PESHAWAR:PAIMAN Trust in collaboration with Qadims Lumiere organized a Forum on, ‘Peace Education in Schools: a Panacea for Tolerant and Pluralistic Communities in Pakistan’ in a local hotel here on Tuesday.
The aim of the Forum was to deliberate on the importance of Peace Education in schools and Madaris in Pakistan as well as share PAIMAN’s and Qadims Lumiere’s joint initiative of the implementation of Peace education in selected schools and Madaris in Peshawar since 2009 and its positive outcome.
Mossarat Qadeem, PAIMAN’s Executive Director (ED) said, “Under PAIMAN’s Peace education initiative, the capacity of 290 male and female teachers of selected private schools and Madaris is being built to impart peace curriculum using experiential learning and creative work to the students of their respective institutions.”
“The aim is to collectively develop an environment of tolerance, and non-violence and create awareness regarding the importance of human rights, and inter & inter-communal understanding.”
Bushra Hyder aid, “The impact of peace education has been a positive transformation in the attitude and behavior of both teachers and students that helps in promoting healthy relationships and a peaceful school culture.”
Vice Chancellor (VC) the University of Engineering Peshawar Dr Iftikhar Hussain said, “The whole initiative is very innovative and he has never heard of it before.”
He also said that he would like UET to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with PAIMAN and Qadims Lumiere to give orientation to his students on the importance of non-violence tolerance and pluralism.
Dr Ayaz Khan Chief Coordination Officer (CCO) of the KPCE-CVE congratulated PAIMAN and Qadims Lumiere for organizing the forum on an important concept of peace education as an antidote to violent extremism which was the need of the time.
He said, “There is a need to create greater awareness regarding this concept and learn from PAIMAN who are the pioneer in this field, and the best practices of Qadims Lumiere.”
Diocese of Peshawar Church of Pakistan Priest Alaxander Mehboob highlighted the importance of peace and harmony in the lives of all Pakistanis and said, “Every religion believes and values non-violence and tolerance and it is time that we expand this concept of peace education to more educational institutions so as to help build a peaceful Pakistan.”
Managing Director of Elementary and Secondary Education Foundation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa KPK Zareeful Mani shared his own experience of how diverse communities could adopt ways of accommodation to live together peacefully.
He also elaborated on the importance of introducing peace education as part of the national curriculum to protect children from violence and help create safe learning environments.