifestyle 2. Social action and advocacy
Why teach justice and peace? Ethical imperative a call of our faith Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons and daughters of God (Mt. 5:9). I will break bow and sword and weapons of war and sweep them off the earth, so that all the living creatures may lie down without fear. (Hosea 2:20) The earth is the Lord s and thus is meant for all (Psalm 24:1, Leviticus 25) Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you (Matthew 5:43-44).
RELIGION AND SPIRITUALITY
THE CALL TO LIVE ONE S FAITH Araw-araw kang nanalangin sa Ama At linggo-linggo laging nagsisimba Ngunit ang mata nakapikit sa mga aba Araw araw din di mo sila pansin O Juan, malabo pa, relihiyon mo y malabo ba Hangga t di mo napagiisa Ang pagsamba sa pakikibaka O Juan, malabo pa, relihiyon mo y malabo pa Hangga t di mo napagiisa Pakikibaka sa pagsamba
WHY TEACH JUSTICE & PEACE? Political and legal requirementnations, through various HR instruments, have affirmed their commitment to the protection and promotion of human rights and human dignity. Practical alternative conflicts have given rise to violence, terrorism and discrimination within societies (ex. 1 person dies in armed conflict every 100 seconds, WHO)
A Whole School Approach (WSA) as the Goal
WSA: PEACE-ORIENTED CURRICULUM CONTENT Infusion/integration approach in various subjects for basic education Offering of justice and peace education as a separate subject in the tertiary level (ex. Educating for Peace in the teacher education curriculum; Peace and Media for CA students; Peace and Security for Political Science students)* *EO 570
POP QUIZ: What is one approach to teaching justice and peace?
Justice and peace-oriented curriculum content: What do we teach the young?
POP QUIZ What does tolerance mean as indicated in the previous slide?
7. Environmental Care and Sustainability -Action that will ensure the wellbeing of the earth s ecosystems such that it can continue to meet future and present needs
WSA: WHAT DO WE TEACH THE YOUNG? 8. Gender Fairness - valuing the right of women to enjoy equal opportunities with men and to be free from abuse, exploitation and violence
A Whole School Approach as the Goal
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH TO JUSTICE AND PEACE EDUCATION: MIRIAM COLLEGE Peace and justice as core values Declaration of Miriam College as a Zone of Peace
MIRIAM COLLEGE: VISION, MISSION AND CORE VALUES JUSTICE We believe that all human beings should be equally blessed to be responsible for and to enjoy the fruits of knowledge-generation and social progress. We commit ourselves to a society where power and opportunity are equally shared and where the naked are clothed and the hungry are fed. We reject discrimination of any kind against any individual or any group. We believe in gender equality and strive for and support a diverse and interdependent human community in which people s rights, welfare and empowerment are centrally valued.
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: CURRICULUM Peace Studies Minor (Theory and Practice of Nonviolence, International Peace and Security, Conflict Prevention and Transformation, International Humanitarian Issues, local and Global Peace Issues) Education for Peace, Gender Equality and Integrity of Creation in the College of Education Integration of justice and peace concepts in basic education subjects particularly Social Studies and Religion
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: TEACHING- LEARNING PROCESS
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: TEACHING- LEARNING APPROACH Holistic- does not confine itself to the parameters of facts and concepts Participatory- allows learners to inquire, share, collaborate and engage in dialogue Experiential- learners build ideas from the experience they went through Cooperative- giving opportunities to learners to work together and learn, rather than compete with each other
POP QUIZ: What is one teaching-learning approach that is compatible with peace education as indicated in the previous slide?
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: CO-CURRICULAR PROGRAMS Intl Humanitarian Law Day (Aug 12) International Day of Peace (Sept 21) International Day of NV (every Oct 2) Mindanao Week of Peace Human Rights Day (Dec. 10) Women s Day (March 8)
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: CO- CURRICULAR PROGRAMS Alternative Classes Week
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: Student Development (Peace Clubs such as Pax Christi)
Whole School Approach:Development Materials of Peace Resources Development
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: ENRICHMENT PROGRAM FOR STUDENTS AND STAFF Conflict Resolution
Peer Mediation
Parenting for Peace
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: PARTICIPATIVE STRUCTURES AND CARING RELATIONSHIPS Creating a Peaceable Campus/ Workplace
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: JUSTICE AND PEACE ADVOCACY Arms Control
o Implementation of the Philippine National Plan on UN Security Council Resolution 1325- women s participation in conflict prevention and resolution and Government Ministers peacebuilding Meeting Philippines, July 2010 APEC Meeting 2010 INSA
WSA: J&P ADVOCACY Support for the Peace Process
WSA APPROACH: JUSTICE AND PEACE ADVOCACY Mindanao Week of Peace
WHOLE SCHOOL APPROACH: JUSTICE AND PEACE ADVOCACY Twinning Project A step towards breaking down of sociocultural barriers between the students of these two schools and towards the building of bridges of understanding and friendship
TOTAL SCHOOL APPROACH: JUSTICE AND PEACE ADVOCACY Twinning Project
TOTAL SCHOOL APPROACH: EXPANDING PEACE AND JUSTICE CONSTITUENCY CEAP JEEPGY PROGRAM
Whole school approach: Networking and Coalition-building Peace Education Network CEAP Subcommittee on Justice and Peace Education
A WORLD OF JUSTICE AND PEACE WE WILL GET THERE THROUGH YOU, EDUCATORS, AND THROUGH THE YOUNG YOU WILL TRANFORM INTO JUSTICE AND PEACE ADVOCATES!
Salamat po!