FEU PEACE ACTIVITY
The SGI Philippines joined the 8th Summer Seminar Workshop on Peace Education of the Angel C. Palanca Peace Program Foundation, Inc., an auxiliary office in Far Eastern University (FEU), in partnership with the Center for Transformative Education of Philippine Normal University (PNU), last May 8 – 9, 2018 at FEU campus in Manila.
Centering on the theme, “Promotion of Human Rights through Contribution to the Stability and Peace in the Region”, the workshop focuses to provide a cursory look at the current political, economic and cultural human rights context in the Philippines and discuss the challenges and opportunities of peace education amid difficult times.
The event was attended by numerous local and international organizations, universities, colleges, and government representatives namely: UNESCO Asia-Pacific Network for International Education and Values Education (UNESCO-APNIEVE), Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT)-Private Schools, Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Commission on Human Rights (CHR), Philippine Alliance of Human Rights (PAHRA), I DEFEND, Peace Education Network (PEN), Generation Peace Youth Network (GenPeace), Peacemakers’ Circle Foundation, Inc., Kapatiran Kaunlaran Foundation, Inc. (KKFI), Student Catholic Action of the Philippines (SCAP), National University (NU), Philippine Normal University (PNU), Holy Angel University (HAU), Laguna Bel Air Science School, Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), Disaster Net Philippines Program of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative, Miriam College Center for Peace Education, University of the Philippines Manila, FEU Diliman, FEU Alumni, FEU NSTP, FEU Manila, FEU Makati.
There were challenges discussed in the event, namely: implementation of the Executive Order 570, common understanding of Department of Education (DepEd) Declaration of Schools as Zones of Peace, resource mobilization and sustainability to sustain the work for peace of NGO’s and civil society, concept of peace to young people through training and education of teachers, and strengthen peace education partnership with other government agencies, schools, and civic groups.
The engagement of peace advocates created a formation of a loose network, Peace Consortium, in the University Belt of Manila to be hosted by the Angel C. Palanca Peace Program Foundation, Inc. for the year 2018.