The two-months School of Peace was organized by ICF in partnership with the Facultas Teologi of Universitas Kristen Duta Wacana in Yogyakarta on from October 1- November 29, 2018. Seventeen (17) participants representing three religions, namely Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam attended the program. The nine (9) countries represented with Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Timor Leste. Of the 17 participants, seven (7) were females, and ten (10) were males. They were recommended and endorsed by different peace networks and YMCA national movements.
What is the School of Peace?
The School of Peace (SoP) stands on the basic platform that a durable, positive peace is based on justice. SoP is a major program of Interfaith Cooperation Forum (ICF), under the supervision of that Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCA (APAY). The SoP is generally a peace program that seeks to contribute to the creation of peaceable communities in Asia through peacebuilding training. This training provides a balance in theory and practice, as the curriculum contents would touch on conflicts brought about by social, religious-cultural, economic and political factors. SoP is an avenue to equip young people from different faith traditions with the necessary knowledge, principles, and skills to develop a good network of peace movements in their respective contexts.
The Curriculum of SoP 2018
Borrowed from Latin word currere, which means “a racecourse,” or a runway on which one runs to reach the goal. Curriculum development is dynamic and on-going as it needs to be responsive to the contexts. It outlines subject/knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire and develop. Thus, the curriculum of SoP 2018 was formulated based on the objectives of ICF and of the School of Peace, which is: “To equip and strengthen the ICF youth movement network with the necessary skills and knowledge for peace and conflict transformation.” There certainly was a mix of the explicit with the extra curriculum, and the Coordinator was conscious of the mix of the explicit and the implicit curriculum (those arising from the participant’s cultures) and the null curriculum (those subjects that are excluded due to the limits of time frame).
The explicit SoP 2018 curriculum outlined below is reflective of the specific objectives that were drawn out and was actually carried out.
Introductions: History and Mission of YMCA, Interfaith Cooperation Forum as a Program of Asia and Pacific Alliance of YMCAs.
Part I: Understanding Peace and Peacebuilding
- Presentation of Country Situation by Participants
- Understanding Conflict and Conflict Analysis
- Peace and Peacebuilding Frameworks (particularly from Lederach and Galtung)
Part II: Religions: Their Sacred Texts and Basic Teachings on Peace
- Hinduism
- Buddhism
- Christianities (considering the Judeo influences through the Hebrew Bible)
- Islam
- Taoism
- Indigenous Spiritualities and Cultural Values
Part III. Visits to sacred places of religions and Community Immersion
- Visits to Hindu Temples – Prambanan, Candi Ijo, etc.
- Visit the Ancient masjid in Kota Gede
- Stayed overnight in a Pesantren or an Islamic Boarding School and had a meeting with the Ulama and the students
- Visit Borobudur and Buddhist monastery in Mendut and had a conversation with the Bikkhu
- Visit the Taoist Temple
- Attended Christian church- English services, also YMCA week culmination in Yogyakarta
- Community Immersion in a Multi-faith farming community of Dusun Ngiringin in Batur, Salatiga
- Workshop at Batik Museum
Part III – Making Connection: Identifying situations and Issues as Peace Issues
- Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law and the Role of International Criminal Court
- The relationship between the neoliberal economy and climate change
- The interconnection of health, disability, and economic injustices
- Gender justice and Violence against Women, Children, and LGBTQ
- Understanding Terrorism, its Roots and its Challenges
Part IV. Some Skills towards Peacebuilding
- Non-Violent Communication (NVC)
- Peace Journalism (writing and photojournalism): Principles and Practice
- Introduction to Peace Education considering various age groups
- Principles of Community Organizing in the Work for Peace
- Trauma Healing in the Work for Peace
Part V: Preparing for Re-entry and Knowledge Application
- Presentation of Workable Plans for Echo Training /Alumni Follow Up activities
There was an effort to be creative in the pedagogy and teaching-learning methodology employed. These included case presentations, brainstorming, buzz discussions, enhanced lectures, workshops, presentations, simulations, and role-playing, among others. The partner organizers have chosen resource persons based on their academic training, the field of expertise, experience, sensitivity, and practice of their educational discipline towards peacebuilding.
Among the resource persons and facilitators during the period of two-months School of Peace are:
| Name of Resource Persons | Areas of Discipline; Subjects Taught during SoP 2018 | Institutional Base |
| Tabita Kartika Christiani, Ph.D. | *Peacebuilding Framework: Conflict Resolution and Transformation from John Paul Lederach’s perspective
*Health, Disability and economic injustice as a peace issue |
Duta Wacana Christian University |
| Muriel Orevillo-Montenegro, Ph.D. | *Understanding Conflict and Conflict Analysis
*Conflict Transformation from Johan Galtung’s Perspective *Peace from Taoist Perspective *Nonviolent Communication as Basic in Peacebuilding |
ICF-APAY; Silliman University (on leave) |
| Putu Panji Sudira, Ph.D. | *Peace from Balinese Hindu Perspective | Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta |
| Anak Agung Alit, Ph.D. | *Understanding Sun Salutation and Practice in Hindu Tradition | Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta |
| Bikkhu Santacitto, Ph.D. | Buddhism: Understanding Sitting Meditation | Mendut Monastery |
| Yulianti, Ph.D. (candidate) | Peace from Buddhist Understanding | University Gadja Mada |
| Paulus S. Widjaja, Ph.D. | Peace from the Judeo-Christian perspective | Dean, Fakultas Teologi, UKDW |
| Lien Iffah Naf’atu Fina, Ph.D. (candidate) | Peace from an Islamic Perspective | State Islamic University (IUN) |
| Ahmad Rofiq, Ph.D. | The Qur’an’s Teachings on Peace | Head, Graduate School, Islamic University |
| Yusak Tridarmanto, Ph.D. | Indigenous Spiritualities, Cultural Values, and Principles for Peacebuilding | Dean, Community Dev., UKDW |
| Tirmizy Abdullah, Ph.D. (SoP Alumnus) | *The Relationships between Neoliberal Economy and Climate Change as Peace Issue
*Understanding UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, IHL and ICC |
Mindanao State University |
| Asnath Niwa Natar, Ph.D. | Gender Justice and the Conventions on the Rights of Women and Children | UKDW |
| Abdul Gaffar Karim, Ph.D. | Terrorism and its Roots | Universitas Gadja Mada |
| Josefina Villanueva, M.A. | Introduction to Peace Education | University of St. La Salle, Bacolod |
| Mary Jean LAee C. Patindol, Ph.D. (candidate) | Introduction to Peace Journalism: Principles and Practice | University of St. La Salle, Bacolod |
| Saleh Abdullah, M.A. | Principles and Practice of Community Organizing for Peacebuilding | BaKTI Community Capacity Development |
| Navi Kurni, M.A. and Mariani Stutanto, Ph.D. | Trauma Healing in the Work for Peace | |
| Retha Andoea, LLB | *Shibashi
*Orientation, Immersion at Dusun Ngiringin, Salatiga |
NGS, YMCA Indonesia |
| Hem Sopharak | Supplement to Journalism course: photography | Cambodia based ICF Program Officer |
Muriel Montenegro
ICF Coordinator