International Day of Peace: what is peace education and why is it important?

By Sonia Suárez and Nathalie Alvarado

Youth violence is casting a shadow over Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC), a region that faces some of the highest youth homicide rates in the world. In fact, young people aged 15-29 are tragically three times more likely to be victims of homicide than the global average, with the rate soaring to 18 per 100,000.

Youth violence is a complex issue influenced by various factors including (i) individual (childhood trauma and abuse, intrafamily violence, etc.), (ii) interpersonal and community (violent neighborhoods, criminal peers, presence of gangs, etc.), and (iii) social and institutional (poor education and job opportunities, weak government institutions, etc.). The consequences of youth violence include fatalities, injuries, disabilities, and lasting health issues, such as increase risky behaviors and mental health issues. Moreover, youth violence is correlated to higher school dropouts, adverse effects on cognitive development and reduced chances for young people to positively engage with their communities. 

While feeling safe at school increases academic achievement and school sense of belonging, a relevant portion of the students in the region participating in PISA 2022 reported they did not feel safe in their classroom (between 6% and 10%) or other places at school (between 8% and 14%). 

These challenges deeply affect student learning and the future potential of an entire generation. On this International Peace Day, it’s time to focus on breaking this cycle by promoting peace education.

What is peace education?

Peace education or Education for non-violence and peace involves training and skills that foster a culture of peace based on human rights.It not only provides knowledge, but also develops the skills and attitudes necessary for recognition and resolution of conflicts, and to actively promote peace and non-violence. Learning objectives include understanding violence, building capacities to respond constructively, and knowing alternatives to violence. More specifically, how can we empower youth with opportunities to foster peace and create a brighter future for LAC?

Global citizenship and peace education – Key strategies to thrive

For the IDB, global citizenship skills encompass a multifaceted understanding and engagement with the world, emphasizing a sense of belonging to a broader community and recognizing the interconnectedness between local, national, and global contexts, entailing cognitive, socioemotional, and behavioral dimensions. These skills are structured in four sets of skills (i) civic, (ii) gender and diversity, (iii) green citizenship, and (iv) human rights and peace.

A holistic approach in the learning process is essential to equip students with the deep understanding of responsibilities and agency they can have in improving their societies.  School systems can be powerful promoters of this process by teaching peace education both in curricula and extra-curricular activities and empower teachers to do so.

By learning about the principles of human rights, the origin of humanitarian law, methods for conflict resolution, understanding bias and strategies to promote peace, justice and tolerance, students also develop skills essential to thrive in the 21 Century. In this holistic process, peace education should walk hand in hand with the teaching of socio-emotional skills.  Mindfulness, empathy and compassion are great examples of these essential competences.

Empathy and compassion: capacities for a deep understanding at all levels

Empathy and compassion are vital skills for emotional and social development, motivating prosocial behaviors and effective conflict resolution, therefore are key to the promotion of peace at all levels and contexts. Empathy involves understanding others’ emotions, while compassion drives actions to alleviate their suffering. These skills can be developed through educational programs and interventions like mindfulness and emotional intelligence training and can also be measured.

In 2019 ERCE measured empathy in 6^th grade students using Likert-type items. They found that 6^th graders in the region report moderately high levels of empathy and that it is higher for female students (16 out of 16 countries), for those who attended preschool (5/16 countries) and for children with higher socioeconomic background (10/16 countries). Moreover, empathy tends to be low when student’s victimization in school (7/16 countries) or disruption in classroom are high (11/16 countries). The study highlights the potential that Latin American schools have to improve socioemotional skills if implemented as part of the education policy in the region.

Download empathy and compassion brief here!

Mindfulness: pay attention to the present moment without judgment

Although there is not much measure on mindfulness as there are in other 21st-century skills, the literature suggests that it has become more relevant over time. Mindfulness can be considered a peace-related skill because it is linked to self-awareness and self-regulation, so it is crucial for enhancing well-being. It also relates to improved learning and cognition, physical and mental health, emotional and behavioral awareness, which are key for people’s development and relevant for creating a non-violent environment. As with other skills, mindfulness can be developed from childhood through adulthood through different strategies within educational programs and practices such as meditation and yoga.

Download mindfulness brief here!

Stay tuned for more blogs on global citizenship skills. We will feature authors such as Enrique Chaux and Esperanza Torres Madroñero on peace education in contexts of transition from armed conflict in Latin-America.

This blog series is part of the Skills for Life Initiative, an Inter-American Development Bank effort to develop crucial competences among children and youth in Latin America and the Caribbean and address the skills gap deeply present in our region.