Ten Point Action Plan
UPEACE has conducted extensive consultations across Africa to define
the needs, aspirations, and obstacles to developing the Africa programme
for Education for Peace.
The broadly-based consultations produced a unique body of knowledge
concerning the ambitions, needs, and obstacles in regard to education,
training, and research on peace-related issues.
The plan below defines priorities for the first stage of the Africa
five-year programme.
1. Academic teaching
To include three curriculum development workshops, a short course
for professionals, a seminar on development of master’s degrees
in peace and conflict studies and the joint faculty supervision of
graduate students; development and dissemination of inexpensive basic
course materials; scholarships for African students to study peace
and conflict research at UPEACE in Costa Rica and in other institutions;
and completion of the architecture of the full five-year academic
component.
2. Training programmes for civil society
Initially developed for officials of sub-regional and regional organizations
in response to explicit requests, and then for military organizations,
the private business sector and other civil society groups. Such training
will emphasize skills and techniques in conciliation, mediation, and
negotiation and the use of early warning indicators and early response
mechanisms in conflict prevention.
3. Research: Strengthening African research, its dissemination
and use
Without sound and up-to-date analysis and data, policies will be inadequate
and teaching becomes stale; therefore, underpinning all aspects of
this programme will be carefully calibrated research to shape academic
excellence and refresh teaching so that a new generation of leaders
is fully aware of present and future approaches and issues. This collaborative
research will also influence policy and improve international understanding
of Africa.
4. Peace Education: Mobilizing society for peace
Peace Education creates the capability to introduce peace-related
concepts and knowledge into curricula at every stage of the education
process. Raising awareness and changing beliefs and behaviour is essential
to build the foundations of peace. Peace education is therefore a
major component of the overall UPEACE programme. Community-based peace
education, including civic education, through diverse channels, engages
all sectors of a society and encourages normative shifts towards values
of respect for universal human rights, mutual understanding, acceptance
of differences, gender equity, and the use of non-violent strategies
for social and political change.
5. The Information Dimensions: Inventories, databases, and networks
for the dissemination of knowledge
An interactive Internet network will be developed to provide access
to various data from partner institutions and to facilitate online
connexions between network members. Diversification of sources of
knowledge and accelerating information exchange require educational,
information and communication technologies (ICT); inventories of print
and electronic resources, archives, and collections; and databases.
The UPEACE programme will emphasize adding value to existing initiatives.
Efforts will also be designed to strengthen library facilities and
preserve and document historical records. The UPEACE Center on Education
and Information Technologies will play a key role in supporting this
component.
6. Media and Communications: The news media and conflict
The role of the media and communications in peace and conflict is
of great consequence in Africa, as the media have been implicated
in fomenting violence. Development of media training in responsible
journalism in conflict situations, research on the media and conflict,
and mobilization of the media to avert conflict and promote tolerance
and non-violence are thus pivotal to the overall programme strategy.
This component of the programme will be linked to the UPEACE Institute
for Media Peace and Security.
7. The Linkage of Policy and Research
An urgent need exists to improve the knowledge and capacity of policy
makers and legislators on complex issues of peace and development
in Africa. Results of research must be coupled with short training
courses to link research to policy. In this respect, the UN affiliation
of UPEACE provides significant advantages. Deriving policy implications
from research requires the development of innovative course and training
programmes to strengthen analysis and aid policy implementation. A
top priority is to develop a critical mass of researchers whose objective
is to nourish the formation of policy.
8. Strategy for Implementation of the Africa programme
The Africa programme will be implemented through the collaboration
of many institutions and will generate funds through co-financing
from many sources. As the programme develops as a coherent framework
for action, additional funding can be generated as required, particularly
on a country basis, to strengthen the capacity of specific universities
and institutions.
9. Organization, Extension and Structure for African Leadership
Reflecting the African leadership of the programme, it is planned
in 2003 that the centre of gravity of UPEACE activities for Education
for Peace in Africa should move to Addis Ababa; an Advisory Committee
will be established to guide the programme, engaging a broad spectrum
of African expertise, interests and aspirations. Formal agreements
on cooperation will also be established with approximately twenty-five
partner institutions, who shall be key implementers of the programme.
10. Indicators of Results
The further definition of the programme will include the careful definition
of targets for implementation, evaluation and the measurement of results.
