Agree to Differ

[

] 107

Image: Commonwealth Secretariat

Former Foreign Minister of Bangladesh Kamal Hussain, Lord Alderdice, Secretary-General of the Commonwealth Kamalesh Sharma, and Prof. Amartya Sen at

the launch of the Commonwealth’s book, ‘Peace and Democratic Society’

We have seen that one-sided imposed solutions have tended

to fail in carrying hearts and minds, and that such approaches

are therefore unlikely to be effective or credible.

Communication is a key to overcoming violence, and mass

media has an enormous influence in helping to shape public

opinion and underlying sentiment. A flourishing media can

make a very large contribution in strengthening the civil paths to

peace and security. A flourishing media can make public discus-

sion better informed, allow alternative points of view to be more

fully expressed, and also help make the shared objectives of the

nation and the world more analysed and understood. This is not

to deny that there are cases in which the media has been used to

generate hostility to others and to promote violence. While some

restraint would thus be useful and sometimes necessary, particu-

lar care has to be taken to make sure that the steps to do this are

proportionate and balanced to in order to safeguard freedom of

expression, which is central to CPP.

Civil peacebuilding initiatives can play a positive and

constructive role in achieving reconciliation, particularly when

women and young people are engaged as positive agents of

change. It is important to pay special attention to the participa-

tion of these often marginalized groups, including development

and training, and sharing models of successful incorporation.

The biggest gains in shaping shared narratives across poten-

tial divides will most likely come from investment in, and

rethinking of, education. Educational participation itself can

be a symptom of embedded inequality and lack of opportunity.

The distribution of education shapes tendencies towards inclu-

sion or exclusion and, thus, general patterns are evident in a

particular society. The effects on respect and understanding can

be substantial, although they may be indirect in their nature.

In addition, educational content is linked with the promo-

tion of respect and understanding – or the opposite. Thus

the educational curriculum is central in embodying and

communication values and messages about the relationships

and understandings between and across existing identity

groups. Teaching children in the compulsory schooling

system about the cultural heritage of a range of ethnic and

religious communities is a typical intervention based on

multicultural models of stimulating appetite for knowledge.

As well as giving an understanding of comparative religion

and ethnic and cultural groups, it is important to teach chil-

dren that there are fundamental human values that transcend

religious, cultural and ethnic boundaries – the duty to treat

others with respect and dignity, and to do unto others as you

wish to be treated yourself.

gree

iffer