Violent extremism and education Why a specific

Violent extremism and education

Why a specific approach to the prevention of violent extremism ? 2

Сегодня мир находится В условиях глобализации, когда все общества взаимосвязаны, межкультурный диалог имеет огромное значение для мирного сосуществования. В условиях неопределенности будущее народов зависит и от нашей общей способности понимать и предвосхищать изменения. В условиях нестабильности, в период, когда мировое сообщество ослаблено в результате многочисленных стрессовых факторов, залогом выживания и стабильности являются образование, наука, культура и соблюдение основополагающих прав человека. В ситуации, где всё взаимосвязано, и обязательным условием для обеспечения мира и развития является полноправное участие каждого человека в новом мировом общественном пространстве 3

UN Secretary-General’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism launched in December 2015 recognizes the importance of quality education to address this phenomenon. 4

Роль ЮНЕСКО Роль «интеллектуального звена» в системе ООН Устав ЮНЕСКО : «мысли о войне возникают в умах людей, поэтому в сознании людей следует укоренять идею защиты мира» . As stated by the UNESCO Director-General, “Peace is more than the absence of war, it is living together with our differences – of sex, race, language, religion or culture – while furthering universal respect for justice and human rights on which such coexistence depends”. 5

Основополагающая гуманистическая миссия ЮНЕСКО: содействие взаимопониманию между людьми и совместному построению прочного мира Основные темы в области образования и воспитания Учимся жить вместе Образование и воспитание в духе мира и прав человека Продвижение культуры мира и ненасилия Воспитание всеобщего уважения Программы по построению мира Межкультурный диалог Обучение на протяжении всей жизни 6

What can education do ? Help young people develop the communication and interpersonal skills they need to dialogue, face disagreement and learn peaceful approaches to change. Help learners develop their critical thinking to investigate claims, verify rumours and question the legitimacy and appeal of extremist beliefs. Help learners resist extremist narratives and acquire the social-emotional skills they need to overcome their doubts without using violence. Foster critically informed citizens able to constructively engage in peaceful collective action. 7

NB! Education alone cannot prevent individuals from committing violent acts • Education of poor quality can be factor of radicalization – legitimizing inequalities and discrimination & generating grievances 8

Education can do at: Macro-level : § correct social inequalities § provide opportunities and alternative routes to individual and collective development 9

Individual level: strengthen resilience socio-emotional skills to overcome personal setbacks, adopt and apply health-promoting practices, engage in alternative human experiences, experience empathy beyond ones group, emotional intelligence, critical-thinking skills (ability to understand complexity, verify facts, etc) ; ability to understand complexity; acquire key knowledge (of world dynamics, globalization, religion, history, etc) develop ability to take action against VE § 10

What to avoid ? 11

Common pitfalls o Naive or abstract approaches that do not address real issues for youth (bullying, social tensions). . . not focused on problem-solving Top-down approaches with little buy-in at school and community level (by teachers) Unclear policy in terms of “diversity” ( no clear inclusive policy) Fragmented initiatives - lack of coherence of approaches Overburdened curricula and unprepared teachers Not adapted to age of learners Unintended harmfull outcomes Stigmatization and discrimination Securitization of education (driven by fear) 12

What is UNESCO doing? 13

Осуществляя свою миссию, ЮНЕСКО выполняет в интересах международного сообщества пять своих функций (i) лаборатори идей; (ii) нормотворческого учреждения; (iii) центра обмена информацией; (iv) организации, способствующей созданию потенциала в государствах-членах в областях компетенции ЮНЕСКО; (v) катализатора международного сотрудничества. 14

UNESCO- HQ’s work Импульсом послужил: Испол Комитет ЮНЕСКО requesting Секретариат ЮНЕСКО to enhance PVE-E work (197 EX/Dec. 46); in line with UN SG’s Plan of Action to Prevent Violent Extremism (Dec. 2015). Increasing focus on « prevention » vs « countering » Conceptual Framework : Global Citizenship Education 15

UNESCO- HQ’s work (cont’) Focus: production of guidance (normative tools); policy dialogue to ensure effective & appropriate contribution of ED Sector to national PVE strategies; capacity building Outputs: Teacher’s Guide on PVE ; Guide for ED policy makers on PVE-E; partnerships with leading institutions (eg. APCEIU); UNESCO online GCED clearinghouse hosted by APCEIU containing resources on PVE-E and Holocaust Education 16

I- Guide for policy-makers in education Core principles of effective PVE-E policies: human-rights based (ie. uphold the human rights of all learners, notably their right to education) evidenced-informed addressing both the structural/systemic and psychosocial factors (holistic); embedded in inclusive education policies and practices Addressing grievances contributing to GCED learning outcomes participatory (involving youth, communities, opinion leaders, etc) 17

I - Guide for policy-makers (cont’) Some of the emerging approaches: Removing negative values - creating an inclusive environment: Removing stereotypes and ensuring inclusivity (textbooks, teaching/learning content & practices; in school by students, teachers and administration); Ensuring a safe and non-violent school ethos: Legislation against corporal punishment and close monitoring of implementation (sanctions and complaints); Provision of Guidance and Counseling services; Provision of peer mediation mechanism; Provision of non-violent conflict resolution training to youth organizations 18

Forging learners’ resilience to conflict, hatred and extremism: MIL – digital citizenship education; Teacher training on how to develop genuine critical thinking, empathy and responsible civic engagement (eg. social entrepreneurship) Support to vulnerable youth: Protocols established on processes of referral if a student is identified as at risk; Intersectoral coordination (health, law enforcement, employment, social services, etc) Building community partnerships : Appropriate communication with education community (parents, families, educators, media, community leaders, etc); Collaborations with other sectors of society: social services, employment, law enforcement as educators, health/medical, etc 19

