BUILDING PEACE IN THE BUILDING PEACE IN THE COMMUNITYCOMMUNITY

CANADIAN CENTRES FOR TEACHING PEACE

DEFINITIONSDEFINITIONS

• PEACE, IN THE COMMUNITY CONTEXT = “THE ABSENCE OF VIOLENCE”

OUR MISSIONOUR MISSION

• TO HELP BUILD A BETTER WORLD FOR OUR CHILDREN

• TO ADVANCE PEACE IN THE WORLD

OUR COMMUNITIES NEED OUR COMMUNITIES NEED OUR HELPOUR HELP

• VIOLENCE IS OUR MOST PRESSING PROBLEM

• TODAY NO PERSON ANYWHERE CAN TRUTHFULLY SAY THAT SOLVING THE VIOLENCE PROBLEM MAKES NO DIFFERENCE TO THEIR OWN LIVES

WHY ME? YOU ASKWHY ME? YOU ASK

• YOUR PERSONAL QUALIFICATIONS

• COMMUNITY SERVICE INTEREST & COMMITMENT

• SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE

• SPHERE OF INFLUENCE

• IT AFFECTS YOU DIRECTLY

• YOU WANT TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE WITH YOUR LIFE

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WHAT IS THE PROBLEM? WHY IS VIOLENCE WINNING?WHY IS VIOLENCE WINNING?

• LACK OF AWARENESS/CULTURE• LACK OF FOCUS AND VISION• LACK OF COMMUNICATION• LACK OF INFORMATION SUMMARY• LACK OF UNDERSTANDING• LACK OF CENTRAL DATA BASE• LACK OF CENTRAL NETWORK• LACK OF RECRUITS

ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE TODAY:TODAY:

• INCREASES IN OPPRESSIVE SOCIAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS:– ECONOMIC DISTRESS– FAMILY DYSFUNCTION– RACIAL TENSIONS– TEENAGE PREGNANCY– ALCOHOL & DRUG ABUSE

• AS A RESULT, PEOPLE FEEL THAT EVERYTHING IS OUT OF CONTROL

THEY TURN TO VIOLENCE THEY TURN TO VIOLENCE TO GET WHAT THEY TO GET WHAT THEY

WANTWANT• MONEY

• POWER

• SELF-ESTEEM

• “RESPECT”

HOW DO WE SOLVE THE HOW DO WE SOLVE THE VIOLENCE PROBLEM?VIOLENCE PROBLEM?

THE PROCESS:THE PROCESS:• CLARIFY WHAT THE PROBLEM IS

• GATHER INFORMATION

• EVALUATE CAUSES

• OBSERVE PRESENT SITUATION IN MORE DETAIL

• CONSIDER PROPOSALS

• ACTION

WHAT CAN WE DO?WHAT CAN WE DO?MICRO LEVEL:MICRO LEVEL:

• TALK IT UP

• RAISE AWARENESS (COMMUNICATION PLAN)

• DEVELOP NETWORK

• ORGANIZE A CONFERENCE

• ORGANIZE STUDENT CONTESTS

• MEDIA RECOGNITION AWARD

WHAT CAN WE DO?WHAT CAN WE DO?MACRO LEVEL:MACRO LEVEL:

• COMMUNITY SAFETY/PEACE COMMITTEE

• COMMUNITY SAFETY/PEACE PLAN

• REFORM THE ATTITUDES OF INDIVIDUALS

• INSTITUTIONALIZE PEACE IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM

WHAT CAN WE DO?WHAT CAN WE DO?MORE MACRO LEVEL:MORE MACRO LEVEL:

• MUNICIPAL COUNCIL DECLARE YOUR COMMUNITY A PEACE CITY OR TOWN

• INITIATE A “JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PEACE PROGRAM”

• DEVEOP AN INTERNET SITE - A VIRTUAL CANADIAN CENTRE FOR TEACHING PEACE

• DEVELOP PEACE RESEARCH

• DEVELOP SAFETY PARTNER PROGRAM

WHAT CAN WE DO?WHAT CAN WE DO?EVEN MORE:EVEN MORE:

• ADDRESS ROOT CAUSES OF VIOLENCE

– ECONOMIC DISTRESS

– FAMILY DYSFUNCTION

– RACIAL TENSIONS

– TEENAGE PREGNANCY

– ALCOHOL & DRUG ABUSE

– OTHER

• PEOPLE MUST FEEL IN CONTROL OF THEIR LIVES - “EMPOWERED”

OUR GOAL -OUR GOAL -MEASURABLE RESULTSMEASURABLE RESULTS

• MINIMIZE VIOLENCE IN ALL AREAS OF THE COMMUNITY

• YOUR COMMUNITY - A SAFE CITY OR TOWN

• YOUR PROVINCE - A SAFE PROVINCE

• CANADA - A SAFE COUNTRY

• THE WORLD - A SAFE WORLD

BUILDING PEACE IN THE BUILDING PEACE IN THE WORLDWORLD

• THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS NOT THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS NOT BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO DO BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO DO HARM, BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE HARM, BUT BECAUSE OF THOSE WHO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT DOING WHO LOOK AT IT WITHOUT DOING ANYTHING.ANYTHING.