Peace

At RKI, we conceptualise peace through two key concepts of peace research: negative and positive peace. Negative peace refers to the absence of direct violence, while positive peace refers to the absence of indirect violence that enables individuals to participate in the society to their full potential.

For us at the Peace Education Institute, the realization of positive peace means modifying the structures of the society to cause as little social injustice as possible. This means supporting the development of educators’ skills in identifying and reducing exclusionary structures or practices in their work in schools or in youth work. We work to ensure that as many people as possible can get involved and are able to realize their own potential as part of society. We do this work under the themes of peace education, anti-racism, equality and equality, and global responsibility.

Our work is based on the UNESCO 2023 recommendation on Education for Peace and Human Rights, International Understanding, Cooperation, Fundamental Freedoms, Global Citizenship and Sustainable Development. Its goal is to develop the moral and social responsibility of all people and to grow understanding that crosses social and cultural boundaries, which in turn build peaceful societies as part of the world. The starting point of our work is to recognize the courage in all people to act for justice.

Peace education is not passive or conflict-free. It requires the courage to challenge norms and existing power structures. Recognizing the need for change and one’s own role in maintaining unequal structures is a prerequisite for sustainable and transformative peace education.