Pääluento
Fostering socially just peace: critical peace pedagogies in an unjust world
In this keynote, we will explore the role of educators and social workers in championing socially just peace, considering how critical peace pedagogies can be used in formal and nonformal education to challenge biases, address systemic challenges, and foster a harmonious global community grounded in social justice principles.
Rooted in interdisciplinary perspectives that connect the psychological and social dimensions of peace, we will reflect upon such questions as:
- How can peace education bridge social divides, building the values and skills for a safe, just, and peaceful society for all?
- How can critical peace pedagogies help dismantle racism and xenophobia, fostering empathy, inclusivity and collaboration?
- How can conscientisation and praxis empower communities to address social and economic inequities?
- How can educators create safe spaces for discussing controversial issues while fostering diversity and connection?
- How can educators prevent radicalisation and cultivate solidarity, civic engagement and resilience?
Dr. Habibi will offer examples of practical strategies and creative teaching methods that educators can use to dismantle cultural and structural violence through conscientisation and praxis, in order to foster inclusivity, equity, resilience and wellbeing.
Sara Habibi, United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR)
Dr. Sara Clarke-Habibi is a specialist in peacebuilding through education, with over 20 years’ experience as a practitioner, researcher, curriculum developer and trainer. She brings interdisciplinary, critical and integrative systems perspectives to education, social justice, resilience and wellbeing in contexts affected by conflict and violence, displacement, trauma and inequity, social healing and reconciliation. Her interests include formal and nonformal capacity-building for peace; community mental health and psychosocial support; curriculum and pedagogy; teacher identity, practice and agency; and strategies for empowering youth as critical peace actors. Sara was the Georg Arnhold 2021 Senior Fellow on Education for Sustainable Peace at the Georg Eckert Institute in Germany. She currently works at the United Nations Institute for Training and Research, Division for Peace, in Geneva. She has supported peacebuilding practitioners across the Western Balkans, the Middle East, East Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. She holds an MPhil and PhD in Education from the University of Cambridge. Sara has published several manuals on educating for peace, intercultural dialogue, and dealing with the past, as well as numerous research articles and books. Her latest publications include “Peace Pedagogies in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Theory and Practice in Formal Education” (Springer, 2023) and “From Trauma-Sensitive to Trauma-Responsive Peacebuilding” (Routledge, forthcoming).