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The national coordinator gave a speech at the 56th UN DPI / NGO Conference, New York, September 10, 2003 on Peace and Disarmament Education in Albania. Mr. Elton Skendaj mentioned that:
Following a successful physical disarmament project conducted by the UN in cooperation with the Albanian government, the need for sustainable disarmament strategies arose as the social fabric had been punctured by weapon-related instability. A unique partnership was formed between the UN Department for Disarmament Affairs (UNDDA) and the Hague Appeal for Peace (HAP)-an international NGO that works in promoting peace education globally-to engender peace and disarmament education programs in four countries where recent disarmament efforts have occurred: Albania, Peru, Niger, and Cambodia. Local partners in peace education were chosen in each country in order to develop programs fostering disarmament of the minds of youth and children.
The UNDDA/HAP project is guided by the idea that physical disarmament must be complemented and sustained by a mental disarmament process within communities. According to the recent UN study on Disarmament and Non-Proliferation Education (A/57/124, pg. 1), "The overall purpose of disarmament and non-proliferation education is to impart knowledge and skills to empower individuals to make their contribution, as national and world citizens, to the achievement of general and complete disarmament under effective international control." Also, according to the Final Document of the World Congress on Disarmament Education (UNESCO 1980) relating to pedagogical objectives: "Disarmament education should apply the most imaginative educational methods, particularly those of participatory learning, geared to each cultural and social situation and level of education. It aims at teaching how to think about disarmament, rather than what to think about it."
The project utilizes a participatory approach, since the community must own it in order to be more successful. In this participatory approach, the project differs from top-down development projects that treat local communities as passive beneficiaries. Instead, we promote the view that people become active agents of change in their communities. The community helps in the design and implementation of the project. The UNDDA/HAP team provides guidance for the working groups, along with professional expertise and financial resources to the project. Developing a peace education initiative with community involvement from the outset keeps the focus on the collaborative and cooperative values of peace making. (At the same time we must guard against reproducing traditional community-based models that oppress other members of the society, like women, children and ethnic minorities.) Complementing the community's efforts, meaningful partnerships are explored with other actors, such as UNESCO, UNDP, and local NGOs that have similar goals and objectives.
To read the full speech, click here. |
