Type of Organization: Non-governmental - Non-Profit

Home Country: Germany

Overview

Since its establishment in 1976 (first called “Association for Peace Education”), the Institute for Peace Education (ift) has consistently pursued the goal of bringing the problems of peace and conflict into the forefront of public consciousness. Their work tries to bring the results of scientific study – in particular peace research – combined with practical work (which is relevant for peace education) into the public eye. Peace education is based on the conviction that attitudes and behaviour can be changed through education, and they have an influence on political decisions and structures. Peace education, as it is developed and practiced by the Institute for Peace Education, is also a means to further individual participation in society and politic processes. Peace education sees the responsibility of the individual, and considers how it affects political processes. For its work in peace education, the Institute for Peace Education was awarded the outstanding German “Theodor Heuss Medal” in 1982, and in 1999 an honourable mention for the UNESCO Prize for Peace Education. More recently, the Institute received the “Chosen Place” award in 2007 by the Deutsche Bank as well as the WinWinno award in the same year.

The Institute for Peace Education critically examines inter-personal, social and international conflicts in order to offer possibilities of peaceful settlements of conflicts. The traditions and history of non-violence are thereby substantial components to achieve these goals. The philosophy of peace education means that different, and even opposite points of view, are freely discussed without prejudice. The Institute for Peace Education prepares and carries out discussions between different groups that sometimes do not even trust each other (for example soldiers and conscientious objectors).

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