“Let's adopt a peace attitude”

I’m Italian and I’ve been working in Cash Management at BNP Paribas since 2006. I’ve been living in France for the past six years and did part of my studies in Paris.

My first name is not what you’d call a “classic” Italian name, but is of Greek origin. In Greek, Irene means “peace”, so perhaps in a sense it was my destiny to meet the Initiatives and Change Association (I&C). Let me explain why!

I was attracted first of all by I&C’s motto “Change yourself so that the world can change”, which reminded me of BNP Paribas’ slogan. This echoed precisely how I felt about things!
Right away, I thought “Now’s the time to give back a little of what I’ve received”.

Initiatives and Change is a network of men and women committed to reconciliation. For 80 years now, on five continents, I&C has worked to encourage the prevention and resolution of conflicts in an ethical framework. I&C does not offer solutions, but helps people involved in conflict to adopt an overall attitude that is rooted in respect, justice and integrity, starting with themselves.

In France, this non-religious and non-political association, which was recognised as being of public benefit in 1968, is affiliated with the Teaching League, and has been classified as a “Youth and Public Education” organisation by the Ministry for Youth and Sport since 2007. While continuing to associate itself with conflict prevention and management, it is at present conducting four projects in France, with four key priorities:
- Reconciliation in the African Great Lakes Region
- Dialogue between Farmers
- Initiatives in Inter-cultural Dialogue
- Education in Peace-building

I became one of the association’s volunteers in the Education in Peace-building programme about a year ago. The objective of the Education in Peace-building (EAP) initiative is to make young people aware of the importance of individual responsibility and of changing one’s behaviour in resolving conflicts. To achieve this, we hold entertaining classroom presentations on the subjects of conflict, disputes, peace, responsibility, commitment and so on.

The EAP programme was launched after the events of 2005, with the aim of training young people to manage their disputes without resorting to violence. Education in Peace-building launched a project in a school based on a statement by an ex-resistance fighter, Irène Laure. In a video, she reports how she had to learn to take a positive approach to German people so as to help Europe rebuild itself after the Second World War. Little by little, schools have asked I&C to work with different age groups, running conflict management workshops in which young people are taught the basics of conflict resolution.

Since 2007, the project has been structured around a series of presentations and a drawing competition held for primary and secondary school pupils. More than 3,000 young people have attended its workshops so far. This year, the drawing competition “Let’s adopt the Peace Attitude” received support from the BNP Paribas Foundation’s Helping Hand for Employee Projects programme.
Since 2009, training courses have also been offered to teachers to ensure that pupils receive consistent educational input in the matter.

The objective is to build and strengthen a network of competent voluntary teams well versed in the principles and practices underlying the project to work in schools, particularly in the provinces (at present, the project is for the most part based in the Ile de France*). I&C is also developing the project further by training teachers and other people working with children, in order to devise appropriate educational responses, and to help pupils manage situations of conflict and violence that tend to arise within and between groups of young people.

I&C’s projects belong to the “social” side of Sustainable Development. We hope to sensitise and educate the adults of tomorrow in a lasting manner, as part of a drive towards the peaceful resolution of conflicts and towards encouraging the adoption of peace as a personal attitude.
Currently, an increasing number of establishments and volunteers are joining us, and as a result the need for training in the various aspects of project implementation is growing. It’s for this reason that we need practical and financial support for the Education in Peace-building initiative.
The public is often already aware that violence exists among the young, but it’s equally important to communicate the fact that there are means of educating young people in the ways of non-violence! Raising people’s awareness means informing them of the measures that Initiatives and Change is taking in this regard.

“Racism at school” – a strip cartoon produced as part of the Education in Peace-building project.