The Basic Training Program "Conflict as Opportunity: Nonviolent Conflict Transformation" for teachers is designed according to the new European Curriculum for Nonviolent Conflict Transformation for Teachers (2018) (hereinafter referred to as the Curriculum). With the financial support of the Ministry of Education, it was piloted for the first time with a group of 18 teachers and professional associates from four high schools in Vukovar during the second semester of the 2021–2022 school year.
The curriculum was developed in response to the need for teachers throughout the EU to be equipped with knowledge and skills for building a peaceful school environment due to the increase in violence and conflict in schools. It was designed based on comparative research on the state of education for nonviolent conflict transformation for teachers, using best practices from five countries (France, Croatia, Italy, Spain, and Sweden) involved in the Erasmus+ program EduCATe (2015–2018). The Center for Peace, Nonviolence, and Human Rights—Osijek contributed to incorporating Croatian experiences and good practices into this European curriculum, published the enhanced Croatian edition (2020), conducted 6 professional meetings through the Agency for Vocational Education and Training (AVET), where the basic modules of the curriculum were presented to teachers and professional associates of primary and secondary schools in Croatia, and prepared didactic materials (2021–2022).
Curriculum Concept:
The curriculum provides a clear starting point: that violence is unacceptable; that it is necessary to differentiate between violence and conflict; that conflict is an integral and inevitable part of life and should not be treated only as a threat but can be transformed into an opportunity for growth, learning, and the creation of a nonviolent environment conducive to teaching. Conflict transformation skills are learned and enable conflict to not escalate into violence, while also encouraging the development of skills for living in peace with oneself and with others in an increasingly diverse and complex world.
To transfer knowledge and skills on nonviolent and constructive conflict transformation to students, the involvement of teachers is necessary. In line with the principles of nonviolence, the curriculum encourages change that starts with the individual, in this case, educators—teachers are key!
Teachers and professional associates participating in the training have the opportunity, on a personal level and through mutual interaction, to work on four dimensions crucial for positive conflict transformation: 1. violence, conflict, or nonviolence; 2. nonviolent communication; 3. authority and power in the school environment; 4. building a peaceful school community. Topics are developed through four modules, areas where change and learning can occur—within me, my classroom, my school, and my community.
Therefore, the curriculum encourages thinking and activities revolving around two fundamental questions: • What can I do for myself, my classroom, my school, and my community? • What actions and structures can we develop to promote nonviolent conflict transformation in the classroom, school, and community?
Project Objectives:
1. To equip teachers and professional associates from four high schools in Vukovar with the knowledge and skills needed to approach conflicts in school as opportunities for learning and contribute to creating a nonviolent peace-building environment conducive to teaching.
2. To provide participants with the opportunity during training, in a safe environment, to analytically and constructively address existing conflicts in their schools.
3. To prepare the Basic Training Program "Conflict as Opportunity: Nonviolent Conflict Transformation" for Teachers, developed according to the European Curriculum for Nonviolent Conflict Transformation for Teachers and Educators, for obtaining the professional opinion of the Agency for Vocational Education and Training for the purpose of verification.
"Conflict as Opportunity: Nonviolent Conflict Transformation for Teachers" continues through a second cycle and consists of three elements: 1. Continuation of basic training for nonviolent conflict transformation for teachers and professional associates from all four high schools in Vukovar (Economic School, Technical School Nikola Tesla, Vukovar Gymnasium, and Marko Babić Vocational School) and their connection with schools of the Peaceful School Forum. 2. Preparation of the "Conflict as Opportunity: Nonviolent Conflict Transformation for Teachers" program for professional opinion by the Agency for Vocational Education and Training for the verification process. 3. Online professional seminar "Conflict as Opportunity: Nonviolent Conflict Transformation for"Teachers"—presentation of the handbook.
The project addresses the expressed needs and interests of schools and participants included in the basic training so far. It fits into the school curriculum in the field of violence prevention through the objectives of the Action Plan for the Prevention of Violence in Schools 2020-2024 (objective 3: Improve the quality and monitoring and increase the number of verified school programs and projects for violence prevention implemented in schools).
