Shaping Peace Together was the theme of United Nations’ 2020 Day of Peace memoriam held on September 17, 2020 during which event the Peace Bell was wrang in New York. We adopted this theme for AFPLI’s 4th Annual Peace Lecture because of the proximity of the event to September 21, being the International Day of Peace. As we celebrate our 17th Anniversary of APPLI/AFPLI and in conjunction with the 4th APL, I like to borrow the theme “Shaping Peace Together”.”
While awaiting the keynote address from our keynote speaker, let me flag off this 4th Annual Peace Lecture by adding yet an Eleventh Pedagogy to the Ten Previously designed pedagogies to peacebuilding as the mother of education as demonstrated in my dissertation for my doctoral degree obtained in 2012 from the Phoenix University by saying that the foundational structure upon which to shape peace together is UNITY. Psalm 133 Verse 1 has this to say “BEHOLD HOW GOOD AND HOW PLEASANT IT IS FOR BRETHREN TO DWELL TOGETHER IN UNITY.”
Peace education and peacebuilding have been based on various concepts, themes, and objectives which had been variously taught through several pedagogies. One foundational structure to shape peace education and peacebuilding building which have been consistently ignored is UNITY. In my address to KAIROS PEACE AND LOVE CLUB (KPLC), UNILAG Chapter, in August 2019, during their leadership training, was that peace education is Coexistence Education. We need UNITY to coexist in peace.
If unity is essential to coexistence, therefore, unity is essential to peace education, not only as a concept, but as a pedagogy. If unity is essential to the family in the household, which essentially is the foundation of communities and societies, unity should be the goal of education in schools, which is the next level of humanity in communities and societies. We send children and young people to school with the expectation of shaping their future for communities and societies.
What a good strategy it would have provided if educational curriculum at all levels education is built on UNITY as its goal?
From kindergarten to tertiary institutions, how profitable for peace education and peacebuilding education for UNITY could have been. Should we make unity the goal of all education? We will then reap the fruit of peace and peacebuilding as fruit of education if the goal is to build unity. James 3:18 “Now the fruit of righteousness is sowed in peace by those who make peace.” This will be the manifestation of the quality of life described in the remaining two verses of Ps. 133.
In Nigeria, we have the Unity Schools. But can it be guaranteed that the destiny of education taught or learned in unity schools is UNITY? Nigeria also has the one-year national youth service (NYSC) for graduates. The system runs a scheme, but is the destiny UNITY?
Can the school system be built on UNITY as its goal produce citizens whose goal in life would be UNITY? Will united citizens build united governments at local, state, and federal levels? Will unity governments build a united nation? Will a united nation shape peace together?
Embedded Pedagogy of Peace Through Secondary School Curriculum
Taking a cue from the Ohio Peace and Conflict Studies, a pedagogy of embedded peace studies in classroom subjects (Teaching Peace through Classroom Subjects) could do well to prepare students for a lifetime of peace and peacebuilding in whichever life-time career they chose. So, in 2011 we promoted the Ten Weekends Subject-Based Peace Education Program, which if fully implemented through the school education system, could bring about a phenomenon of Shaping Peace Together through the classrooms.
Similarly, my 2012 Doctoral Dissertation, now published as Evaluating Peace Education: A Study of Nigerian Junior Secondary School, works on a similar concept of Shaping Peace Together through the Junior Secondary Schools.
Reviewing Isaiah 11: 9&13
Though we often interpret verses of the Old Testament in violence terms and meanings, yet there are numerous Old Testament verses that teach how together, human beings (nations) can shape peace together. Some of these verses are found in Isaiah Chapter 11, particularly verses 9 and 13 which I have used on several occasions to address political rallies during which time I had led children and young people to engage in street peace rallies.
Verse 9 – “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.” In Isaiah Chapter 54:13 it state “All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children.” An education system whose goal of curriculum and pedagogy is unity shall be the gateway to the much-desired peace of the children, the adolescence, the young and the adults.
Verse 13 – “Also the envy of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall not harass Ephraim” What a way to shape peace together when the goal of curriculum through the schools has become one of unity.
I am therefore using the theme of this Fourth Peace Annual Lecture to call upon curriculum planners, designers, and developers to make the Unity the Goal of our future school curriculums at all levels: kindergarten to tertiary and vocational institutions.
I hereby declare the 4th Annual Peace Lecture open. Happy deliberations.
Rev. Dr. Titus K. Oyeyemi, JP. (September 29, 2020 CCH))
Founding President/Chief Executive Officer
African Projects/Foundation for Peace and Love Initiatives