Spreading the seeds of peace
Our Peace Fellowship journey through dissemination events
Imagine planting a tree in a remote forest. If no one sees it, does it still matter? We believe it does, but we also know the importance of sharing our efforts and achievements with the world in order to spread the word about tree, or in our case, about peace. That’s why we organized seven dissemination events for the Peace Fellowship project, to ensure our work reaches and inspires others.
Our first major event took place online in early March, led by our Ukrainian partner Center for Euroinitiatives. Titled “Peace Competencies in Times of Crisis,” this event brought together over 40 youth workers, educators, and activists. The focus was on presenting the project, introducing the Fellows, showcasing local actions, and discussing the toolkit. For us, it was an inspiring start, highlighting the relevance of peace education in turbulent times.
At the end of March, we moved to Germany, where we collaborated with the Graduate School for East and Southeast European Studies. The event, “Competencies for Peace Education,” organized at the Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, attracted academic staff from various universities and institutes across Germany. This gathering allowed us to connect with the academic community, sharing insights and fostering a deeper understanding of peace education competencies.
April was a month dedicated to dissemination events in both Kosovo and Spain. In Kosovo, we partnered with local Barabar Center, where the dissemination was healed and our local partner Local Peace hosted this big event. This one-day gathering brought together local peacebuilders, youth workers, and international community staff. The focus was on presenting the project’s results, outcomes, and toolkit. A special session was dedicated to showcasing the project’s impact to local and international peacebuilding actors in Kosovo, emphasizing our commitment to fostering peace on multiple levels.
Towards the end of April, in Senderiz, Spain, our partner Sende hosted an engaging activity attended by 20 young people from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The event was divided into three parts: a dynamic exercise from the YPAN E-learning platform, an overview of the Peace Fellowship project with a focus on local actions and their results, and a review of the Toolkit.
June saw our Turkish, French, and Polish partners organizing their own dissemination events. In Turkey, STAD volunteers and members met online to introduce the toolkit. The event included a detailed presentation of the project and toolkit, followed by an open discussion for questions and answers about its usage.
In France, the dissemination event took place in the town of Evian-les-Bains . As part of an extensive training course focused on peacebuilding tools, this event brought together 28 dedicated youth workers. The presentation provided a comprehensive overview of the toolkit, emphasizing innovative training and pedagogical approaches essential for effective peace education.
At the same time, in Gdansk in Poland, the dissemination event featured a toolkit presentation and engaged participants in a collaborative session to plan future actions, exploring new initiatives and partnerships to build on the project’s success and further impact their communities. Furthermore, PA Poland made sure to familiarise the Montessori school in Warsaw with our Peace fellowship project and discuss possible peace education curriculum in the school.
Each of these events highlighted our partners' and participants' dedication and passion. By sharing our project stories, success and tools with more than 140 participants, we aimed to inspire and equip more young people to become effective peacebuilders in their communities. The dissemination events not only showcased the impact of the Peace Fellowship project but also strengthened our network of peace advocates across different regions. Through these efforts, we continued to spread the message of peace, cooperation, and understanding, ensuring that our work reaches and resonates with a wider audience.
And as our YPAN saying goes, we wanted to ask you as well, WITH WHOM DID YOU MAKE PEACE TODAY?
PEACE FELLOWSHIP is a project financed by the European Union’s Erasmus+ Programme and implemented by Peace Up! in cooperation with the Youth Peace Ambassadors Network.
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