1948 Recommendation No. 24 ‘The Development of International Understanding among Young People and Teaching about International Organizations’, International Conference on Public Education, IBE, Geneva 1953 International Expert Meeting and creation of the Associated Schools Project 1956 First European Regional Seminar for the representatives of ASP, UIE, Hamburg, Germany 1962 Launching the bulletin International Understanding at School 1963 International Meeting on the occasion of the tenth Anniversary of ASP, Sèvres, France 1973 International Meeting of Experts to appraise the Project on the occasion of the twentieth Anniversary, Lewis, Canada

TEACHING PEACE AND AIDS PREVENTION The fostering of international understanding and peace was written into UNESCO’s Constitution by its founder members as one of the Organization’s fundamental missions. Promoting this goal within school education remains a cornerstone of the Organization’ s programme. Along with other initiatives, such as UNESCO Clubs and youth programmes, the Associated Schools Project (ASP) plays a significant role in the Organization’s efforts to construct the defences of peace in the minds of men and women. (1) A WORLDWIDE NETWORK Launched in 1953, the Associated Schools Project (ASP) was one of the first measures taken by UNESCO to transform its ideals into reality. (2) The Project’s objective is to encourage schools selected by the National Commission of their country to develop contents, methods and techniques specially designed to teach children and teenagers to reject prejudice and strive to promote a culture of peace, tolerance, mutual respect and understanding. ASP started out with thirty-three second-ary schools in fifteen Member States. Today, present in some 132 countries, (3) it co-ordinates and networks the activities of about 3,900 nursery, primary and secondary, technical and vocational schools, and teacher-training institutions. (4) Schools participating in ASP are invited to devise and carry out a project centred around one of four main themes of study: knowing about other cultures and the world heritage, world problems and the role of the United Nations System in solving them, human rights and the environment. UNESCO provides assistance to ASP to conduct seminars for teachers and to prepare teaching material. (5) It assists in information exchange at international level by means of circular letters and the International Understanding at School Bulletin. (6) It organizes regional and international meetings which provide an occasion for all those participating in ASP to share their experiences, and to plan new activities. (7)

GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION OF ASSOCIATED SCHOOLS

SOLIDARITY BETWEEN SCHOOLS The Associated Schools Project is designed to have a multiplier effect: once activities have been successfully completed, the national co-ordinator writes a report and the results are circulated to enable other schools who so desire to carry out similar activities. (8) The Associated Schools are also committed to working on innovative international initiatives, especially sub-regional projects, to promote environmental education, (9) and protection of the cultural heritage, (10) as well as twinning arrangements to nurture intercultural exchange between young people, transcending the barriers which divide the world. (11)

Lionel Elvin (United Kingdom) Director of the Department of Education, UNESCO, from 1950 to 1956 What prompted the idea of an Associated Schools Project So many good things seem to fail that it is pleasant to record a success now and then. UNESCO had certainly had one in this area. [Education for International Understanding]. In my time we conceived in our department the idea that some schools in different countries may be willing to try an experiment. Without adding any new subject to the curriculum, would they orient some part of their work, by a modification of the syllabus or some special project, in the direction of international understanding, and join a network, with UNESCO at the Centre, for analyzing and comparing the results? In 1953 some fifteen schools from different countries agreed to take part in such work. The initiative has born fruit. Encounters with Education, Institute of Education, University of London, 1987 Stacy Churchill (Canada) and Issa Omari (United Republic of Tanzania) One of the great advantages of the Associated Schools Project is that it gives educators an opportunity to engage in ‘objective’ dialogue, beyond the various ideological barriers dividing the world. Efforts in international co-ordination should continue to be focused on increasing exchanges and direct meetings of all kinds, free of ideological barriers, in particular in regions where international tension is most marked. Evaluation of the Associated Schools Project (1953-1980), UNESCO, 1980

                               

FOOTNOTES:

(1) Preamble of UNESCO’s Constitution, 1945.

(2) ‘UNESCO Associated Youth Enterprises’ also existed in the 1950s.

(3) Of which 30 in Africa, 27 in Latin America and the Caribbean, 18 in Asia and the Pacific, 10 in the Arab States and 47 in Europe.

(4) Nursery schools: 82; primary schools: 1,372; secondary schools: 2,072; teacher training institutions: 362.

(5) Chiefly thanks to a variety of exchanges: letters and instructional materials, visits of teachers and schoolchildren.

(6) Bulletin launched in 1962 (Arabic, English, French and Spanish). In addition, all the associated schools receive a free copy of The UNESCO Courier.

(7) Seeds for Peace (nursery schools),1985; Innovative Methods in the Associated Schools Project, 1988; Tolerance: the Threshold of Peace, 1994; Series launched in 1991, ‘Come and visit our country’ (brochures prepared for young people by young people): including India, Morocco, Senegal, and Sweden.

(8) For example, second international consultative meeting on the interregional project to ensure an improved multiplier effect of the ASP, N’Djamena (Chad), 1990.

(9) Flagship Projects, ‘Baltic Sea’, ‘Blue Danube River’, ‘Mediterranean Sea’, ‘Caribbean Sea, etc.

(10) Such as the World Heritage Youth Forum, production of teaching packages on the cultural heritage.

(11) Such as North-South Dialogue and Support Programmes, exchanges between Malawi and Mauritius.