March 4, 2024 – Unlocking a brighter future begins with education, and the impact of our Conflict Resolution Education (CRE) programs can be transformative for communities deeply motivated to continue on a path towards sustainable peacebuilding. In secondary and elementary schools, these programs go beyond traditional curricula, fostering essential skills in Conflict Resolution, mediation and encouraging students to reflect on attitudes and behaviors that may be adverse to peace.
Our CRE curriculum is adaptable for global implementation in schools and at our Community Learning Centers. It commences with students and participants learning fundamental conflict concepts and identification skills. Subsequently, they delve into mediation and resolution techniques. The final stage covers advanced topics like restorative justice and victim-offender mediation. In essence, the program aims to empower students with the ability to identify conflict sources and equip them with the skills to resolve disputes in a nonviolent manner.
In 2023 in Tijuana, Mexico, we ran a targeted CRE program across two secondary schools and one elementary school, reaching 396 students in total. At the end of the year, we held graduation ceremonies at the schools, a chance to celebrate the efforts of the students whose enthusiasm for the subject was palpable.
“I enjoyed these classes very much as they were different from what we usually learn. Being happy, feeling calm is also important so we can feel better at home and learn better at school,” said Marina Ángel López, a student at the Secundaria 59 Secondary School.
At the Aleman Cuauhtemoc Hank high school, where 30 students graduated, Gabriela Robledo, one of the participating students, exclaimed: “Working with WPDI has been very good because we have learned more things than we usually learn at school. I now know more about peace and what I can do to work for it. Thank you.”
Simultaneously, at Secundaria 59 Secondary School, WPDI’s CRE trainer and Tijuana Program Director held a joint graduation for first and second-year students who completed the basic level training. The program director expressed gratitude to school authorities and encouraged graduates to register for the intermediate level training.
We also trained 95 elementary school students at Felipe El Pescador in basic level CRE during the 4th quarter of 2023. During the graduation ceremony, WPDI’s program director emphasized the importance of involving children in the peacebuilding process, offering hope and opportunities for growth. The school principal’s interest in the intermediate level showcased the positive impact and ongoing commitment to students’ development.
Very importantly, it must be stressed that the impact of the program goes beyond the benefits gained by the individual students who participate in the program. With the skills they acquired, these students become sources of transformative change across their schools. The program as a whole contributes to establishing a positive atmosphere in the schools. As stated by an academic coordinator at one of the schools, the WPDI program “adds to the vision that we bring to the school with both students and parents”.
Peace is contagious. And planting seeds of peace during young people’s formative years is a crucial element of our long-term strategy to foster sustainable socio-economic development in underprivileged communities around the world.
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