Statement of Principles

A Community-based Institute on Peace Education (CIPE) is a sustainable and recurring learning opportunity that enables formal and non-formal educators in local communities to learn with and from each other about "the role and possibilities for education in the prevention of deadly conflict; the rethinking of global security; preparing individuals for engaged, democratic citizenship; and the realization of human rights, social justice and ecological balance." (CIPE Organizer's Manual, p.14)

To make a CIPE effective in reaping the full benefits from such an opportunity, the following principles are observed: 

• A CIPE seeks to manifest the following goals:
  

• to provide local support for peace educators;
• to encourage learning from each other about concepts of peace education and best practices;
• to address current and relevant local content and issues (relevant to peace education);
• to support school and community-based peace education initiatives;
• to try to affect educational and peace & security policies locally, nationally, and globally; and
• to help expand the potential for research and new developments in the field of peace education.

• A CIPE promotes a peace education philosophy, content and processes that are holistic, inquiry-based, participatory, dialogical, reflective, as well as transformative and directed towards positive social change or action.

• A CIPE upholds the model of a nonhierarchical and open learning community in which participants learn with and from each other, because of the understanding that social change is best pursued and sustained cooperatively and in community. Hence, it includes programmatic elements that foster this model: mutual sharing of ideas, experiences, practices and questions in plenary sessions and interactive workshops as well as sharing significant learnings with a reflection group.

• A CIPE learning community seeks to be linked with other CIPE learning communities toward the establishment of a more systematic, deliberate and vibrant peace education movement worldwide. Through the sustained engagement of these learning communities, and in solidarity with kindred groups, the creation of a more peaceful and just world is made more possible.