The first "International Meeting of the Education for Peace Global
Network"
took place in Geneva, Switzerland, from September 4 to 8,
2000, dedicated to the
Future of Our Children. It counted with the
participation of 22 countries, from 4 continents. The meeting was
sponsored by UNESCO and the University of Geneva; it is part of the
celebration of the United Nations' International Year of the Culture of
Peace.It also received the formal support and participation of UNICEF, UNCTAD,
OIT, UNHCR, Red Cross International, Inter American Development Bank -
BID and the Brazilian National Council of Education Secretaries- CONSED.
The Education for Peace Global Network is a Brazilian initiative born in
1993 during the International Conference on Education of the Future,
that took place in the Latin-American Parliament and at the Latin
American Memorial. This network has been made operational by the
Institute for Future Studies, whose purpose is to open space for
innovation in the learning process, study the new dimensions in the
creation of knowledge, and foster the integration of values that can
support changes committed to a culture of peace.
The Meeting's set-up included plenary sessions in the morning, and in
the afternoon presentation of relevant projects that have been
implemented in several countries. Among the key-note speeches we must
highlight those of Mrs. Kaisa Savolainen, Head of the the Education
Department for a Culture of Peace - UNESCO; Ambassador Rubens Ricúpero,
General Secretary of UNCTAD; Professor Ubiratan D'Ambrosio, President of
the Institute for Future Studies, and Dr. Ervin Laszlo, President of the
Club of Budapest.
Based on the presentations, three reflection groups were formed, and
their main conclusions are stated below:
Peace is an attitude and a way of living that we learn by coexisting and
having close relationships with other human beings; it starts in the
process of conception and pregnancy and goes on during infancy,
adolescence, and one's whole life. This involves creating opportunities
for developing the human being as a whole, and in this connection
quality of education is a fundamental element. This requires a change of
paradigm that includes the offer of creative opportunities of how to
learn, and not solely transmission of knowledge, strengthening the
relational dynamics with the community. This education must include new
values, capable of regenerating the social tissue and nurturing life in
its several forms, combined with new processes for building knowledge.
CREATING NEW LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS
The wealth of reflections presented by the speakers led to the
importance of committing to the creation of learning dynamics and
environments marked by:
- Dialogic
ethics
- democratization of relationships giving empowerment to
each one and legitimizing the diversity.
- Cognitive
affective ecology
- to foster new relationships in the process
of building knowledge
- Re-dimensioning
corporal awareness
- acknowledging the body as a source of
knowledge, carrier of the past and of the vital forces that lead to
the future
- Responsible
sex life - capable of leading to self-knowledge, healthy
relationships, and responsible maternity/paternity.
The
congregation of instruments and methods coming from different cultural
traditions and the contribution of new technologies can allow the
creation of these learning environments.
Financial Report
People or institutions willing to get in touch with the Education for
Peace Global Network, please contact: redepaz@redepaz.org
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