Education and Crisis Gdyw]U`Fydcfh: the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Germany Choosing Hope Over Hate: Prof
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MGIEP/2016/PI/H/2 Education and Crisis GdYW]U`FYdcfh: The Syrian refugee crisis in Germany Choosing hope over hate: Prof. Dana Burde on education and peace Digital learning helps children in India escape poverty Living in the shadow of Armenia’s earthquake MGIEP/2016/PI/H/2 DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE ISSUE 3 . 2016 In this third issue of The Blue Dot, we have chosen to PUBLISHED BY UNESCO MGIEP focus on the often forgotten aspect of education in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | Mahatama Gandhi Institute of context of crises. Education for Peace and Sustainable Development In this issue, we have brought together 35 Ferozshah Road, ICSSR, Building, 1st Floor expert contributors from academia New Delhi 110001, INDIA and the feld—from countries such as THE BLUE DOT features articles showcasing Afghanistan, Nepal and South Sudan— UNESCO MGIEP’s activities and areas of interest. and have dedicated a large section to the The magazine’s overarching theme is the relationship ongoing civil confict in Syria, which will between education, peace, sustainable development soon enter its ffth year. With almost half and global citizenship. THE BLUE DOT’s role is to Education and crisis: of Syria’s population living as refugees or engage with readers on these issues in a fun and as internally displaced persons, an entire interactive manner. The magazine is designed to paving the way towards a address audiences across generations and walks of generation of young people risks losing out life, thereby taking the discourse on education for more peaceful future on stability and a better future. Our Syria peace, sustainable development and global citizenship Section explores how these young people, beyond academia, civil society organizations and with a particular focus on those who have governments, to the actual stakeholders. rom the earthquake in Nepal sought refuge in Germany, are faring and in April 2015, which killed what their hopes are for the future. THE BLUE DOT is published biannually. “Look Again at that dot. thousands and destroyed In other parts of the magazine, we Subscription That’s here. That’s home. That’s us. homes, schools and focus on technology and on how modern infrastructure throughout The Blue Dot is available free of charge. On it, everyone you love, information and communications theF country, to the ongoing confict in technologies (ICTs) can help students To receive all future issues of the THE BLUE DOT, subscribe to [email protected] everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, Syria, which has displaced millions, crises access a better education. From every human being who ever was, continue to hit many parts of the world. impoverished communities in Calcutta Managing Editor lived out their lives. Especially for young people and children, using Skype to connect with teachers Sigrid Lupieri, UNESCO MGIEP The aggregate of our joy and sufering, crises not only disrupt their daily lives, around the world, to new interactive but also interrupt their education. In these platforms built for young people to Publication Coordinator thousands of confident religions, contexts, disasters and conficts have the discuss global issues, we hope the stories Sadia Tabassum, UNESCO MGIEP ideologies, and economic doctrines, potential to mar the future prospects of and experiences we have collected for Design every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, entire generations of the world’s citizens. our readers will give a new and fresh Firefly Communications every creator and destroyer of civilization, In this third issue of The Blue Dot, we perspective on what it means for education <ayesha@fireflycommunications.in> every king and peasant, every young couple in love, have chosen to focus on the often forgotten when a crisis hits. We also hope that you every mother and father, hopeful child, aspect of education in the context of enjoy our photo contest, which drew more Acknowledgements crises. While relief efforts tend to focus on than 100 entries from young people around inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, David McArdle and Alastair Watt, Alba Editing emergency responses such as providing the world on what “education and crisis” Max and Christiane Bauernfeind, Augsburg, Germany every corrupt politician, every superstar, food and shelter, more often than not means to them. Mathangi Subramanian, UNESCO MGIEP every supreme leader, every saint rebuilding schools and ensuring that Deepika Joon, UNESCO MGIEP and sinner in the history of our species lived there- students continue to attend their classes © UNESCO MGIEP on a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.” are not considered priorities. At UNESCO MGIEP, we believe that when education Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this is relegated to the side-lines, there is magazine do not necessarily reflect the official policy CARL SAGAN little hope for a country and its citizens ANANTHA KUMAR DURAIAPPAH or position of UNESCO MGIEP. PALE BLUE DOT: A VISION OF THE HUMAN FUTURE IN SPACE to recover. Director, UNESCO MGIEP ISSUE 3 . 