Early History of the Culture of Peace

Because of the broad inclusiveness of the movement, it is able to contain contradictions and to work with them. During the years of the Culture of Peace Programme and the International Year for the Culture of Peace and preparations for the Decade we were often been called upon to mediate in conflicts involving actors at different levels in the movement, for example between a Member State and a non-governmental organization or between the State and an artist. Always, the culture of peace is a readiness to listen and to dialogue.

The emphasis of the movement is on action and actors. Those who take part in the movement undertake their actions within the framework of the concept of the culture of peace and the Programme of Action adopted by the UN General Assembly. Education for a culture of peace, both formal and informal, is conceived as education through action, or to recall the phrase of the great educator John Dewey, "to learn by doing." To quote from the original draft of the programme of action presented by UNESCO to the UN in 1998 (para 59 of A/53/370):

Solidarity, creativity, civic responsibility, gender sensitivity, the ability to resolve conflicts by non-violent means and critical skills should be learned through practice which involves the educational community in activities promoting a culture of peace.

The transition from a culture of war to a culture of peace is perhaps the most profound transformation in history. As described in Chapter 10 of the October 1995 version of the Culture of Peace Monograph:

The transformation of society from a culture of war to a culture of peace is perhaps more radical and far-reaching than any previous change in human history. Every aspect of social relations - having been shaped for millennia by the dominant culture of war - is open to change, from the relations among nations to those between women and men. Everyone, from the centers of power to the most remote villages, may be engaged and transformed in the process.