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December 2003
Vol. X, No. 1
EDUCATION
Teachers Discuss War and Peace
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The annual summer institute for secondary school teachers last August featured panels on Islam and democracy, the changing role of the U.S. military, war crimes accountability, and global hot spots North Korea and Iraq. About 25 high school teachers, from North Hollywood, Calif., to Brooklyn, N.Y., heard Institute specialists and others speak on major foreign policy issues during the week-long conference. The summer program also focused on imparting teaching skills for peace education. The week was capped by a speech and discussion led by noted peace activist and writer Colman McCarthy. McCarthy, the director of the Center for Teaching Peace, in Washington, D.C., argued that nonviolent resistance is too often underestimated as a force for change. In recent years, in Poland, South Africa, and Chile, nonviolent resistance has brought down seemingly entrenched regimes armed with torture chambers and death squads, he said. McCarthy has brought his message of peace to some 6,000 students during his 20-year teaching career.
Learning to Teach about Africa
Teachers gain insight into the continent's strengths and challenges.
Twenty-five secondary school teachers from across the country received a high-level briefing on Africa's conflicts in early October from Gayle Smith, the former senior director for African affairs at the National Security Council. Smith, who served under President Clinton, helped the teachers understand why so much of the continent is wracked by violence. Sharing the podium with her was David Smock, director of the Institute's Religion and Peacemaking Initiative, who provided an overview of the conflicts, which range from Sierra Leone to Eritrea, and from Angola to Sudan.
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The teachers were participating in a weekend-long session on conflict and cooperation in Africa organized by the Education Program at the Institute, in partnership with the International Studies School Association. "Africa is either under-taught or not taught at all in most high schools," said Alison Milofsky, Institute education program officer. "We felt it was important to address this lack of attention."
The conference analyzed case studies of the Mano River region, Liberia; the Democratic Republic of Congo; and Rwanda, and concluded with a question and answer session with a Rwandan genocide survivor, Vital Akiman.
Despite the many problems facing the continent, the participants were optimistic that change was coming and that they, through their educational work, could help to make a difference. Marylin Apple, a counselor in the Fairfax (Va.) County schools, said that the presenters brought such "passion and commitment" to their work that it was hard not to come away feeling impressed. "Africa is a great omission in my education and that of my students," she said. Learning about the continent and its problems, she said, didn't depress her at all. "Actually, I feel rejuvenated."
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