Intersections | Winter 2015
Education in Fragile States | 3
Dr. Abiodun Williams
Education in
Fragile States
Welcome to the Winter 2015 edition of Intersections magazine,
which showcases The Hague Institute’s ongoing work,
especially as it relates to education and conflict prevention.
In this issue, Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi writes
on the importance of education for all, while former Canadian
Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy is interviewed about his work
on conflict-affected countries. Dutch MEP Marietje Schaake
also writes for this season’s edition, focusing on the central
role that education should have in foreign policy.
I have long been convinced that education
is of fundamental importance in
preventing conflict and fostering
sustainable peace. Education serves
many functions – for example, as an
instrument for economic growth,
socialization and poverty reduction –
and contributes to building peaceful
societies.
“Education serves
a purpose in
bringing about
sustainable
peace after
conflict.”
Education underpins an informed
citizenry, which enables the exercise of
arbitrary power to be checked within the
state. Between states, better education
– particularly about other cultures – can
help to ease tensions between rivals, and
thereby hold back the dogs of war. This
has been the signature achievement of
various international educational
programs, including the United World
Colleges and the Fulbright Program,
both of which I am pleased to be
associated with.
It is axiomatic to say that we now live
in a global age. It is an age that requires
global citizens, equipped to collaborate
beyond borders to solve collective
problems and affirm our common
humanity. However, globalization has
also brought with it alienation; changes
wrought by global processes have left
communities feeling powerless and
threatened by the ‘other’. Education
must be at the heart of efforts to counter
the backlash against globalization, which
has readily understandable causes, but
which too often has sought out scape-
goats and seldom reflects the humanity
of supposed rivals in the global race.
In fragile states, the role of education
serves a particular purpose in bringing
about sustainable peace after conflict.
Educators who give due consideration to
conflicting communal narratives create
a space for co-operation between future
generations. Education is also the pathway
to fulfilling jobs, which goes a long way to
disrupt the poverty-conflict nexus at the
heart of many wars.
It is for these reasons that The Hague
Institute is devoting attention and
resources to the relationship between
education and peacebuilding. It is a field
which deserves significantly more investigation, and one in which I am confident
that the Institute will make a contribution.
Dr. Abiodun Williams
President
The Hague Institute for Global Justice