UNESCO and Culture of Peace and Non-Violence

UNESCO and the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence

There are some sixty wars going on in various sectors of the world. Almost three-quarters of these are within countries, not between them. Some have been going on for decades. Some are isolated but intense. Some are large and dangerous. The founders of UNESCO, who established the Organization in 1946, clearly recognized the importance of knowledge, dialogue, and mutual understanding to prevent conflict. They inscribed a key sentence for international peacekeeping in UNESCO’s Constitution: “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed.”

            UNESCO has led the way in the development of a Culture of Peace and engaged the concept through all its domains of competencies—including Communication and Information. Indeed, if the defenses of peace are to be constructed in the minds of men and women, we do well to recognize that our minds and hearts are increasingly influenced by mass media and new and emerging information tools. In an age of information and communication technologies, there is a new opportunity to find the practical ways of using these tools of expression for sharing information to building peace.

The Power of Peace Network

As part of the promotion of Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, UNESCO, specifically through the Communication and Information Sector, initiated The Power of Peace Network (PPN) with the aim to promote peace, dialogue and mutual understanding, with the youth directly taking the lead role and through the innovative use of media and ICTs.

            The PPN concept rests on a simple idea which is using communication technology to create a network of networks interested in the promotion of peace and dialogue. And by tapping into this network of networks, people connect to other people to build peace and to engage in dialogues through different projects and diverse initiatives around the world.

            Under the PPN framework, two global ‘power of peace’ forums were held. The inaugural forum was held in Bali, Indonesia (2007) and the follow-up was in Bangkok, Thailand (2009). PPN stakeholders including youth groups, non profits, NGOs, academics, and governmental organizations convened and discussed issues related to peace building through the use of communication and information tools which formed the foundation of the network.  During the Bali Global Forum, The Spirit of Bali Declaration was established and it was reaffirmed in the second Bangkok Global Forum.

            The PPN also pursues an academic component in which the research and training on peace journalism is emphasized, for example through Conflict Sensitive Reporting Curricula (in partnership with Rhodes University in South Africa) where the Toolbox for Conflict Sensitive Reporting is being produced and as tested with journalists in the region.

            Central to the PPN mission are the facilities made available on its online platform (http://www.thepowerofpeacenetwork.com). The PPN online component’s long term aspiration is to be become an interactive repository and facilitator which enables peace-building efforts to flourish. It is based on the vibrant online community of individuals and groups that endeavours to spread the message peace, reconciliation, and mutual understanding. In addition, the rapid expansion of cell phones and cell technology in developing regions of Africa, Asia and Latin America has not gone unnoticed within the PPN community. This represents huge opportunity for new levels of communication, which if properly employed can give voice to the voiceless, and support a new horizon of mutual understanding and respect directly and indirectly. PPN “Mobile Peace-building” tool is being developed to fill this very niche.