Peace Education in the Lebanese Curriculum

Abstract

This paper discusses the necessity of integrating peace education in the Lebanese Curriculum. Lebanon has at least 18 different religions and 19 different Political parties. The conflicts within religious and political groups have created tension that has shaped the recent political history. This has profound effects on Lebanon's economic, social, environmental and political performances. The conflicts that have existed amongst its various populations due to many factors cannot be resolved peacefully unless the young generation is educated and trained to resolve conflicts in a peaceful manner. This raises the need to put into practice education programs that introduce peace education into schools either as a separate curriculum or integrated into the curricula of other subjects.

Keywords

• Peace
• education
• Lebanon
• curriculum

References

1. Bretherton, D., Weston, J. & Zbar, V. (2002). Workshop on Peace education curriculum development in post-conflict contexts: Sierra Leone, paper presented at 16th Australian International Education Conference, Hobart, Sept.30th-Oct 4th. Available at: http://www.aiec.idp.com/pdf/Bretherton_Weston_p.pdf.
2. Comber, K. (2005). The Effects of Civic Education on Civic Skills, CIRCLE, The Center for Information & Research on Civic Learning & Engagement, University of Maryland. Available at: http://www.civicyouth.org/PopUps/FactSheets/FS_05_effects_of_civic_education_on_civic_skil ls.pdf .
3. Civic Education Curriculum, at Ministry of Education, available at: http://www.crdp.org/CRDP/all%20curriculum/Civic%20Education/Civic%20Education%20Curri culum%20_ar.htm _ARBIC.mht
4. Danesh, H.B. (2006). Towards an intergrative theory of peace education. Journal of Peace Education, International Education for Peace Institute. Vol. 3, No. 1, p. 55-78.
5. Education for Peace: A Guide, Educating to make the 21st Century a more peaceful one. Peace Education Network. Retrieved: July 5, 2012. Available at: www.peaceeducation.org.uk
6. Ghosn, I.-K. (2005). Towards a Culture of Peace through Teacher Education. Handbook for Workshop Facilitators: Teacher Education for Peace in Middle Eastern Countries Part I (pp. 11-14). Beirut: Institue for Peace and Justice Education.
7. Haavelsrud, M. (2008). Conceptual Perspectives in Peace Education. Trondheim: Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Retrieved: July 1, 2012. Available at: www.tc.edu/centers/epe/.../Haavelsrud_ch7_22feb08.doc
8. Hague Appeal for Peace Conference. (1999). Hague Appeal for Peace Civil Society Conference in the Netherlands. Hague.

9. Harris, I. (2002) Conceptual underpinnings of peace education, in: G. Salomon & B. Nevo (Eds) Peace education: the concept, principles, and practices around the world (New York, Lawrence Erlbaum) p 15–26.
10. Harrison, K. (2008) Between Politics and Identity, The History and Future of Education in Lebanon, New Initiative for Middle East Peace (NIMEP) Insights, pg117-124.
11. Huitt, W. (1999a) An important factor of mind. Available at: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/regsys/conation.html
12. Huitt, W. (1999). Becoming a brilliant star, paper presented at the Tenth Annual Youth-At-Risk Conference, Savannah, GA, 1 March. Available online at: http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/brilstar.html
13. International Bureau of Education (September 1999). “A Culture of Peace” in Educational Innovation and Information, No. 100. Geneva: International Bureau of Education.
14. Jabbour, K. (2012), Cyber Speech, Offending and Victimization Behaviors Among University Students In Lebanon. BARNOLIPI - An Interdisciplinary Journal - Volume - II. Issue I, p. 18-41, June 2012. ISSN 2249 –2666. Available at: http://www.reflectionedu.com/attachments/File/Barnolipi/6_12_Leb.pdf
15. Salomon, G. (2002) The nature of peace education: not all programs are equal, in: G. Salomon & B. Nevo (Eds) Peace education: the concept, principles, and practices around the world (New York, Lawrence Erlbaum) pp. 3–14.
16. Seville Statement of Violence (1993).
17. UNESCO (1998) Transdisciplinary project. Towards a culture of peace. Available at: http://www.unesco.org/cpp/uk/projects/infoe.html
18. Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Available at: http://www.aspire- irl.org/UN_Universal_Declaration_of_Human_Rights.pdf
19. Vriens, L. (1999). Children, war, and peace: a review of fifty years of research from the perspective of a balanced concept of peace education, in: A. Raviv, L. Oppenheimer & D. Bar-Tal (Eds) How children understand war and peace (San Francisco, CA, Jossey-Bass) p. 27–58.