National Coordinators from
over 30 countries have expressed interest for their country’s ASPnet schools to
participate in pilot testing the Writing Peace Manual (available in English, French, Spanish and Arabic).
The aim is to make primary and
secondary school children (ages 8-14) aware of the interdependence of cultures
through familiarization with contemporary writing systems, their history, and
their borrowings.
Undertaken within the
framework of the International Decade for the Rapprochement of
Cultures (2013-2022), led by UNESCO, and its Programme of action for a culture of peace and
non-violence, the Writing Peace Manual contributes to the
acquisition of intercultural competences, increasing basic knowledge on
cultures’ mutual enrichment and development exchanges, which contribute to
appreciating cultural heritage and cultural literacy.
Several pilot workshops
took place already, and ASPnet schools also participated in an exhibition
to raise awareness about the different forms of transmission of culture over
time, and about the convergence of the values that lead to peace.