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Launching Youth for Peace: Inspiring engagement in our school

On Tuesday, April 23rd, we introduced the Youth for Peace project to an enthusiastic group of students, professionals and trainers within our school premises. The session welcomed 18 participants, including a mix of students, faculty, and trainers eager to learn about the project and its activities. This event aimed to foster the school’s commitment to the project and to initiate meaningful discussions on peace education and social justice. Additionally, we wanted to highlight the diverse ways students and trainers can be part of the project, from participating in workshops and international exchanges to developing educational tools that promote peace and social justice.

Creative Workshops Exploring Peace and Social Justice

The session included a variety of activities, group discussions and multimedia presentations that kept the participants engaged and stimulated. Indeed participants engaged in creative workshops addressing two central questions: “Is peace simply the absence of war or conflict?” and “What are the main issues of social justice in our society?” These discussions introduced the group to the concept of positive peace, illustrating that peace goes beyond the absence of conflict to include justice, equality, and cooperation. Through this interactive exploration, participants were encouraged to think critically about how peace and social justice are interconnected. Discussions call for addressing underlying issues of inequality that can often lead to tensions and conflict. These exercises helped participants understand how social justice initiatives such as promoting human rights and reducing disparities are fundamental to lasting peace. This broader understanding encouraged them to view peace education not just as an academic pursuit but as an active commitment to creating a fairer world. Through this lens, participants recognized that each could contribute to positive peace by advocating for justice within their spheres of influence, be it in education, youth work, or community engagement.

Participants feedbacks

In a nutshell, with this presentation, we have successfully sparked a conversation about peace education and encouraged meaningful dialogue that we look forward to building upon. Participants showed great enthusiasm for Youth for Peace, with many sharing their perspectives on the project’s impact and potential :

  • “The project Youth for Peaceseems very interesting, and we’re looking forward to getting involved in the video contest.”
  • “The project is innovative, and I think it’s incredibly valuable to share our views and tools on peace education with colleagues across the Mediterranean. This will help us gain more expertise.”
  • “This project provides a great opportunity to discuss social justice issues in our classrooms, which is essential for future social workers.”
  • “The workshop was engaging and interactive, which made it easy to actively participate and learn.”
  • “Various activities, group discussions, and multimedia presentations kept the session dynamic and stimulating.