2016 1 MGIEP/2016/PI/H/2 FOREWORD income countries are most vulnerable to with the stability, structure and routine total socio-economic instability of the Even in times of crisis, such situations. According to UNICEF, they need in order to cope with loss, country during this period. Education 36% of the world’s 59.3 million out- fear, stress and violence during and after also served to bridge the gaps between of-school children live in countries crises. In addition, education empowers different ethnic groups. education is a affected by war and violence. It is also children by providing them with the In the wake of any crisis, countries are noteworthy that each year 100 million wisdom necessary to protect themselves left to deal with damaged infrastructure children and young people are affected by by identifying signs of forthcoming and heavily bruised minds. Mending fundamental natural disasters that prevent them from disasters. It was reported that during damaged property or infrastructure is pursuing education. In most countries, the 2004 tsunami that devastated easier than mending bruised minds. the frst choice of location for makeshift parts of South and Southeast Asia It is necessary to handle these sensitive human right refugee camps during disasters or knowledgeable children saved thousands situations extremely carefully so that we situations of war and confict is schools. of lives by recognizing such natural can heal the wounds and scars that are Such a scenario thus deprives the school’s warning signs and advising people of left in the minds of children and young students of their right to education. In the dangers accordingly. Education for adults and to ensure the country’s steady growth. This is of critical importance for the psychological development of Akila Viraj Kariyawasam (MP) children affected by war or any other such Minister of Education, Sri Lanka UNESCO, especially those of MGIEP, disaster. Sri Lanka has the bitter taste of in this regard. Learning to live together both. In the midst of a confict, which was being one of the four pillars of education, running for three decades, the country ducation has been globally we must put a greater emphasis on then had to deal with the overwhelming accepted as a fundamental global citizenship education in order to damage left by the 2004 tsunami. right of all children, which promote sustainable peace by inculcating The devastation of losing one or both should be available without acceptance, tolerance, empathy and parents along with other loved ones left restriction with respect to a culture of sustainable consumption hundreds and thousands of children boundariesE and discriminations. Most in the minds of younger generations. feeling helpless and without hope. It international organizations including These proactive measures will contribute took many years of careful counseling, UNESCO and UNICEF have reiterated this towards the reduction of conficts and 3 million children psychological treatment and, most time and time again. It is the responsibility wars. Natural disasters are on the rise in the Middle East and North Africa are being importantly, inclusive education to bring of relevant governments to ensure the mostly due to un-inhibited human prevented from attending school due to conflict. them back to a world of renewed hope. provision of quality education to all. activities and various malpractices. If we It is necessary to devise special However, in the current context of can instill ideas such as the sustainable methods of education delivery for those increasing incidences of natural disasters utilization of non-renewable resources some instances, schools have become Disaster Risk Reduction has used novel children who have come through crises and armed conficts, innocent children and the respect of nature in the minds unwitting targets of long-range weapon methods including electronic media and because many youth are left with lasting suffer the most and their universal of young children, then there will be strikes leaving many casualties as well as simulation exercises to make them more physical as well as mental trauma. Novel right to education becomes increasingly a tendency towards a reduction in the the destruction of the school’s property. user-friendly and appealing to children. teaching and learning tools coupled with jeopardized. number of natural disasters occurring. A UNICEF report noted that schools and It is also important that educational the use of modern technologies will play Education can be linked to crises Our research and development universities that had been taken over authorities develop more electronic study a pivotal role in educating affected youth in three main stages; that is, in the also require more emphasis on the for military purposes were intentionally materials and establish the necessary in the aftermath of wars and natural prevention of a crisis, during a crisis development of child-friendly teaching targeted for attacks in 70 countries over infrastructure so that even a displaced disasters.