Entry Note: [LMGlobal.Org] The below summary is based on the “Dijital Bilişim Teknolojileriyle Anaokulundan Lise ve Ötesine Mecburi Barış Eğitimi” titled panel in Turkish as the third kind of its on the #CompulsoryPeaceEducationICTs concept to continue advocating on this vision in support of the #UNGA79 Summit Of the Future #SoTF, along with the #PactForTheFuture, which was presented at the 41st TUYAP Intl. Istanbul Book Fair on November 7, 2024. – B.Ü.

Panel Summary: COMPULSORY PEACE EDUCATION AND INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES (ICTs) FROM KINDERGARTEN TO K-12 AND BEYOND

Translated from Turkish by Mimoza IRTEM, Youth Rep. of the LMGlobal.Org to the United Nations Department of Global Communications #UNWithCivilSociety

Initially published on IşıkBinyılı.Org in #Turkish on November 18, 2024.
Presented at the 41st TÜYAP International İstanbul Book Fair
 on November 7, 2024.

Introduction
At the 41st TÜYAP International Book Fair, Işık Binyılı Multi-Media, Social Support, and Development Association (IşıkBinyılı.Org), in collaboration with The Light Millennium Global (LMGlobal.Org) and with content contribution from the Atatürk World Platform (ADDP), hosted a panel on November 7, 2024, at TÜYAP Beylikdüzü Campus, Marmara Hall, titled “Compulsory Peace Education and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) from Kindergarten to K-12, and Beyond.”
The speakers included Bircan Ünver, Dr. Serpil Tuncer, Cengiz Öksüz, Tezcan Erşayan, Ömer Yılmaz, Aliye Fatma Tok, and Ömer Efe Urgan. Topics discussed included #DigitalTechnologies, #CompulsoryPeaceEducation, and the 41st TÜYAP #BookFair.
With the opportunities brought by the digital age, negative effects such as violence, hate speech, and cyberbullying have also increased. In this context, compulsory peace education is critical to ensuring that life of future generations in a more peaceful world. The panel held on November 7, 2024, explored how digital technologies can be integrated into peace education and what actions need to be taken in this regard.

Purpose of the Panel
The primary aim of this panel was to raise awareness about promoting a culture of peace through the use of digital information technologies in compulsory education system and to leave a legacy of a peaceful world for future generations. As part of the United Nations’ 79th General Assembly’s theme #SummitOfTheFuture, the panel highlighted the importance of strengthening the place of peace education in Turkey’s education system and fostering international collaboration on this subject under the leadership of LMGlobal.Org toward escalating it through UN Member States to be presented to the UN General Assembly.
The theme’s author and panel moderator, Bircan Ünver, introduced the topic during the panel’s opening, stating that the inspiration for this initiative stems from the Village Institutes and Darüşşafaka Educational Institutions. She also emphasized the foundational principles of the United Nations (UN), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU, as the key specialized UN entity on the ICTs) 2030 goals, noting that the theme had been previously presented virtually in English on September 29 and October 5, 2024.
Furthermore, she underlined that the goal of this initiative includes recruiting at least 2-3 member countries from the UN for the coalition and presenting this project to the UN General Assembly by 2030. It aims to become part of the third phase of the 2000 Millennium Declaration (2030-2045) as a long-term campaign.

Panel Summary
The keynote speaker, Dr. Serpil Tuncer (Board Member of the Darüşşafaka Society), followed by Cengiz Öksüz (Chairman of the Istanbul Branch of the New Generation Village Institutes Association), spoke about the Village Institutes. The topic was examined in the context of education, children, families, and digital technology. Ömer Yılmaz, the General President of the Parent-Teacher Association, shared his personal experiences as a teacher, parent, and observer regarding the impact of digital technologies on schools, children, and families.
Tezcan Erşiyan addressed the role of digital technologies in compulsory peace education. Additionally, Ömer Efe Urgan and Aliye Fatma Tok, from the VEX Apollo Team of Darüşşafaka High School, shared insights into the contributions of technology to peace education, having received an award in the field of science and technology from TÜBİTAK.

Darüşşafaka
Summary of Dr. Serpil Tuncer’s Presentation:

Darüşşafaka, established in 1863, is a well-established educational institution that has contributed qualified individuals to Turkey. Initially serving orphaned children, the institution adopted the principle of equality of opportunity in education, later including financially disadvantaged but successful students. Pioneering coeducation in Turkey, Darüşşafaka offers its students opportunities for academic knowledge and development in social, cultural, and sports fields. Its graduates have made significant contributions to Turkey’s social and economic life, instilling values such as scientific thinking, critical analysis, and social responsibility.
Institutions like Darüşşafaka and the Village Institutes remain sources of inspiration, just as they were in the past. While the production-based educational approach of the Village Institutes and the equality of opportunity principle of Darüşşafaka form the foundation of modern education systems, new challenges and opportunities brought by the digital age necessitate the transformation of these systems. In this regard, greater emphasis must be placed on peace education and digital literacy.
Although digital technologies greatly facilitate education, they also bring challenges like social media addiction, cyberbullying, and misinformation. Therefore, it is crucial for schools to use digital technologies effectively and to raise awareness among students about both their benefits and risks. Educational institutions must equip students with digital citizenship skills, making them conscious users of the digital world.

