At PSI, we believe…
• That school should be a place in which children can learn without fear;
• That this is possible if we provide our children with the tools they need to live well with others; and
• That each school’s journey to create a culture of peace is unique.
Peaceful Schools International provides support to schools that have declared a commitment to creating and maintaining a culture of peace. PSI has over 350 member schools around the world! In these schools, students, teachers and community members work together to ensure that everyone feels safe, respected and valued. For a list of our member schools, go to PSI Members.
Malala Yousafzai – selected as a PSI Peer Mediator
PSI has a large number of member schools in Pakistan. Malala’s school, the Khushal Girls’ School is one of them. Malala was selected to participate in a peer mediation training workshop under the leadership of PSI’s regional Coordinator in Pakistan, Nadeem Ghazi. We hope that she will be back home soon to support the youth of Pakistan.
Malala with Nadeem Ghazi and her father
An example: Kingslake Public School, Toronto, Ontario
A very multicultural Toronto school, Kingslake has been a member of Peaceful Schools International since 2004. Originally, the school’s focus was on building a culture of peace within the Kingslake community. Drawing on PSI resources, the school created peace books and poems and organized activities to promote positive interaction. One member of the staff reported that, “We knew our efforts were producing results when we overheard a student reminding a new Kingslake student that, ‘We don’t do that at Kingslake. We’re a peaceful school.’”
Having entrenched peaceful practices at Kingslake, the school has recently expanded its focus by twinning with Mayagba Primary School in Sierra Leone, through PSI. The schools share emails, photos and books and learn about each other’s cultures. At each step of the way, Kingslake staff has felt strongly supported by PSI. Representatives from the organization have visited staff, made presentations to students, and provided resource materials, leading to close and meaningful connections between the school and PSI.