International Institute on Peace Education
2006 July 30-August 6, 2006 San Jose, Costa Rica
“Toward a Planetary Ethic: Shared and Individual Responsibility”

The 2006 International Institute on Peace Education (IIPE) is being co-organized by the Peace Education Center of Teachers College Columbia University (New York) and the UN Mandated University for Peace (Costa Rica). IIPE, founded in 1982 by Betty Reardon and faculty colleagues at Teachers College, has been held annually in different parts of the world. It is an intensive multicultural and cooperative learning opportunity in which participants learn from and with each other about substantive peace issues and interactive teaching approaches. The IIPE is also an opportunity for networking and community building among those who educate and work for a culture of peace in the host region and around the world. '

IIPE 2006 will explore the theme of “Toward a Planetary Ethic: Shared and Individual Responsibility,” recognizing that the global community has reached key areas of consensus regarding the challenges we are facing, the shared ethical frameworks of values, norms and principles for meeting them, and in particular the contributions that education should fulfill. In doing so, the IIPE will critically examine various interdependent UN based educational initiatives and normative frameworks that provide a global basis for an holistic approach to peace education: the Millennium Development Goals, the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-violence for the Children of the World, Education for All, the Decade for Literacy, and the Decade for Sustainable Development Education. The IIPE will also look closely at the non-governmental Earth Charter, a declaration of fundamental principles for building a just, sustainable, and peaceful global society. The theme is inspired by the principle of universal responsibility, stated in the ‘Preamble’ of The Earth Charter, which is of fundamental importance in meeting the critical challenges of the 21st Century. Universal responsibility provides a necessary complement to the Universal Declaration of Human Right’s recognition of each person as worthy of equal respect and dignity and with accompanying ‘duties’ to the international community.

The sub theme, Shared and Individual Responsibility, refers to one of the most significant challenges entailed in giving practical meaning to the principal of universal responsibility in a world of asymmetric real freedoms and power. These asymmetries lead to “differentiated responsibility,” based on differing capacities to respond in meeting planetary challenges. This notion is stated in complementary principle 2b of the Earth Charter: “Affirm that with increased freedom, knowledge, and power comes increased responsibility to promote the common good.” Through interactive plenaries, practical workshops, reflection groups, and visits to community projects, IIPE 2006 will inquire into how education can foster responsibility, balancing respect for personal autonomy while at the same time addressing the need for meeting our common challenges as members of local, national, and planetary ethical communities.

The IIPE will draw on the experiences and insights of diverse peace educators from all world regions helping us learn from each other's experiences and innovative educational approaches and strategies in addressing such key questions as: are the U.N. educational initiatives based on ethical principles actually shared by citizens? How can we educate within the related action programs recognizing possible tensions that may exist in balancing principles of cultural diversity and integrity, personal autonomy, national sovereignty, and universal norms? What pedagogies are required to foster a consciousness of universal responsibility?

For more background on the thematic substance of IIPE 2006 please visit the Institute website at: www.tc.edu/PeaceEd/IIPE.

Peace Education Center, Teachers College #171, Columbia University 525 West 120th Street, New York, NY 10027 (212) 678-8116 peace-ed@tc.edu