Ambassador of Peace Program :
In 1999, Richard Proulx implemented a peaceful conflict resolution program called “Peace Ambassadors” in schools in Quebec, Canada. The project began in two schools with the aim of enabling students to intervene when violence occurs among students, in order to restore a peaceful environment. The project proved successful among both student and teachers.
This idea was limited to simple conflict resolution. It was then adopted and adapted by a pioneering team in Lebanon. They began their own program in September 2002 in what was to become the Training Center for Community Development (TCCD), a department of a Lebanese NGO – Blue Mission, based in Saïda. A decision was made at an early stage to include teaching staff and parents more directly in the training. Their involvement has resulted in improved integration of approach and resulting impact.
The Ambassadors of Peace training curriculum is one element of a psycho-educational project, which is the current product of an evolution of methodologies and techniques generated by the staff and volunteers working with the Training Center for Community Development and in consultation with community focus groups. Public opinion and other feedback are essential in the evolution and modification of the curriculum which constantly changes in response to the newly expressed and identified needs. The program provides a number of human rights and conflict resolution training elements which focus on individuals and their interaction with their surrounding environment.There are six key themes which run through the training:
- Non-violence
- Human rights
- Democratic practice
- Respect for environment and health
- Anti-racism and anti-discrimination
- Participation
The Ambassadors of Peace program is one component of fulfilling the vision of Blue Mission to create more peace-orientated society in a country that has rarely seen absence of armed conflict for many generations.
By facilitating groups of children, youth, teachers and parents, using a planned curriculum of class-based and summer activities, an increasing number of young people are being equipped with the attitudes and skills of non-violent conflict resolution and mutual respect.
The impact is measurable in terms of reduced incidence of violence in schools and the desire and action of many involved to spread the message of peace to others.
Objectives :
The Ambassadors of Peace’s long-term goals is creating a pacific and democratic Society and abolishing of the corporal punishment of children and stop all forms of violence. The Ambassadors of Peace project represents a long-term approach with interventions and goals at several levels:
In the short term, participants become more self-aware, recognize sources of conflict and alternative, non-violent response to conflict. They learn to value and respect the rights of others and the environment.
The medium-term objective is to decrease the incidence of violence and corporal punishment against children within the participating schools and centers
The long-term objective is to create a more peaceful and democratic society by decreasing violence to children and corporal punishment through the interventions of “Peace Ambassadors”.
Till November 2008, 15380 children, 1162 parents, 1219 teachers and over 500 trainers and volunteers have participated in the program.
From Village to Village Project :
In 2008, we realized "From Village to Village", a youth capacity building project in eighteen villages of South in Lebanon funded by OTI- USAID. 120 youth have been trained in peace education through psychosocial interventions and 3 youth clubs were created in three villages. Moreover youth have designed three community projects responding to the needs of a network of the 18 villages.
The overall objective of this project was to promote and support leadership, peace conflict resolution communication and networking among youth from different villages in South Lebanon from different religions and affiliations in order to favorite their citizenship, participation, involvement and initiatives to address lived difficulties and violence through designing their own common small community based project.
We are working now on "From Village to Village 2", a similar project, funded also by OTI-USAID, working with youth from 4 villages in South Lebanon and from Saïda. The aim is the same than in the first project, and at the end, 3 youth clubs will be created. The youth network through South Lebanon will grow up, mixing now youth from villages and from city.
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