Village Institutes
The theme, aiming to contribute to the vision of the #SummitOfTheFuture and the #PactForTheFuture of the 79th UN General Assembly, embarks on a long-term journey with a vision of Compulsory Peace Education and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) from Kindergarten to K-12 and Beyond. Within this framework, the Village Institutes—a turning point in Turkey’s educational history—were presented by Cengiz Öksüz (Chairman of the Istanbul Branch of the New Generation Village Institutes Association) as a model adaptable to our modern era.
Summary of Cengiz Öksüz’s Presentation:

Founded under the leadership of İsmail Hakkı Tonguç, the Village Institutes aimed not only to train teachers but also to educate villagers on agriculture, crafts, and social life, fostering rural development. These institutes operated on a learning-by-doing principle, combining theoretical knowledge with practical skills. Managed with a democratic education philosophy, students at the institutes learned self-governance, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Over just six years, the institutes trained 17,000 teachers, nearly 9,000 trainers, and 1,599 health officers, transforming rural areas. Graduates opened schools, provided healthcare services, improved agriculture, and raised social awareness in their communities. Though closed in the 1950s for political reasons, the institutes left a lasting impact on Turkey’s education history and continue to inspire studies on rural development and alternative education models.

Digital Age, Education, and Solidarity

Tezcan Erşayan (CEO of CyberAge) highlighted the profound impact of the digital age on education during her presentation. She emphasized the importance of teaching technology to students from an early age and advocated for integrating digital literacy with peace education. Stressing the significance of lifelong learning, Erşayan noted that technology can act as both a unifying and divisive force. She underscored the adverse effects of excessive screen time on individuals and called for the responsible use of technology to foster a peaceful future.
Cybersecurity and Global Perspective

Erşayan discussed the importance of cybersecurity, emphasizing the need to raise awareness about the risks posed by the digital world. She analyzed the role of technology in shaping the world and its potential effects on peace and security. Addressing global issues such as corruption and inequality, she highlighted how technology can simultaneously be a problem and a solution. Erşayan called for a global approach and presented a slideshow detailing these impacts and solutions.

Education and Digitalization in Turkey

Ömer Yılmaz (President of the Parents-Students Association) examined the state of education in Turkey, focusing on outdated infrastructure, resource shortages, and the struggle for the right to education. He discussed the effects of digitalization on children, highlighting issues such as addiction and the blurred lines between virtual and real life. Yılmaz stressed the importance of providing children with a balanced education that incorporates peace and digital literacy concepts. He also emphasized the critical role of well-trained and supported teachers in shaping society.
 Yılmaz advised families to monitor and control children’s technology usage, ensuring age-appropriate content and setting restrictions on screen time to prioritize family interactions.
The Importance of Digital Security and Education

The panel discussed the importance of digital security and education from an early age to ensure future generations are aware of cyberbullying and the potential dangers of the internet. Emphasizing responsible digital citizenship, the discussion called for robust cybersecurity infrastructure. Interactive learning and gamification in education were suggested as effective ways to teach children about digital security.

Human Rights, Education, and Robotics

The panel also featured Ömer Efe Urgan and Aliye Fatma Tok, two high school students from Darüşşafaka and members of the award-winning VEX Apollo Robotics Team. They presented their projects, focusing on using technology for peaceful purposes.
 Ömer Efe shared his aspirations to become a physicist and his involvement in Model-UN / MUN and robotics programs. Aliye Fatma highlighted a project addressing human rights violations in the Mediterranean region and discussed the role of technology education in promoting peace.

Key Takeaways from the Panel
• Establishing ethical frameworks and regulations for incorporating digital technologies into education.
• Integrating cybersecurity and digital citizenship education into curricula from an early age.
• Providing teachers with training in digital skills and the ideological/cultural foundations of technology use in education.
• Exploring gamification and interactive learning approaches to teach peace and cybersecurity concepts as part of compulsory education from kindergarten onward.
• Policymakers should aim to make peace education compulsory starting at age five.
• Raising awareness about cyberbullying and online safety among students and parents through nationwide strategies.
• Collaborating with technology companies to develop digital learning tools that promote peace.
• Leveraging digital technologies for conflict resolution and promoting nonviolence.
• Creating opportunities for students to apply technological skills to social innovation projects.
• Expanding compulsory peace education initiatives globally through partnerships with international organizations.

Announcement of the Next Program

The panel concluded with an announcement regarding the continuation of the “Compulsory Peace Education and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) from Kindergarten to K-12, and Beyond” initiative, launched at the UN’s 79th General Assembly as part of the Summit of the Future. The next event will take place on January 25, 2025, to align with International Education Day, featuring coalition members in a virtual program.

The event also honored distinguished guests, including Özcan Atamert, daughter of a Turkish War of Independence veteran, and İlknur Boray, Vice President of the Atatürk World Platform (ADDP), documentary producer-director Ufuk Karakaş, Team Leader of Darüşşafaka High Schools Burcu Tuncel, Science & Technology Students Leader Berra Yalçın, and among others. Participants received books from the Işık Binyılı Association’s exhibit, symbolizing their contributions to the dialogue on peace and education.

Related in Turkish:

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