UNESCO's Actions
	Education for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence The education for a culture of peace is founded in UNESCO's constitutional mandate to build peace "in the minds of men".

 
Over the years, UNESCO and the United Nations have developed a number of standard-setting instruments, declarations and action plans, which are widely accepted by the international community and which provide the basic framework for promoting the conceptof education for a culture of peace world-wide.

The development of a holistic approach, based on participatory methods and taking into account the various dimensions of education for a culture of peace (peace and non violence, human rights, democracy, tolerance, international, intercultural and inter-faith understanding, cultural and linguistic diversity) is its main objective.

The International Forum on Education for Non-Violence, held in Sintra Portugal (22 May 1996), suggested a series of Guidelines for a Plan of Action for the UNESCO Interregional Project for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence in Educational Institutions.

The Plan of Action was directed to promote values, attitudes and behaviour which privilege the non-violent resolution of conflict, respect for human rights, democracy, intercultural understanding, tolerance and solidarity. It also promotes the transformation of violent competition through a process of healing and reconciliation into co-operation on shared goals.

The Plan of action considers that students must be the main actors in the establishment of a culture of peace and non-violence. Because of that, school should be a place where children feel cared for and where they may cultivate the knowledge, values and skills they need to create together a future world of justice and solidarity.

Sintra Plan of Action -International Forum on Education for Non-Violence UNESCO Interregional Project for Culture of Peace and Non-Violence in Educational Institutions - More