II - A Teacher’s Guide on the Prevention of Violent Extremism

Why the Guide? • Violent extremism (VE) is one of the most pervasive challenges of our time • Young people are particularly vulnerable • Role of teachers needs to be clarified. Schools should contribute to building resilience against VE propaganda

Objectives of the Guide UNESCO aims to: • Encourage education systems to support teachers by providing practical advice on when and how to discuss the issue of VE and radicalization • Help teachers create an inclusive classroom climate that is conducive to respectful dialogue, open discussion and critical thinking

Food for thought

Objectives of classroom discussions on VE • Classroom discussions on VE should focus on reinforcing skills that enable learners to participate in civic life as informed global citizens • The learning objectives should cover the following three domains of learning: the cognitive, the socioemotional and the behavioral

Links with GCED Learning objectives Examples of learning objectives by domains of learning Domains of learning Cognitive Learning objectives of the discussion Learners should… ▶ ▶ Develop skills for critical thinking and analysis Acquire knowledge and understanding of local, national and global issues and the interconnectedness and interdependency of different countries and populations Learner attributes, or traits and qualities, to be enhanced through the discussion ▶ ▶ ▶ Socio-emotional ▶ ▶ ▶ Experience a sense of belonging to a common humanity, sharing values and responsibilities based on human rights Develop attitudes of empathy, solidarity and respect for differences and diversity Develop inter-cultural competencies ▶ ▶ ▶ Behavioural ▶ ▶ ▶ Act effectively and responsibly during the conversation Express oneself with self-confidence and address conflict positively Develop a motivation and willingness to take necessary actions ▶ ▶ Recognizes forms of manipulation Aware of stereotypes, prejudices and preconceptions and their impact Able to distinguish between fact and opinion and question their sources Informed about the different facets of violent extremism and other global issues Understands that these issues are complex Shares a core set of values based on human rights Is respectful of diversity Able to recognize emotions that are experienced by another person Is interested in understanding different people, lifestyles and cultures Has the ability to “effectively and appropriately interact with others who are linguistically and culturally different from oneself ” Able to listen with respect to different points of view; to express one’s own opinions; and to evaluate both Expresses a wish to take responsible action

Key messages Solidarity Respect for Diversity Human Rights Learning to live together • Facilitating engagement • •

Tips

1 - Preparation of the classroom discussion • • • Anticipate! Connect! Be ready! Be imaginative! Be inclusive! Ask for help!

Preparation TIPS ▶Anticipate challenges and opportunities for discussion ▶It can help to hold conversations with other adults in the school and local community, such as parents, and other educators about how to approach the subject of violent extremism ▶Do not engage in conversation if you do not feel emotionally and professionally ready to do so ▶Visualize one of your students and imagine the conversation before it happens ▶Depending on the composition of each school/community, it may be beneficial to invite to class people from different backgrounds than those of the typical student and staff member ▶If necessary, it could also be helpful to bring in a professional specialized in mediation to offer support for particularly sensitive discussions

2 - Discussion • Finding the right moment to address VE in classroom is essential • One can make use of teachable moments. • Most important aspect of discussing VE in classroom is building a safe and trusting environment

2. 1 Ground rules for discussion Examples 1. Listen carefully in a non-judgemental manner, with an open mind 2. Ask for clarification when you do not understand something 3. Critique or question comments, ideas or positions, not the person making them 4. Be willing to accept feedback or criticism of your ideas 5. Demonstrate tolerance of other’s viewpoints that are different from your own 6. Use respectful non-inflammatory language. Avoid words that are politically charged, or violent in their meaning 7. Consider others’ positions, feelings and perspectives on the issue 8. Share the stage by taking turns speaking and by not interrupting others 9. Include everyone in the discussion, especially those who might lack confidence or willingness to speak 10. Stay on topic and keep your comments brief

2. 2 How to be a non-judgemental listener? • Avoid condemning or prejudging learner’s voices, concerns, actions or intentions during the discussion (“you can’t say that”; “you can’t think that”). • Avoid positioning yourself as the main authority on the subject. Rather, be a facilitator and make sure that pluralistic views and arguments are reflected in the discussion.

• do not to interrupt students as they develop their arguments. On the contrary, help them find the words to express their thoughts. • Provide sensible and respectful suggestions of issues to consider, including moral and ethical consequences of decisions. • Reframe discussion when necessary. • Take care not to over-interpret controversial or racist comments as signs of extremism.

2. 3 How to ensure that all perspectives are heard? • Ensure that no groups are excluded from the discussion and everyone feels safe to participate • Underline the complexity of the issues surrounding the concept of VE and the absence of a “right or wrong” answer

2. 4 Debriefing on the process and substance of the discussion Examples of Questions: • What did you learn, what do you still have questions about? • Are we any closer to understanding processes leading to radicalization of youth? • What else do we need to know to better understand violent extremism? • How might we continue the discussion?

Examples of Follow-up questions • How do people show respect for others’ ideas, even if they disagree? • Is there anything you will do differently after this conversation?

FAQs are constantly updated based on your feedback! For more information please visit http: //en. unesco. org/gced and send us your feedback at gced@unesco. org

Resources • Prototype –Teacher’s Guide on discussing VE in classroom • GCED age-specific topics and learning objectives • To translate concepts into teaching and learning • UNESCO Clearinghouse on GCED hosted by APCEIU - global database of policies, good practices, teaching and learning materials, journal articles and other resources on GCED from all over the world www. gcedclearinghouse. org 38

Learning to live together through education 39