UNESCO school project promotes a culture of peace

On June 3, at the Center for Young Naturalists in Vilnius, a workshop in recognition of Worldwide Project Day convened. Eighty-five school children and teachers from Associated Schools Project (ASP) across the country participated in the workshop taking place simultaneously with schools around the world. The Worldwide Project Day workshop is being organized by the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO with additional support from United Nations Development Fund , Regional Environmental Center Country Office , and United Nations Children's Fund. The workshop has been funded in full by UNDP.

What did they do?

At the workshop, students and teachers collaborated on projects in theme groups led by artists, scientists and youth leaders. The activities showed that the path to global peace lies in acknowledging interconnectedness with one another and with the environment. Workshop activities include informed observation of the natural surroundings accompanied by a biologist; participating in an exercise to develop a student code of rights; and creating the foundation for peer support groups, a proactive approach to solving personal problems through communication. Project results will be shared among the participants and disseminated to other schools and to the Ministry of Education and Science.

What is Worldwide Project Day?

The theme for Worldwide Project Day 2000 is the International Year for the Culture of Peace. The projects aim to lay the foundation for lifetime of active community involvement and to foster a commitment to a culture of peace and tolerance. On June 3, students in thousands of ASP schools around the world pledged their commitment to this ideal by focusing attention on the most crucial element for peace, learning to live together.

Associated Schools Project

The main goal of the Associated Schools Project is to promote education directed to the development of human personality and to strengthening of respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms. ASP schools are not privileged schools, but an integral part of the national education system. Through pilot projects and links with UNESCO, they contribute to the improvement of educational content by introducing educational methods and materials that promote peace, international understanding, and cooperation among different people, cultures, and religions into the school curriculum.

Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO

The ASP is lead by the Lithuanian National Commission for UNESCO, the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organization's national headquarters in Lithuania. UNESCO is particularly committed to the ASP because it is one of the most effective means of carrying out community development projects with global implications.

For additional information, please contact Laima Galkute, (8-22) 335422; Bernardas Satkovskis, UNESCO (8-22) 223292, 8-285-36-250.