Chair: Prof. Reijo E. Heinonen (reijo.e.heinonen[at]jippii.fi)
Coordinator: Jani Lassila (jani.lassila[at]helsinki.fi)
A new strategy for peace education is needed due to the changing foundations and paradigms of our security. One basic element in the new strategy would be a more holistic and profound definition of human being. An understanding of interrelationship of individual and collective experiences between different cultures is needed in order to create dialogue competence. Dialogue as mutual problem solving approach consists of an interactive learning process. In order to manage that, it is important to discern functions of cultural and religious symbols and their various forms. This, in turn, highlights the importance of ethical sensitivity.
This working group invites papers that deal with the issues of interrelationship of individual and collective experiences, competence for dialogue and crisis management and rules and recommendations for interreligious and intercultural communication.
Reijo E. Heinonen: “Renewing peace education in Europe”
Risto Saarinen (University of Helsinki) “Reconciliation and forgiveness: Collective Aspects”
Timo Virtala (Loviisa Peace Forum): “Re(de)fining Pacifism”
H.D.A. Lalitha (Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka): “National Policy on Education for Social Cohesion and Peace in Sri Lanka.”
Hannele Voionmaa (Dialogues among civilizations; extremism-project, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland): “What kind of holistic strategy to build when meeting the threats of our time?”