With the war in the Middle East escalating by the day, the questions young people are asking in class are becoming harder — and more important — to answer.
For some educators, that makes this an important moment to talk not just about war, but about peace, and the kind of thinking young people will carry with them into adulthood.
The Medical Association for Prevention of War (MAPW) is a national association of health professionals, working for health by working for peace. In 2007, MAPW founded the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), which was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2017.
The organisation’s National President, Dr Sue Wareham, has spoken and written widely on matters related to peace and disarmament, and sits on the Management Committee in Australia for ICAN.
Dr Wareham says Australia should take a closer look at how students are taught about conflict, particularly during school visits to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
In 2024, the organisation released a report titled The Australian War Memorial and children: Time to talk peace, raising concerns that students may not be hearing enough about the human cost of war or the importance of peaceful solutions.
MAPW has since released PACER for Peace, a guide designed to help teachers encourage more thoughtful conversations about peace when students visit Canberra’s national institutions.
Below, The Educator speaks to Dr Wareham about how schools can discuss war without fuelling fear, use visits to national institutions to spark deeper thinking, and help students understand peace as a vital part of democracy and civic responsibility.
TE: Many students are watching major wars like those in the Middle East and Europe unfold in real time. How can schools talk about war, peace and Australia’s role in the world in a way that’s calm, balanced and doesn’t heighten fear or division in the classroom?
We all – including young people – need reason to hope that things can be better and that we can all be agents of change.
One of the main challenges is to let young people know that wars are not inevitable. They’re the result of decisions made by leaders, but different decisions can be made.
Learning about people and countries that are doing what they can for peace right now is a good start. Knowledge of key international declarations for peace, or at least limiting the destructiveness of wars (such as the UN Charter, the Arms Trade Treaty and many others), and examining how Australia’s actions stack up is important in educating for peace.
TE: School trips to Canberra often include visits to places like the Australian War Memorial and Parliament House. How can teachers use these experiences to get students thinking more deeply about war and peace — and how does the PACER for Peace resource help guide those conversations?
Students’ visits to Canberra are an opportunity to focus on peace as a key ingredient of democracy. PACER For Peace suggests questions for students to help do this.
For example, at the Australian War Memorial, students could discuss whose stories are told there and whose are missing? Why have our wars occurred? Is it important to learn from past wars, and what could we learn from Australia’s wars?
A visit to Parliament House raises the question (with a troubling answer) of who decides whether Australia is going to war.
PACER For Peace also recommends some places in Canberra that are not part of the official PACER program, to broaden understandings of “peace”.
TE: In a world where global tensions are front of mind, what role should peace education play in Australian classrooms? And how can it work alongside civics and citizenship lessons to help students understand democracy, responsibility and peaceful ways to resolve disagreements?
Making a positive difference is what democracy is all about.
Peace education is a central part of civics and citizenship, as democracy doesn’t function without peace. Censorship and propaganda flourish in times of war or severe tension. The saying “Truth is the first casualty of war” is true (as is the T-shirt message “and most of the rest are civilians”). Even now in Australia, with tensions within the community over wars in the Middle East, basic freedoms are being curtailed.
Regarding responsibility, students could discuss who, and what, governments have a responsibility towards – only people here and now, or people elsewhere and future generations and the environment too?
TE: For school leaders and teachers who want students to think more deeply about war and peace, what are some simple, practical ways in the classroom to help young people see they can play a role in building a more peaceful world?
Class discussions, essays, debates, artwork, drama etc are all valuable tools. Students could set out a timeline of a key achievement such as the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, or practice writing a letter to the editor of a newspaper or to a parliamentarian. A visit from an interested parliamentarian, past or current, can guide students in how to influence decision-makers.
Learning about other people who are working for change is usually the best inspirational tool. Some examples are included in PACER For Peace. UN Youth Australia reach out to 12 – 18 year olds. See also a National Museum of Australia resource and Teachers for Peace resources.