Peace clubs

Mahatma Gandhi once said, “Before teaching students to read and write, we must teach them discipline. Self-reflection, self-control, self-awareness, and self-decision making are essential life skills that must be instilled in them. Education should be designed to help them understand their connection to society and take responsibility for themselves to emerge as responsible citizens.

Gandhi envisioned an education system that would cultivate inner strength, leading to outer strength, and ultimately, make knowledge and welfare accessible to all. However, we have deviated from this path, resulting in the current prevalence of violence and terrorism.

To counter this, we must emphasise values like tolerance, sacrifice, sharing, simple living, protecting natural resources, self-discipline, humility and non-violence. These values must be instilled in the impressionable young minds from the beginning, even before teaching subjects like science, maths, history and the like.

Teachers and parents must work together to achieve this goal. The Chennai based Gandhi Peace Foundation has been working towards this noble objective for over 60 years. They have been helping schools, colleges, and households establish Gandhi Peace Groups, where teachers, students, and parents can come together to think, discuss and practise the above-said values.

Those interested in joining this initiative can contact gpfchennai@gmail.com  for more information. A one-day training program will be held on July 21st in Chennai, and online classes will also be available for those who cannot attend in person. Educational institutions interested in starting Gandhi Peace Groups can also reach out for more information.