Learning in Peace: Actions to promote tolerance and combat discrimination
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Content of this page
Profile
- Project leadership
- Wiltrud Weidinger Meister (PHZH), Judith Hollenweger Haskell (PHZH)
- Project team
- Sabina Brändli (PHZH), Eva Pruschy (PHZH), Kai Felkendorff (PHZH)
- Organisational unit
- W-IB (Internationale Bildungsentwicklung)
- Project phase
- Completed (1.9.2024 – 31.12.2025)
- Project type
- Service project
- Funding
- Canton of Zurich, PH Zurich, City of Zurich
- Participating institutions
- Volksschulamt Kanton Zürich, Bildungsdirektion Kanton Zürich; Präsidialdepartement der Stadt Zürich; Fachstelle Diversität, Integration, Antirassismus der Stadt Zürich; Fachstelle für Gewaltprävention Stadt Zürich, Schulamt der Stadt Zürich; Schulpsychologischer Dienst Stadt Zürich; Schweizerischer Israelitischer Gemeindebund (SIG); Plattform Liberale Juden Schweiz (PLJS); Vereinigung der Islamischen Organisationen in Zürich (VIOZ); Stiftung gegen Rassismus und Antisemitismus (GRA); Zürcher Forum der Religionen (ZFR); Zürcher Institut für Interreligiösen Dialog (ZIID); National Coalition Building Institute Schweiz (NCBI); Stiftung für Erziehung zur Toleranz (SET); Ummah – Muslimische Jugend Schweiz
Description
Recent geopolitical crises, in particular the conflict in the Middle East and the war in Ukraine, have led to global tensions that are also being felt in the educational institutions of the Canton of Zurich. These conflicts, together with the aftermath of the coronavirus pandemic, have led to a polarisation that is being felt in schools. Conflicts between teachers and students have become more frequent, highlighting the need for proactive measures to promote peaceful coexistence.
The project Learning in Peace aims to put people at the centre and create a common ground for peaceful coexistence. To this end, it seeks to understand the current problems in the field of education from different perspectives and to develop a common position. The focus is on the right of all students to an inclusive, respectful and safe education. The project promotes cooperation between education experts, organisations, religious communities and institutions in order to reach a binding objective.
In addition to the development of common principles, practical guidelines for schools and teachers will be developed. These will be based on legal foundations, recommendations of the Swiss Conference of Cantonal Ministers of Education (EDK) and existing guidelines. The focus is on cooperative problem solving at different levels of the education system. The planned approach is a joint, open-ended process in which partners from different areas work together. At the end of the process, a handout entitled Learning in Peace will be available for teachers, schools and educational institutions.
Learning in Peace is a project of the Department for International Projects in Education.
Project outcomes
In collaboration with the Office of Elementary Education of the Canton of Zurich, the City of Zurich, Jewish and Muslim religious communities, and other specialist bodies, a number of consultation meetings were held to develop the foundations of Learning in Peace. Simultaneously, the project team conducted focus group discussions with teachers, principals, and experts. These discussions were used to develop specific case studies, which were then reviewed and supplemented with the project partners. The result of this process is a website that supports schools in dealing with conflict-sensitive situations.
The website infriedenlernen.ch offers practical support for principals, educators, and parents. Case studies illustrate possible courses of action in response to discriminatory or racist remarks in the playground and escalating conflicts between pupils. The platform also features additional teaching suggestions, resources, background information, and contact details for specialist organizations. Additionally, further training events planned in connection with the project will be published on the website.