The SPIA program “Young Peacemakers” – launched on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of peacekeeping operations celebrated in 2018 – is part of an educational program for the younger generations. It takes place during a school year and is executed in partnership with teachers and school principals. The latter – applied in France since 2019 – takes place, in partnership with teachers and school principals, during a school year and targets mainly primary, middle and high school students interested in the UN, or simply wanting to benefit others around them through acts of citizenship and peace.
The objective of the program is to understand world peace, to spark an interest as well as to prepare our young generation for the international challenges of tomorrow. In this regard, SPIA has created this participatory and collaborative program – which began in Russia and Ukraine in 2018 – to teach young people that peace is fragile and that it is therefore necessary to protect it together. Furthermore, this programme aims to create a better understanding of Blue Helmets’ actions, a deeper understanding of United Nations’ operation and an increase in awareness of major issues facing humanity – such as peace, security, climate change or gender equality.
The program is divided into three components: Introduction to the program – presenting essential concepts, promoted by the United Nations, and put into practice by SPIA –, Human Rights – addressing human rights representations and their links with Blue Helmet’s actions, as well as Citizenship and Universal Peace – with the objective of raising the awareness of Young Peacemakers on their national and international citizenship.
Each component contains three different types of activities: activities of which are essential to the validation of each component, ongoing activities that the Young Peacemakers will have to carry out throughout the year and optional activities that allow the in-depth study of notions of the program. Following each component, the students will carry out a final project – divided between primary and secondary – which are essential for the validation of the component.
In addition, the Young Peacemakers will receive a Peace Pack prior to the launch of the program. It contains, among many other, educational content and awards for the Young Peacemaker.
Becoming a Young Peacemaker is an art of life, due to the fact, that learning to be a Young Peacemaker means – within the framework of these stages – getting to know the other, getting to know oneself and also getting involved in the society of tomorrow. Therefore, the program starts from the observation that the construction of peace-building and peacekeeping, in view of all the related values and principles, are not sufficiently inculcated.
The program is in part a desire to write a new chapter in the history of world peace.