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Educators unite to promote peace, save the planet


A quote from Mahatma Gandhi, “Earth has enough for everyone’s need but not for anyone’s greed," set the pace for a recent assembly of teachers who had gathered to discuss the principle of Education for Sustainable Development or ESD. Indeed, there has never been a greater need for teachers who are advocates of peace and environmental protection, teachers who are not only swimming in the realm of ideas but are also moving in the material world, than now. “We live in a planet in peril, a region at risk, a nation in crisis," former Education Secretary Dr. Lourdes R. Quisumbing said in her keynote address at the 9th General Assembly of APNIEVE, which was attended by more than 100 teachers from various universities and colleges. The event was held May 21-22 at the University of Makati. “Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) is not a matter of choice. We cannot leave the survival of the Earth to chance," said Quisumbing, who is also the president of the Asia Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education (APNIEVE)–Philippines.

Dr. Lourdes Quisumbing (center) signs copies of her books "Learning to Know" and "Rainbows of Peace."
APNIEVE is a non-profit organization of individuals and institutions from the private and public sectors, and is affiliated with the United Nations Educational, Social, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). The network was founded by a group of eight experts from Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Russian Federation, and Thailand in March 1995 in Seoul. The international organization is the response of Asia Pacific members to the 1994 Geneva Declaration and Framework of Action on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Democracy adopted by the UNESCO General Conference in Paris. Inspired by UNESCO’s vision-mission of “Peace for Development and Development for Peace," APNIEVE was created “to promote and develop international education and values education for peace, human rights, democracy, and sustainable development through networking and cooperation among individuals, groups and institutions working on these fields in the Asia Pacific and the rest of the world." The group achieves this through the “preparation of teaching-learning materials and the training of administrators and teachers from all levels in the use of a holistic approach to education and the integration of values across the curriculum." Education towards positive change In its report entitled Our Common Future in 1987, the UN’s World Commission on Environment and Development defined sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." The idea behind ESD, according to Quisumbing, is to focus on “the interdependence of the different dimensions of sustainable development: society, culture, environment, and economy." In the Philippines and the rest of Southeast Asia, Quisumbing said promoting sustainable development is a huge challenge due to many factors. She pointed out that the region has some of the most dynamic economies in the world, with a high level of industrial activity that relies heavily on extraction of natural resources. Rising consumption of modern products has increased the vulnerability of many countries to natural disasters such as floods and landslides. Abuses against the environment are also rampant. Expanding tourism leads to changing land use, especially in coastal areas. Human greed has resulted in land degradation, improper agro-chemical use, illegal trade in biodiversity, over-fishing, and destruction of mangroves and coral reefs. Quisumbing said good governance is needed to re-direct patterns of growth and development, and education “is a major key in any effective change strategy." As a group of educators, APNIEVE “envisions a world where every person has the chance to benefit from educational opportunities and to learn the lifestyles, behaviors and values necessary to create a sustainable future," she said. Education for sustainable development “enables people to foresee, face up to and solve the problems that threaten life on the planet," Quisumbing said. She added that this type of education embraces the concepts and values of sustainable development such as intergenerational equity, tolerance of differences, environmental protection and restoration, natural resources conservation, just and peaceful societies, gender parity, and poverty reduction.
Counter-culture against violence Dr. Loreta N. Castro, director of the Center for Peace Education of Miriam College, delivered a separate lecture that explored the link between peace and sustainable development. Conflict, according to her, is a natural part of the human condition, but violent conflict is not. The latter can be prevented, she asserted. Pointing out the situation in Muslim Mindanao, she said, “violent conflict is a huge threat to sustainable development. The very concept of sustainable development calls for meeting the present and future needs of people which would be very difficult to attain when there is an armed conflict or war." To attain peace, the benefits of development have to be equitably shared with everyone, she said. Extreme poverty is a threat to peace and sustainable development, Castro added, citing as an example the conflict in Thailand where the Red Shirts, mostly poor farmers, clashed with government troops. Another example is the 40-year old communist insurgency in the Philippines, where the New People’s Army often recruits poor people. Teachers can help promote peace by asking their students to re-examine their assumptions and prejudices, expanding their identity to include membership in one global human community instead of propagating the “us vs. them" mentality driven by diverse faiths and cultures. Dr. Castro posed a challenge to the participants: “It is important for us educators to (engage in) counter-culture. We have to interrupt, to stop the vicious cycle of violence." Need vs. Greed “What does simple living mean to you?" The facilitator posed this question to the participants in one of the simultaneous workshops on the second day of the assembly. The common answers were “eating three times a day" and “time spent with the family." One participant, a young teacher who is also a writer, answered, “Being alone in my garden reading a good book or writing in my journal." After everyone had shared ideas, the facilitator flashed on the screen a quote by inspirational writer Bo Sanchez: “I believe that simplicity is having the time and space to embrace what is most important to you. It is having the leisure to cherish it, having the freedom to glory in it, and having the power to live by it." The workshop module summed up the philosophy of ESD with these words: “’Living a simple life provides the opportunity to relish, taste and immerse oneself in the sacredness of the ordinary events. What makes a person happy does not necessarily have to be expensive. Playing with your children, reading a good book, listening to soothing and meaningful music, quietly walking under a canopy of stars, laughing with friends, talking intimately with your spouse, and playing with your pets can be truly meaningful experiences. These very enriching ordinary events do not harm people or the Earth. They are in fact very nourishing to the soul." Rainbow of Peace Two books were launched during the assembly to promote APNIEVE’s goals.
Learning to Know for a Peaceful and Sustainable Future: UNESCO-APNIEVE and APCEIU Sourcebook for Educators contains essays and learning modules that are useful for teachers who are integrating ESD in their syllabi. Dr. Quisumbing co-edited the book with her daughter Dr. Maria Lourdes Q. Baybay, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences of Miriam College and the secretary of APNIEVE-Philippines.
Learners and The Rainbow of Peace: Music Book is a companion volume to the first book. It is a collection of eleven songs for peace and the environment, with lyrics and notations, by Dr. Quisumbing. All the songs are arranged by Oliver Neil R. Rodriguez. The book comes with a CD where the songs are interpreted by Seasons Vocal Ensemble, as conducted by Rodriquez himself. The songs are simple and sincere, their beauty appealing directly to the heart and mind. – YA, GMANews.TV
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