In a context of ever-increasing geopolitical tensions and protracted armed conflicts, the call to build a peaceful and sustainable world has become an undeniable imperative.
To achieve this, the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace invites us to cultivate a culture of peace, which not only implies the absence of conflict, but also requires the promotion of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation.
At Fundación Promoción Social we celebrate this September 21, convinced that this culture of peace must be built and cultivated among all the people who, in one way or another, are the protagonists of our projects and initiatives around the world. In order to achieve this, education and training are two key tools to promote the approaches and ideas of peace in all the countries and communities in which we work.
Promoting the culture of peace in Nicaragua
A clear example of our commitment to the promotion of the culture of peace is the project we are currently developing in the Nicaraguan municipality of Diriamba together with the Nicaraguan Association of Education and Culture (ANDECU) and with funding from the Generalitat Valenciana.
Faced with the current crisis in Nicaragua, we try to facilitate access to education to those children who, living in rural and geographically dispersed areas, are in a special situation of vulnerability. Thus, not only do we work to reduce absenteeism rates and increase the motivation of these young students to learn, but we also promote the integration of a peace education program in five schools in this municipality.
The main objective of this program is to promote critical thinking, oral expression and conflict resolution in all areas. To achieve this, parents, teachers and other educational specialists are being trained to accompany and assist these children in their educational process. In addition, educational activities of a playful and academic nature are being implemented with the aim of generating this culture of peace in schools.
Training women as peace mediators in Lebanon
In Lebanon, we are also implementing a project aimed at training women as peace mediators in the Keserouan area, in collaboration with Promotion and Social Development (PRODES) and with the financial support of the Mondo Unito Foundation.
With the aim of contributing to promote the necessary change to ensure a stable and lasting peace, we train groups of women and teach them leadership techniques and tools so that they themselves can build this culture of peace in their current circumstances and become peacemakers in the future.