In August 2008, USIP program officers, Maria Jessop and Jacqueline Wilson implemented a highly successful workshop on Teaching Peacebuilding in Kabul, Afghanistan.
In August 2008, USIP program officers, Maria Jessop and Jacqueline Wilson implemented a highly successful workshop on Teaching Peacebuilding in Kabul, Afghanistan. The workshop methodology, designed by ETC/I’s Linda Bishai and Jessop, takes a multi-layered approach to peacebuilding. The program included modeling democratic principles of acceptance of diversity, utilizing conflict resolution strategies and tools such as dialogue and negotiation and incorporating these principles into lesson plans in all disciplines. This program was followed by a workshop on textbook writing to address a much-needed skills gap in the Afghan academy. Participants in both of these programs were professors from Kabul and eleven other provinces, in multiple disciplines ranging from Sharia law faculty to history and math instructors. Their ability to integrate peacebuilding strategies into their classrooms, lesson plans and textbooks bodes well for education to play an increasingly important role in the future peace of Afghanistan.