INTRODUCTION

Human civilizations have a long history of territorial and political warfare, as well as different other kinds of conflicts. By the mid twentieth century, the countries and nations around the globe realized that peacemaking and peacebuilding are essential conditions for maintaining a sustainable life on earth, as well as for building a safer and better future. By instilling peace-related knowledge, skills and dispositions, peace education contributes to a more responsive and consistent societal ethos. This course is designed with the perspective that integrating peace education into elementary school programs will enable teachers to contribute in shaping students’ personalities as responsible and peaceful citizens. In an increasingly interconnected world, understanding environmental sustainability and global peace is essential for futuristic education. By exploring complex issues such as climate change, environmental degradation, and conflict resolution, teachers can help students develop analytical skills and think critically about the world around them. School teachers can equip students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes they need to become responsible global citizens who are capable of addressing pressing global challenges. Peace making and peace keeping come after the conflict and conflict resolution; but peace education prepares both present and prospective generations to engage in peace-building.

Pakistan has faced various kinds of territorial and political issues and challenges of poverty and injustice. The conflicts and terrorism made it even more complicated for the peacebuilding movements to give desired results. The recent research and reports in two decades have informed about challenges of conflict, intolerance, extremism, gender violence, and child abuse as well. In these circumstances teachers as well as learners are coming from different backgrounds and carrying the baggage of traumatic and adverse experiences. Teachers and learners feel threatened in different ways. Teachers in urban settings face diverse challenges than rural set ups. The feudal mindset in the rural settings and the social class warfare in urban locales have made it even more challenging while intolerance is a common hazard in both urban and rural setups. Educating emerging and current teachers about identifying and responding to social and structural violence and peace can assist in developing values of kindness, gratitude, respect, and care; fostering social emotional skills with emotional intelligence, self actualization, and self regulation, for resilience and to overcome the anxiety and stress; as well as providing the opportunities to practice empathy, nonviolent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution.  If the teachers incorporate peaceful practices into their pedagogical approach, they can bring a real change. Teachers in the Pakistani schools have a strong position and voice. They are capable of fostering classroom environments that promote positive relationships, kindness and thankfulness, and help learners in building the ability to work collaboratively toward common goals of sustainable peace.

To enroll in the upcoming cohort of Peace Educators' Course contact afshan.huma@fulbrightmail.org