Peace Education Inspires Values, Freedom and Greatness

Ralph Waldo Emerson asserted 150 years ago that “Character is higher than intellect”. Aristotle saw character as the amalgamation of virtues, described by Benjamin Franklin as the prerequisite for the enjoyment of freedom. When we do not, the price we pay is legislated loss of freedom.

Peace is universal values is freedom.

A quote by a former Federal Education Minister in Australia:

“We should not be surprised if a values-free education produces values-free adults. Surely we want children to become adults who are caring, persistent, tolerant, fair and imbued with a deep sense of compassion. We should teach them to do their best, to be just, reasonable, loyal and trustworthy. Imperfect though we all are as human beings, we must surely aspire to see these attributes as the foundation on which to build young lives.“

Children learn from their parents and society. When the latter change, children will display what they are taught. When we teach with an attitude of inspiring them to question rather than telling them what to think, then we teach for wisdom. The former puts information in, the latter draws out wisdom. That is the future of education.

This is a quote I recorded when I was in Russia with Dr. Patch Adams (clown doctor). We are all great. I am speaking to you reading this.

“If you really want peace and justice, really want presidents and world leaders and a world that survives, you got to hear that people think your great …Without operating from a base of feeling you are great you not going to be able to do your dreams for peace and justice…”

What I have learned over the years through my education in the Peace Education field is that peace is love. What is love – love shares, reveals, heals and stays. It is an energy that brings people together, enables them to listen, accept difference and moves us naturally to unity.

As a World Peace Clown I practiced loving other people, it came quite naturally and I had no issue with people not loving me back. For the most part I felt people respond in-kind, literally. I saw clearly that this is our natural state of being. To be naturally open, loving, generous and helpful to each other.

Peace Education that I have been involved in was about teaching universal values. For peace education to be effective you have to teach the whole person, the teachers, the school and the parents. The culture of peace spreads out into the community and when we commit as a nation to peace, this then influences other nations.

A Culture of Peace shifts from the idea that a Culture of Violence creates security. Peace creates Freedom. We are at a choice point today.

Here is some information from UNESCO and their attempt to inspire a Culture of Peace. It of course has inspired many groups around the world, the real focus is young people. For they will change the world.

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) proclaimed 2001-2010 as the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World. UNESCO aims to foster a culture of peace through education by:

revising the educational curricula to promote qualitative values, attitudes and behaviours of a culture of peace, including peaceful conflict-resolution, dialogue, consensus-building and active non-violence.

“Peace education requires the development of an individual understanding of issues and concepts. Essentially peace education aims to:

build positive supportive communities, attitudes of truth and understanding, awareness of conflict and non-violent solutions, awareness of alternative truths and self understanding” (Source: Knight, Peace Education in a Liveable World)

Peace is not only possible, it already is here, we just have to make it visible by drawing the wisdom of peace from a perspective of inquiry, utilising values to help us determine unity from division. When we move towards unity we feel good about ourselves, when that happens we make room for possibilities and greatness is naturally there. In truth no one is greater or lesser than anyone, it is just that some were always told they were great and lived it. So tell someone that they are great, you won’t be lying.

We live in an incredible world. Especially because you are here. We all are value-able.