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Formation of
Peace Culture in Schools of Armenia
(Peace and Conflict Resolution Education in Schools of
Armenia)
“Peace Education
and Conflict Resolution in Schools of Gyumri, Armenia”
project is being implemented by Women for Development NGO in
frames of UN Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence
for the Children of the World (2001-2010) and Decade for
Education for Sustainable Development (2005-2014).
Project is supported by Church Development Service Germany
/EED/ and Interchurch Organization for Development
Cooperation /ICCO/, the Netherlands.
The main goal of the project is the formation of
peace culture and conflict resolution ideas among teachers
and schoolchildren, aiming to involve peace education in
school curriculum later.
The project was implemented with the following 2 steps:
1. 1 year pilot project – development of the training course
and conducting it in the “Peace Center”, established in the
pilot school (2002-2003).
2. Research and analysis of the pilot school experience, and
spreading it in the “Peace Centers”, established in 4 other
Gyumri schools (2003-2004).
In 2002 the first
Peace Education Center was established in Gyumri School
after Lord Byron. As a result of survey and interview, 25
pupils of 7-9th grades became the members of the Peace
Education Center. The school became the project’s pilot
school. Twice a week trainings were conducted based on
interactive methods (role playing, conflict
mapping/analyzing, discussions, etc); developed training
course and teaching methodology were first applied there. As
a result, certain changes were made to the taught topics,
team games, practical assignments and the timelines.
Topics of the
training course:
• Conflicts and their causes
• Conflict Escalation
• Analyses of conflicts
• Skills of conflict resolution
• Conflict mapping/analyzing
In 2003-2004
Peace Education Centers were established in 4 more schools
of Gyumri, engaging more than 100 member schoolchildren.
Besides the above mentioned topics, the following peace
lessons were also organized.
• The role of Church in peace making
• Health (hygiene) and conflicts
• The impact of conflicts on economy and impact of economic
difficulties on the development of conflicts
• UN and its peace making activities all over the world,
Armenian residency and its activities
• EU, member countries, candidate countries, etc
• Sadako’s (Japanese girl) and 1000 paper cranes story.
A special topic
in the training course is dedicated to the issues of peace
and human rights with the purpose to aware children about
their rights and responsibilities, which will help them
resolve conflicts easily.
Series of
events were organized in schools with the goal of spreading
peace culture ideas among larger number of schoolchildren –
events, dedicated to the International Peace Day, Peace
Months, exhibitions, contests (The World Peace Prayer
Society, Radiant Peace), Pen Pals with schoolchildren of
different countries of the world. 5 issues of “Peace New
Birth” newsletter were published with the efforts of the
Peace Centers’ members and translated into English and
Russian.
Peer-to-peer education and networking
After special training, Peace Education Center members pass
their peers the knowledge and skills gained during the
center’s trainings.
Peace network of schools is created, aiming to spread peace
and peaceful conflict resolution culture among a larger
number of schoolchildren. Each school with peace center
involved in the network cooperates with 2-3 other schools by
organizing joint activities, peace classes (peer-to-peer),
discussions, round tables, etc.
In 2005-2007 the
program continues in 10 schools of Shirak region and Gyumri
State Pedagogical Institute.
“Peace Education” Center at Gyumri State Pedagogical
Institute.
A special
course on the theme “Peace and Conflict Resolution
Education” is being conducted for senior and undergraduate
students from Psychology department of Gyumri State
Pedagogical Institute. Future teachers, passing the course,
will be ready to not only teach the subject in schools, but
also help pupils resolve everyday conflicts in peaceful way.
In future the
center will serve basis for the training of the students not
only from the Psychology department but also from other
departments of the Institute.
Collaboration with the National Institute of Education of
the Ministry of Education and Science Republic of Armenia
Women for
Development NGO has an agreement with the National Institute
of the Ministry of Education and Science of RA to develop
the country’s policy on “Peace and Conflict Resolution
Education” to include it in the school’s curriculum.
A Memorandum
on collaboration was signed and a plan of actions has
already been developed. Representative of National Institute
of Education started monitoring of the project progress,
realized activities and gained successes.
Conclusion
Results in the outcome of 5 years’ work estimate:
• Developed Peace Education and Conflict Resolution (PE&CRE)
pilot training course.
• Trained 20 teachers and 250 schoolchildren of 7-9th grades
on PE&CRE
• Trained 50 peer-to-peer educators
• Established Peace network of schools
• Issued 7 newsletters “Peace Bridges”
• Functioning “Peace Education” center at the Pedagogical
Institute
• Trained 16 students from Psychology Department of Gyumri
State Pedagogical Institute on PE&CRE
• Educated more than 225 students by peer-to-peer method
• Signed Memorandum on collaboration and joint work with the
National Institute of Education of the Ministry of Education
and Science, Republic of Armenia
I would like to
mention that while developing the training course and
teaching methodology, international experience has been
used, which was transformed for Armenia. Particularly during
taught topics, team games, practical assignments, etc.
examples were brought from Armenian epic literature,
history, culture, etc.
In this way I presented our experience in Peace Education
and Conflict Resolution in schools of Armenia, which might
be our contribution to the implementation of Key Action
Themes on Decade for Education for Sustainable
Development. |
