The PEACE project runs over two years, 2017 and 2018. PEACE stands for “Peace in Europe and Asia through global Citizenship Education”. The EFIL project is sponsored by the European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme. The goal of the project is to design the framework for a new sustainable three-month secondary school exchange programme similar to the intra-European “European Citizenship Trimester Programme” (ECTP) which EFIL has been running successfully each year since it was launched in 2009. In the PEACE programme trimester exchanges will take place between Asia and Europe, with end-of-stay camps on global citizenship in Europe (Brussels) and in Asia (Kuala Lumpur). The target group will be secondary school students between 15-18 years old. The programme will be open to all EFIL and AAI Partners. Read about the most recent news from the development of PEACE.
Europe Camp 2018
The PEACE Project pilot was successfully launched in January 2018 when 9 participants from different Asian partner organisations went on the first PEACE programme cycle. Over the programme the students not only experienced going on an exchange and facing the challenges that come with it but also completed their research project ‘Global Citizen in You’ as well as their ‘Active project’.
The ‘GC in You’ is a research project where student choose a global issue that they would like to explore further. They choose their topic and before they go on their exchange they explore the topic in depth in their home country by reading about it, asking their teachers, family and friends and get a sense on how their local community stands in the field. During their exchange they explore the topic in their hosting community in the same way and learn from good practices and get a wider understand and perspective of that topic. The topic that the students chose were gender equality, environmental issues and refugee crises to name just a few.
The Active project hand is a 10 hour community service in their hosting community. This can be connected to their GC in You project.
The programme ended with an end of stay camp in Brussels where the topic of Global Citizenship and change making was explored further.
At the same time as the final camp, the training for volunteers or PEACE ambassadors took place, where the aim was to give the volunteers the tools to support the implementation of the programme in their local AFS organisaitons.
The participants left Brussels inspired and empowered to make a change in our common global society. One of the participants said:
“Someone told me these exchanges change you, but trust me @afspeaceprogram not only changed me but changed the way I think and my life. I’m honored and equally thankful to @affspeaceprogram @afsprograms for accepting me to this programme, for believing in me and most importantly for taking us to the #Europeanparliament. You made my dreams come true! – PEACE Alumni, SH18” *Instagram
The volunteer group was incredible and left the camp inspired and motivated in making sure that PEACE will become a successful programme!
“Thank you to @afspeaceprogram for letting me be a #volunteer4peace at the final PEACE Camp. I’ve learned so many things about Global Citizenship Education and how to be an Active Changemaker, I’ve shared experiences with participants and other volunteers, we connected in a way that’s impossible to describe. This is what life should always be about, sharing differences and learning from them. I truly believe we can be the change we want to see in this world! – PEACE Almuni, SH18/PEACE multiplier!” *Instagram
The volunteers and participants of the PEACE programme agreed that the programme is not only the priceless experience that going on an exchange is but on top of that it supports the participants on their journey of becoming change makers, caring about our common global issues and making actions. By feeling part of something bigger and greater as our common global society we feel the responsibility to take action!
Second part of the pilot begins!
The 2018 pilot programme consists of two parts which are the ‘Asia to Europe cycle’ (January-April) and the ‘Europe to Asia cycle’ (September-November). As already mentioned, the first part is over and finished with a successful final camp in Brussel centered on the themes of global and active citizenship education. Now the Europe-to-Asia or the second part is starting. There will be 11 students going on the programme from Germany, Hungary, Iceland and Italy. The students will end their programme with the final camp in Kuala Lumpur from 22-26 November. Same as for the Europe camp, a training for volunteers will take place at the same time for volunteers from Asian partner organisations.
Which way forward?
After the the final camp in Kuala Lumpur the PEACE project will end, but the PEACE programme will be ready for all partners to send and host students. In order to meet partners’ needs, taking into as many factors as possible, there will be 3 cycles offered for partners
Although we haven´t had as many participants on PEACE as we hoped for, the participants that did participate were very satisfied with the programme. The programme is rich in content and short in time, and in line with changing needs of teenagers in our modern society. It supports students on their journey of wanting to make a positive change in our society and goes well in line with our core mission and values.
Do you want to send students on the next PEACE programme? Contact us at peace@afs.org