A new video released by The Prem Rawat Foundation (TPRF) as part of the United for Hope Appeal shows how the Peace Education Program is changing lives and communities in Cusco, Peru. Cusco has a long history of violence, and too often aggressiveness in the streets and classrooms was a daily reality.
Inspired by what they learned in the Peace Education Program, students and school administrators organized a Peace Convention to cultivate respect, love, and understanding. The Peace Education Program features videos of Prem Rawat’s talks and his emphasis on living with contentment complements the local cultural principle of Sumak Kawsay, which means “good living” in the Quichua language. At the convention, student and administrative leaders celebrated the idea of Sumak Kawsay and called for the Peace Education Program to expand to schools throughout the region.
Heeding their call, the Peace Education Program is now offered in 45 schools throughout the city of Cusco.
The Principal at one school said, “I was feeling disheartened at the time when I learned about the work that was being done by The Prem Rawat Foundation. Listening to Prem Rawat has not only been gratifying to me, but it has empowered me to continue working.”
Teachers facilitating the Peace Education Program have been happy to be able to offer their students the understanding that peace lies within and to promote Prem’s focus on self-discovery. No other part of the curriculum was encouraging self-reflection.
The children love watching the Peace Education Program videos, and often respond with their own ideas of how to sow positive seeds of understanding, hope, and peace, and expressing themselves through creative art projects.
The videos encourage the students to live in the moment and appreciate all the gifts life has to offer. One student said, “The positive impact it had in me was that it changed my way of thinking about life.”
It has not only been the schools to see the need for peace education and creating an environment of security for the children. The police department formed a preventative program called the Police Promoters who also participate in the Peace Education Program and see it as key part of their training as peace keepers, helping students find healthier ways of dealing with conflict. The National Police Corps now believes the best way to teach is under a culture of peace.
With the seeds they are planting, the community of Cusco believes they will see the possibility of living in a better world.
And with your support, the seeds which have been planted in Peru will continue to grow. Another 35 schools are planning to offer the Peace Education Program soon reaching over 10,000 learners. Another 12 provinces are preparing to run the Peace Education Program with 10 schools in each province. A growing number of parents are also starting to participate in the program.
You can show your support for the Peace Education Program by donating toward the United in Hope appeal goal of raising $150,000 by June 30, and watching the “Sowing Seeds of Peace in Cusco” video here.
