National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) organized Training Workshop for Teachers on "Peace-Building" in Saint Anthony's Girls’ High School Silakot, Pakistan

Lahore, Pakistan: February 27, 2010, (PCTV Newsdesk)

National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP), a human rights body patronized by Pakistan Catholic Bishops’ Conference organized a training workshop on “Peace-Building” for Teachers under its Peace Education Program on February 13, 2010 at St. Anthony’s Girls’ High School Silakot.

27 teachers representing 10 schools including church-run, government and private sectors participated in the training. The resource persons that includes Mr. Yousaf Benjamin (National Coordinator, Peace Education Program), Ms. Rosemary Paul (Program Organizer, Peace Education), Ms, Suraiya Chanan (District Coordinator – Gujranwala) and Mr. Shahid Mir Advocate gave inputs on the following topics: 

• Law and order situation in Pakistan
• Hurdles to peace promotion in Pakistan
• Philosophy of Peace and non-violent social movements
• Education policy and social harmony
• Militancy and extremism in Pakistan
• Nuclear Disarmament
• Legal rights and judicial system in Pakistan /li> 

A documentary prepared by Prof. Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy, head of the Quid-e-Azam University, Islamabad in Urdu was also the part of the content/syllabus of the training workshop. The teachers appreciated the efforts and suggested to organize these workshops on regular basis. In next phase “School Peace-day” shall be observed in these 10 schools by encouraging the students to take part in any activity focusing Peace. The teachers were divided into five groups and requested to highlight and present their views in the larger group on “hurdles to peace in Pakistan”.

NCJP is implementing Peace Education Program in 20 districts of three provinces (Punjab, Sindh and NWFP). The Program seeks to discuss the approaches to Peace-building and non-violence and aiming to identify the root causes and psychology of violence and disharmony in the society, to mobilize masses and individuals especially youth and teachers to promote peace and tolerance, weeding out biases either in the policies, laws or provisions in the constitution and to involve the communities to explore non – violent action for conflict resolution.

The Commission organizes Trainings workshops for Youth and school Teachers, engages school children in extra-curriculum activities focusing peace, Lectures for college students and seminars for the community at large under Peace Education program.