A publication on Peace and Human Security in Asia and the Pacific printed in 2013 was the results of the series of activities implemented during the International Decade for Culture of Peace (2001-2010). In 2013 the donors had aimed to promote the publication on Peace and Human Security in Asia and the Pacific into the universities in Africa for teachers at the universities or schools to use some chapters or the whole text to integrate peace and human security into their curriculum. In 2015, the donors agreed to support for the last event on peace and security by expanding to Central America to encourage university to integrate peace and human security into their curriculum by using some chapters or the whole publication as reference or guild line for teaching-learning on Peace and Human Security.
This year, under the joint collaboration of the College of Arts and Sciences, Yunnan Normal University, People’s Republic of China; Institute of Malaysian and International Studies, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia; Central American Institute for Public Administration; Ruamrudee International School, Thailand; and the Regional Unit for Social and Human Sciences in Asia and the Pacific (RUSHSAP), UNESCO Bangkok, a dialogue and workshop proceeded on one day at the Central American Institute for Public Administration covering the issues on Peace and Human Security in Asia and the Pacific and the perspective from Central America. Thirty participants were from the universities teachers and officers in Costa Rica had been trained to integrate Peace and Human into their curriculum.
The discussions were on the issues – immigration/migration (economic, security); impact of the drug trade and ‘the war on drugs’; organized crime (arms dealing, human trafficking); threats from environmental degradation, climate change, global warming; and changes in social structure, diversity.
The outcomes from the discussions, participants agreed that education is the most important key for promoting and protecting peace and security. The other keys were also important too such as access to quality services for health care, reduce social gaps and increase participation from civil society on political issues.
For any further information, please contact Dr. Sarinya Sophia, Programme Officer at UNESCO Bangkok Office (Tel: +66 2-391-0550 – ext. 144, Fax: +66 2-391-0866, E-mail: s.sophia@unesco.org).