How to Learn Peace in 2024

Happy World Day of Peace!

It's 2024 – a new year for a fresh start. As we reflect on 2023, we can't help but cry for peace. While Gaza is being bombed in response to Hamas' brazen attack and hostage taking, the war in Ukraine continues, and other conflicts foment, it is clear that humanity needs to learn peace.

Peace education is my focus for 2024, and I invite you to join me on your own peace learning journey this year. I'll recommend some great resources to start with, below. My own journey will begin at the Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University in Kampala, Uganda in February. In this one-year program, I will deepen my own peacebuilding skills while implementing a social change initiative: relaunching a proven peace education program, called Are We Together?

I am excited that the relaunch is starting in Uganda, where the program began. In 2001, the African Children's Choir invited my friend, Marg Huber, see if the peace education program she directed in Canada would work in Uganda. With contextualization from the Ugandan choir members, it did, powerfully. Over the next seven years, 7,500 youth learned the skills of peacebuilding and conflict resolution through an engaging program of group activities, games and discussions. Centred around seven components of peacebuilding, the impact was transformational. Classrooms, which had previously been chaotic, became peaceful environments. Conflicts went down, grades went up, and communities took notice. The program expanded to 18 schools, and parents and community members requested training. Unfortunately, after Marg returned to Canada for health reasons, the program wasn't sustainable. However, divine connections brought us together to collaborate on its revival.

Meeting Marg was a clear answer to the strategic brainstorming I did on on increasing CryPeace's impact. Discerning that peace education should be our next focus, I reached out to my network for ideas, and was introduced to Marg. As Canadians who were committed to promoting peace in Africa, we instantly bonded. Marg scanned her paper copy of the curriculum, and we began updating it and brainstorming its distribution. Unfortunately, Marg passed away before seeing the project come to fruition. It is my honour to continue the work in her memory.

Our plan is to pilot the program in 5 schools in Buliisa. The next steps are to develop evaluation tools, train facilitators, and start the training. As we gain fresh experience, we would love to find partners who can introduce the program in their own contexts. One of the future places I hope to share it in is the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where I used to work. Please contact CryPeace to learn more about it.

Peace Learning Resources for You

We all have more to learn about peace. It's a worldview, lifestyle, and very practical set of skills. Here are a few resources I recommend.

The Peace Almanac – Daily Inspiration from World Beyond War

Get inspired by each day's historical significance for peace, to counterbalance negative messages from the news.

• Peace Almanac

Positive Peace Academy - From the Institute for Economics & Peace

This 2-hour course shows how the eight pillars of Positive Peace improve ecological sustainability, well-being, GDP growth and business outcomes.

• Positive Peace Academy

Be The Bridge - Healing Racial Divides

Self-directed courses share the history and impact of racism in North America, and how to build bridges across racial divides. Live training helps organizations become more inclusive.

• Be the Bridge

Digital Peacebuilding - From Build Up

Learn how to make online spaces more inclusive with Build Up's free, online courses.

• Build Up Courses

Find your own path

If you are feeling led to pursue inner peace, peaceful communication, or to learn more about a conflict that is troubling you, I encourage you to look for resources that can guide your personal peace journey. You can find more ideas on CryPeace's Peace Education Resources page.

I wish you a very productive, peace-full 2024.

My name is Carole, and I'm your sister.