MY EXPERIENCE IN BUILDING THE CULTURE OF PEACE WITH

CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

IrwantoFaculty of Psychology

Atma Jaya Catholic UniversityJakarta-Indonesia

FEBRUARY 21, 2013

I was born in Purwodadi Grobogan – a small very poor district in Central Java island

Grobogan district, Central Java, experienced the fiercest impacts of communist Coupe attempt = most adult males were killed

I was born 1957 and went to school during civil war (communist coupe 1965). Approximately 2 million Indonesians

assasinated.

PERSONAL IMPACTS

• There were 3 detention camps of 500-1000 communist prisoners. I lived only 20 meters away from the two of them.

• Descendants of any alleged communist member were outcasted – could not go to school or find a decent job. My dad was accused, detained for two days – but could not find enough evidence freed.

• As half Chinese and Javanese, it was difficult for me to find the best education state university imposed unwritten policy to allow only 3% of total admission for Chinese descents. I was lucky to be admitted to a state university (Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta) although I had to deal with the name calling and other racist humiliation.

WORKING IN JAKARTA (1983)

• As a fulltime researcher in a Catholic University home-based care for the poor, drug counselor for young drug users, researcher for children in difficult circumstances (UNICEF partner and consultant)

• Elected a commisioner of the National Child Protection Commission (1998-2001)

• 1998 – 2006 Indonesia fell into regional monetary crisis leading to major political reform Fall of Suharto Regime.

TROUBLED JAKARTA – TROUBLED NATION (MAY 13, 1998 RIOT)

TIME TO ACT

SUPPORTED BY UNESCO, UNICEF, GOVT. OF NEW ZEALAND, AND MINISTRY OF EDUCATION WE LAUNCHED OUR MODULE ON BUILDING THE CULTURE OF PEACE.

WE WERE A SMALL TEAM OF 6 TRAINERS/FACILITATORS ASSISTED BY OVER 30 STUDENTS AND TEACHERS FACILITATORS

OUR WORK IN SCHOOLS AND CONFLICT AREAS 1998-2005

OVER 450 SCHOOLS IN JAKARTA GREATER AREAS, BANDUNG HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THE PROGRAM – OVER 1,000 CHILDREN HAVE HAD THE EXPERIENCE WORKING ON PEACEFUL RESOLUTION WITH US.

BASIC MODEL OF OUR PEACE EDUCATION

• TRAINING OF TRAINERS TEACHERS AD STUDENTS 3 DAYS BASIC FACILITATION PRINCIPLES AND LEARNING ABOUT MODULE + ON THE JOB TRAINING

• SCHOOL BASED – EACH SESSION INCLUDES (3 FULL-DAYS) – STUDENTS, PARENTS (REP), AND TEACHERS (REP)– MARGINALIZED CHILDREN (STREET CHILDREN, CHILDREN FROM THE GARBAGE

DUMPSITE, ETC)

• IN CONFLICT AREAS – LONGER PREPARATION, UNDERSTANDING THE CURRENT CONFLICTS AND KEY PLAYERS, COMPILATION OF HISTORICAL EVENTS AND LOCAL WISDOMS REASONS FOR ANCESTORS TO LIVE TOGETHER, CURRENT POLITICAL EVENTS. 1 TO 2 WEEKS PLUS BOOSTER SESSIONS AS NECESSARY. HANDED OVER TO LOCAL FACILITATORS.– PARTICIPANTS RECRUITED FROM LOCAL SCHOOLS OF CONFLICTING COMMUNITIES– CONSENTS FROM PARENTS, TEACHERS ACTED AS GUARDIANS, ASSISTED BY LOCAL

NGO– SECURITY OVERSIGHT BY THE MILITARY

IN CLASSROOM SESSIONS

OUT OF CLASSROOM SESSIONS

MEET REAL PEOPLE

DEAL WITH REAL PROBLEMS

LESSONS LEARNT

• WORKING WITH CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE – FUN, INSPIRATIONAL, AND MORE SUSTAINABLE

• WE NEED MORE INTERVENTION LIKE WE DID TO PREVENT FUTURE CONFLICTS

• THANK YOU