Social exclusion and violence:
Education for social cohesion

Education for Peace

Bosnia & Herzegovina

The Education for Peace (EFP) project is a pilot programme for six schools in different regions of Bosnia & Herzegovina. It aims to strengthen the principles of democracy, human rights and inter-ethnic understanding by preparing the future adults of the region to become unifiers and peacemakers. The EPF project, which is designed by Landegg International University, focuses on training participants from the school community (teachers, administrators, students and their parents) to understand the psychological needs of the traumatized children and adults ; the effect of inter-ethnic conflicts, and the education of children and youth in a peaceful, and democratic culture.

The Education for Peace project has been implemented in Bosnia & Herzegovina, where it reachs 6000 students and 400 teachers from the three ethnic groups across the country (Muslims, Croats, and Serbs). Specially trained for the EPF project, individuals provide assistance to the teachers to introduce peace concepts into their teaching areas, like maths, music, chemistry, etc. Thanks to training sessions, it gives them the skills to both apply these concepts in the classroom and the school community and to reach their academic objectives. The themes of these training sessions are :
1· Intercultural harmony and global identity
2· Causes of conflict and skills for effective and lasting approaches to conflict prevention and conflict resolution
3· Causes of violence and principles of violence prevention
4· Universal principles of human rights and responsibilities and their application in daily life
5· Principles, practices and ethics of democracy and leadership for peace.
The curriculum for teachers and staff is composed of a study of some essential elements which form the foundation of a peaceful society, like the dynamics of « unity in diversity » and their role in creating inter-ethnic and inter-cultural harmony, or the psychology of peace, etc.
In addition, students prepare presentations based on their understanding and reflections on the concepts of peace and democracy.

After the war (1992-96), Bosnia & Herzegovina is underway of collective recovery. That is why the overall goal of the Education for Peace project is to assist the population of the three communities of the Bosnia &Herzegovina's society (Muslims, Serbs, and Croats) in their bulding of peace, democracy, and intercultural and inter-ethnic understanding and respect.

Ms. Fulya Vekiloglu
Regional Coordinator
EFP Project
Landegg Academy
9405 Wienacht/AR - Switzerland
Tel : ++41(71) 898 05 05
Fax : 0041 (71) 898 0500
E.mail : fulyav@yahoo.com
Or
BiH Peace
UI. Mustajbega Fadilpasica 19
71000 Sarajevo - BOSNIA & HERZEGOVINA
Tel : 00387 66 108 268
Fax : 00387 33 219 362
E.mail : efp_bih@bih.net.ba
Website : http://www.landegg.edu

Institutional Partners
Regionals and Federals Ministries of Education of Bosnia & Herzegovina
Financial Partners
The Government of Luxembourg
Landegg Academy, Switzerland

2000

Formal qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the projects objectives are being conducted by the EFP project coordinators. The methodology of the EFP is continually reviewed to meet this goal in the best way possible. A formal external evaluation will be conducted shortly.