Adults’ wars have irreversibly altered the lives of over 473 million children worldwide living in conflict zones where the increasing violence severely disrupted access to basic human needs, such as nutritious food and quality education.
In the Philippines, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) reported that around 50,000 children were displaced during the 2017 Marawi siege.
Former UNICEF Philippines representative Lotta Sylwander even expressed concerns that some Marawi City children may have been used as combatants, camp accessories, informants, or human shields against government forces.
The Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light (HWPL), a Seoul-based Non-Government Organization (NGO) affiliated with the United Nations Department of Global Communications (DGC) and the UN Economic Social Council (ECOSOC) urged the Philippines to support the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War (DPCW), a proposed roadmap towards global sustainable peace.
To strengthen its advocacy, the NGO partnered with the Department of Education (DepEd)’s Kawit Sub-office to make education a cornerstone of peacebuilding by establishing Peace Clubs that are composed of students trained to become active peace advocates.
With DepEd’s support, over 8,000 children, along with teachers, parents, and local officials, joined the HWPL Philippines’s 11th anniversary of the January 24th Peace Day in Kawit, Cavite aimed at ending wars and armed conflict.
Among them was Jercelle Garcia, a student of Emiliano Tirona National Integrated Memorial High School.
“This activity is very [crucial] because it highlights the importance of communication, not only among us Filipinos, but for the whole world. Through the Peace Walk, we become united in helping efforts to promote world peace.”
Despite her age, Jercelle understood the power of social media in advocating for peace. A simple click of a button can amplify the message of Peace Walk in promoting education as a pathway towards lasting peace.
“Since we are now in the modern age, we can share these [activities] through social media. I can even share this with my classmates, my friends, and my family to help promote lasting world peace because this is what we need now.”
In an interview with the Philippine Information Agency-Calabarzon, Chief Brand Manager John Rommel Gaces emphasized HWPL Philippines’ focus on education as a key step toward peacebuilding.
“One of the approaches of HWPL in peacemaking is peace education. Education knows no boundaries – regardless of your religion, political views, and economic background—we all need education. Now, we’re working with DepEd Kawit to inculcate into the hearts and minds of kids how important peace is as our future leaders.”
Gaces added, “The ones who declare war are not the youth. But the ones who go to war, and eventually die are the young people. That’s why it falls to them to call for peace.”
DepEd Cavite’s School Governance Operations Division chief Diana Topacio, PhD, emphasized that rapid globalization necessitates collective solutions to armed conflict.
“We are living in a world that is increasingly interconnected, and our differences should not divide us. The challenges we face from climate change to armed conflict demand collective solutions. Peace is not a one-nation endeavor, it’s a global mission,” she added.
With the theme “Honoring our heritage, uniting for global peace: Empowering the youth to champion the DPCW towards a war-free world”, Peace Day calls for the youth to become champions of the DPCW and its bid towards peace. (PB/PIA4A)
