Peace Teachers Program

Peace Teachers Program

Friday, December 1, 2023

The U.S. Institute of Peace’s (USIP) Peace Teachers Program is rooted in the conviction that educators can be pivotal in bringing themes of global conflict and peace into their classrooms, schools, and communities.

Type: Fact Sheet

Education & TrainingYouth

Teaching Peace: Nelson Mandela’s Story in a World of Conflicts

Teaching Peace: Nelson Mandela’s Story in a World of Conflicts

Thursday, November 30, 2023

By: Kristen Embry;  James Rupert

A world reeling from the brutal horrors of our current wars will next week mark (or perhaps overlook) the 10th anniversary of the death of a peacemaking icon: South Africa’s liberation leader and former president, Nelson Mandela. Amid continued or escalated wars — Israel-Gaza, Ukraine-Russia, Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan and others — USIP this month hosted Georgia’s senator, the Reverend Raphael Warnock, in a discussion of Mandela’s legacy and immediate relevance. Another Georgian, Decatur High School history teacher Kristen Embry, introduced Warnock. She spoke about Mandela and her own mission of teaching history and peacebuilding to American students in the 2020s.

Type: Analysis

Education & TrainingYouth

Chinese Professional Military Education for Africa: Key Influence and Strategy

Chinese Professional Military Education for Africa: Key Influence and Strategy

Wednesday, July 5, 2023

By: Paul Nantulya

One way the Communist Party of China seeks to increase the uptake of its norms, values, and institutional practices in Africa is by providing professional education and training opportunities to African military officers. In addition to promoting China’s governance models, these programs have graduates in top leadership positions across the continent, including presidencies and numerous top defense roles. This report urges US and Western policymakers to counter this influence by providing more opportunities for African officers to train in Western military institutions.

Type: Special Report

Education & Training

Youth-Centered Peacebuilding Framework

Youth-Centered Peacebuilding Framework

Wednesday, May 3, 2023

By: Rebecca Ebenezer-Abiola

The Youth-Centered Peacebuilding Framework is a functional guide that proposes an actionable approach for the centering of youth in peacebuilding interventions. The guide operationalizes the concept of youth participation, starting from core principles and moving to practical guidance and specific action steps for meaningful youth engagement at different stages of a peacebuilding project. 

Type: Tools for Peacebuilding

Education & TrainingYouth

Culturally Attuned Summary Compilation Episode

Culturally Attuned Summary Compilation Episode

Monday, October 31, 2022

By:

In this final episode of Culturally Attuned we travel around the world to hear stories from five seasoned practitioners on how to work and communicate effectively across cultural divides. From their parting advice we learn the importance of cultivating relationships with local counterparts that create trusting, inclusive, and mutually beneficial connections.

Type: Podcast

Education & Training

Leading with human-centered design

Leading with human-centered design

Monday, October 31, 2022

By: Christopher Breedlove

When we set out to help in some other culture or community, we have learned that we should shape our project through what practitioners call “human-centered design.” This doesn’t mean altruistically imagining our own design to fit the humans we think we see. It means investing in the community – with its members leading the design process.

Type: Podcast

Education & Training

Connecting across historic divides

Connecting across historic divides

Monday, October 31, 2022

By: Liel Maghen

People who live amid violent conflicts suffer trauma–and even inherit it when that conflict has extended across generations. While trauma can harden us against our perceived foes, remarkably, people can use shared traumas to build connections, even with those we have seen as enemies.

Type: Podcast

Education & Training

Brains and Biases

Brains and Biases

Monday, October 31, 2022

By: Kerley Most

The human brain is hardwired to constantly scan for cues that signal safety, trustworthiness, and social desirability among others. As we work among people of different races and cultures, it’s vital that we stay aware of these patterns within our own selves, because they drive our biases. If we don’t notice our own patterns, they can obstruct valuable connections with people around us.

Type: Podcast

Education & Training

Okay, we don’t know everything

Okay, we don’t know everything

Monday, October 31, 2022

By: Carmen Mauk

Cultural humility requires us to put aside our assumptions and open our minds. While we may have resources and know-how, that does not ensure that we have the best approaches or plans to meet the needs of people in another place or culture. An open mind and taking the time to listen to locals helps us to re-frame problems as well as determine what people need with more confidence. And, it is equally important to think through the consequences and potential pitfalls of any plan of action.

Type: Podcast

Education & Training