TEACHERS FOR PEACE
We are a professional non profit group working to promote peace and disarmament.
TEACHERS FOR PEACE
Teachers for Peace was formed in 2022 in response to the growing normalisation of war in Australia and beyond.
Our three key goals are to:
1. Identify policies that education departments can adopt to promote peace
2. Identify and remove weapons industry influence on school STEM curricula
3. Educate students, colleagues, and communities on the costs of war and the benefits of peace and disarmament
Disarmament
“The greatest single factor on the world scale causing inflation and leading to the undermining of the living and cultural standards of the people is enormous expenditure on production of armaments…”
Sam Lewis, President NSW Teachers Federation, 1951.
Disarmament is one of the most important issues of our time. Disarmament reduces the likelihood of armed conflicts, prevents harm, promotes international peace and cooperation, and frees up resources for investment in education, health, housing and action on climate. Disarmament is a pillar of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and Article 26 of the Charter of the United Nations recognises disarmament as a precondition for durable peace.
Peace
Peace is more than the absence of war. We work for a culture of peace, where people have the knowledge, skills, and attitudes to think critically, be active citizens, resolve conflicts peacefully, prevent violence, and foster sustainable and inclusive communities.
PEACE & DISARMAMENT
EDUCATION &
PEACE
Education for and about peace has a rich history.
The Australian Education Union is deeply committed to peace, opposes militarism and asserts that war should never be used to resolve international conflict. There have been too many times in history when warmongering and armaments build-up have led to international conflict, death and destruction.
Australian Education Union, March 2023
Education about peace can be implicit in fields like international education, development education, human rights education, and conflict resolution education.
Peace can also be explicitly taught, when teachers, students and communities are equipped to challenge the normalisation of war, to examine the underlying causes of conflict, and to ask who suffers – and who benefits – when war happens.
Visit our resources pages for more information, classroom tools, and useful links, or become a member today.