The Global Debate: Indonesia

In celebration of National Education Month, Save the Children in Indonesia launched the global debate on the importance of education to sustain the peace. The agency encouraged elementary school students in the post-conflict regions of Aceh and Maluku to join this debate and share their opinions about education and peace with their classmates and communities.

In the province of Aceh, over 300 fourth and fifth graders from 39 elementary schools participated in Save the Children's "Art in the Park" festival in the city of Lhokseumawe. For over three hours children enthusiastically drew pictures, wrote poetry and exchanged ideas about why education is important for peace. In Ambon, Maluku, Save the Children asked students what makes schools safe and comfortable learning environments. Students from 13 elementary also used art and poetry to express why they want to eliminate violence from their classrooms.

During the last weekend of May the walls of Jakarta's Taman Ismail Marzuki Art Center colorfully displayed the drawings and poetry from approximately 50 elementary school students from Aceh and Maluku. Hundreds of visitors - young and old - visited this Save the Children sponsored exhibition and listened to the stories of the children expressed through their crayons and pencils.

Not only did the message of education and peace reach the residents of Jakarta, but Save the Children also hosted a one-hour radio talk show that was aired on 32 radio stations across Indonesia. Students, teachers, government representatives, and community members from Aceh and Maluku discussed the educational challenges faced during the conflict as well as hope for the future. According to one Acehnese teacher, "During the conflict the condition was unstable when we taught. We heard gun fire and students could not study. Teachers could not focus on teaching anymore...Now teaching and learning will, hopefully, continue to increase little by little, especially since the students are no longer suffering from trauma. We're trying our best to improve the schools."

All three education events contributed to Save the Children's national and global efforts to raise awareness about the power of education in preventing conflict and sustaining the peace.