““Our biggest challenge in this new century is to take an idea that seems abstract – sustainable development – and turn it into a reality for all the world’s people” ”
About the UNESCO ASPnet Arts and Culture for Peace Initiative
Finding peace with ourselves and our planet
Welcome to the UNESCO UK Associated Schools Programme Network (ASPnet) Arts & Culture for Peace Initiative inspired initially by the UK-Japan Between the Stones project and pilot projects by five Coventry primary schools.
This is an ongoing Initiative to enable Schools worldwide to participate. The Initiative was officially launched at the International Virtual ‘Connecting for Peace’ UNESCO ASPnet UK Conference.
Initiative Aims
The UNESCO ASPnet Arts and Culture for Peace Initiative focuses on important ASPnet Action Areas related to ‘peace’, ‘sustainability’ and ‘intercultural learning and heritage’ and supports the UN Sustainability Development Goals.
The aim is for young people around the world to work on ‘transformative’ arts and culture for peace and sustainability, which convey the importance of living more peacefully and sustainably with nature, ourselves and our planet. It should:
Demonstrate that peace can prove to be stronger than conflict & division
Illustrate that ’from acorns mighty oak trees do grow’ – individual creative elements can be shared and combined to produce creative group outcomes by young global citizens, which can benefit wider communities
Give voice to our young people – the future belongs to them and their ideas about how we can strengthen the ASPnet Action Areas matter and can support the international community effectively by creating opportunities from the challenges which lay ahead.
The initial phase of the Arts and Culture for Peace initiative produced the following outcomes:
First UK Legacy Arts and Culture for Peace Project – the Coventry Young Ambassadors Islands of Peace Japanese Garden opened to the Public by Japanese Ambassador to the UK and Mayor of Coventry in 2021
UNESCO UK Arts and Culture for Peace Initiative launched in UK and globally in 2022
Delegation of nine countries – The Gambia, South Korea, Poland, Belgium, The Netherlands, Oman, South Korea, Japan and the UK visited Japan to celebrate 70th anniversary of UNESCO in September 2023
Launching of the Seeds of Hope for a Better Future Project in 2024.
“The UNESCO ASPnet Action areas are vital, interrelated and urgent for everybody. Without peace we cannot achieve sustainability, and without having a tolerant relationship between cultures we will not have peace. Without peace, all of our human rights are at risk. Art has the potential to provide a creative mirror through which we can reflect on our impact on society.”
““What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another.” ”