2. THE CONCEPT OF PEACE
Peace, human security and human rights
War and violence inevitably result in the denial of human rights. Building a culture of human rights is a
pre-condition to achieving a state of peace. Sustainable, lasting peace and security can only be attained
when all human rights are fulfilled. Building and maintaining a culture of peace is a shared challenge for
humankind.
What is peace?
A culture of peace will be achieved when citizens of the world understand global problems, have the
skills to resolve conflicts and struggle for justice non-violently, live by international standards of human
rights and equity, appreciate cultural diversity, and respect the Earth and each other. Such learning can
only be achieved with systematic education for peace.
Global Campaign for Peace Education of the Hague Appeal for Peace
3. THE CONCEPT OF PEACE
Peace means not only the lack of violent conflicts, but also the presence of justice and equity, as well as
respect for human rights and for the Earth.
Johan Galtung, a recognised Norwegian scholar and researcher, defined two aspects of peace:
Negative peace means that there is no war, no violent conflict between states or within states.
Positive peace means no war or violent conflict combined with a situation where there is equity, justice
and development.
The absence of war by itself does not guarantee that people do not suffer psychological violence,
repression, injustice and a lack of access to their rights. Therefore, peace cannot be defined only by
negative peace.
4. THE CONCEPT OF PEACE
The concept of peace also has an important cultural dimension. Traditionally, for many people in the
"western world", peace is generally understood to be an outside condition., while in other cultures, peace
also has to do with inner peace (peace in our minds or hearts). In the Maya tradition, for example, peace
refers to the concept of welfare; it is linked to the idea of a perfect balance between the different areas of
our lives. Peace, therefore, is to be seen as both internal and external processes which affect us.
5. THE CONCEPT OF VIOLENCE
What is violence?
Violence is a complex concept. Violence is often understood as the use or threat of force that can result
in injury, harm, deprivation or even death. It may be physical, verbal or psychological. The World Health
Organization (WHO) defines violence as "intentional use of physical force or power, threatened or actual,
against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high
likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation".1 This
definition emphasizes intentionality, and broadens the concept to include acts resulting from power
relationships.
6. THE CONCEPT AND VIOLENCE
What is violence?
An expanded understanding of violence includes not only direct "behavioral" violence, but also structural
violence, which is often unconscious. Structural violence results from unjust and inequitable social and
economic structures and manifesting itself in for example, poverty and deprivation of all kinds.
7. THE CONCEPT OF VIOLENCE
Forms of violence can be categorized in many ways. One such classification includes:
direct violence, e.g. physical or behavioural violence such as war, bullying, domestic violence, exclusion
or torture
structural violence, e.g. poverty and deprivation of basic resources and access to rights; oppressive
systems that enslave, intimidate, and abuse dissenters as well as the poor, powerless and marginalized
cultural violence, e.g. the devaluing and destruction of particular human identities and ways of life, the
violence of sexism, ethnocentrism, racism and colonial ideologies, and other forms of moral exclusion
that rationalize aggression, domination, inequity, and oppression.
8. PEACE EDUCATION AS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION
What is peace education?
It provides methods to transform the potential for conflict and violence towards sustainable
peace. With its systemic orientation, transformative peace education addresses both individual people
as well as social structures and systems.
Fundamentally, peace education aims to counter a culture of war by promoting a culture of peace. It
challenges the assumption that violence is innate to the human condition and seeks to equip students
with the capacity to resolve conflict without violence. Peace education aspires to enable students to
become responsible citizens who are open to differences, capable of empathy and solidarity, both within
and across borders and social groups, and who can deconstruct the foundations of violence and take
action to advance the prospects of peace.
Peace education includes a wide range of approaches. Some focus on promoting individual and
interpersonal skills such as emotional awareness, anger management, empathy, cooperation, and
kindness. Others focus on the social, cultural, and political aspects of peace, including environmental
education, human rights education, development education, cross-cultural studies, and social justice.
9. PEACE EDUCATION AS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION
Peace education activities promote the knowledge, skills and attitudes that will help people either to
prevent the occurrence of conflict, resolve conflicts peacefully, or create social conditions conducive to
peace.
Core values of nonviolence and social justice are central to peace education. Nonviolence is manifested
through values such as respect for human rights, freedom and trust. Social justice is realized by
principles of equality, responsibility, and solidarity.
In order to achieve these ideals, peace education programs across the world address a wide range of
themes. These include nonviolence, conflict resolution techniques, democracy, disarmament, gender
equality, human rights, environmental responsibility, history, communication skills, coexistence, and
international understanding and tolerance of diversity.
10. PEACE EDUCATION AS TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION
Peace education can be delivered to people of all ages, in both formal and informal settings. Programs
exist at local, national, and international levels, and in times of peace, conflict, and post-conflict.
To create public dialogue different factions of society are often brought together in peace education
programs – these typically include civil society groups, schools, tribal leaders and the media. Yet due to
the many areas covered by peace education, initiatives are primarily determined by culture and context,
as well as by the projects’ scopes and objectives.
Peace education and peacebuilding are therefore intrinsically linked. The UN’s actions for peacebuilding
include education as one of its principle components. For peacebuilding initiatives to remain sustainable
it is vital that attitudes towards war and violence are transformed and translated into long-term
behavioural change which seek alternative solutions to armed conflict
