Education for Peace

 June 2004 – December 2004

"Education for Peace" is a bi-communal project, implemented by the Greek Cypriot NGO, AKTI-Project and Research Centre and the Turkish Cypriot NGO, POST-Programme Oriented Team (www.postteam.org/). 

The project had two major objectives:

• the screening/reviewing of school textbooks in order to identify phrases, hidden messages or intolerant historical myths that may cultivate hatred and encourage conflict.  The aim was to find ways to overcome the aforementioned problems and promote peace through education.

• the development of dialogue/communication in education between Turkish Cypriot and  Greek Cypriot teachers and educators.

The two scientific teams studied the history textbooks (and auxiliary teaching aids) used for the last grade of elementary school) throughout the island.  Learn about the project results. 

Greek Cypriot Results

General observations:

Among others, here are some of the general observations on the history and literature books of 6th Grade, in Greek Cypriot elementary schools:

• Greek educational system

Most textbooks are produced by the Ministry of Education of Greece. This means that any essential revision is mainly a concern of that Ministry.  However the books History of Cyprus and Analytical Programmes, which are published exclusively in Cyprus by the Ministry of Education in  Cyprus, can be revised or changed without consultation by the Ministry of Education in Greece. 

• Asymmetrical education

The textbooks that come from Greece are generally "modernised" in line with the educational directives laid out by the EU. On the other hand, the book History of Cyprus, which is published by the Cypriot Ministry of Education, is based on educational methods that are not consistent with the European principles adopted by most member-states of the European Union.

• Modernisation of the books

Most textbooks are quite old (written in the late 1970s or early 1980s). They are re-published but without any revisions and adaptations. The only exception is "Με Λογισμό και με 'Ονειρο", which is an excellent book published very recently (2002) that reflects new educational methods.

Recommendations

The final report of the AKTI group included several suggestions on how to promote peace through education. The suggestions resulted from the study of the schoolbooks and include the following:

• Modernisation

Cypriot textbooks should reflect the values and principles of multinational and multicultural Europe, which is constantly extended and enriched with new cultures, and of which Cyprus is also part.

• National History

It is essential that students be introduced to the problems of history through acquiring knowledge about their own national history. However, the knowledge of national history is not synonymous with cultural, religious and nationalist disparagement of other populations. The first requirement for national history teaching is lively narration to produce images that aim at encouraging students to associate themselves associating students with a wider national group and that create in them a sense of pride in the past and the history of their ancestors. Nevertheless, this should not be done in a way that would distort the past and degenerate into national propaganda.

• Application of a comparative approach

Comparison constitutes an important method for promoting a critical approach to history. Thus, the period during which Greeks were under Ottoman rule should be presented in relation and in comparison to other people - for example, the Serbians and Bulgarians, who were also under Ottoman rule. In Europe there also existed absolutist powers equivalent to the Ottoman power and hence many other populations under the dominion of absolutist regimes. These complex approaches will assist students in comprehending that national history is not synonymous with war and isolation from all who threaten the nation, but instead incorporates the contacts, influences and relations as well as conflicts of the nation with others.

• Sources and archival material

Books should be enriched with sources including archival and photographic material so that the teaching of history offers, and illustrates the importance of multiple perspectives. It is equally important that students should come in contact with modern methods of learning, such as documentaries and oral testimonies, through which they can learn to seek a holistic approach to history.
 

Collaboration of Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots

Collaboration with the Turkish Cypriot team responsible for studying the textbooks used in the final grade of Turkish Cypriot elementary school, has shown that Turkish Cypriot history education also presents major problems as according to the study, the Turkish Cypriot students are also educated to perceive an "us" which defies the "other" i.e. the Greeks.  It would be useful to form an educational committee consisting of Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot scholars, in order to investigate the possibility of writing a pilot book on the history of Cyprus, which will recognize the identity of each community while at the same time highlighting the coexistence of these two identities in the Cypriot space.