Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF CAVITE PROVINCE EUGENIO CABEZAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BRGY. CABEZAS, TRECE MARTIRES CITY, CAVITE II. PEACE EDUCATION Theme: Community Awareness Sub-theme: Compassion Focus: Positive and Negative Peace Quarter: 3 Week _1__ Date: Feb 2, 2024 =========================================================================== Watch Video about the graphic representation of positive and negative peace: Video link https://youtu.be/x76-Qn0NsuY Why are Negative Peace and Positive Peace Important? What does it mean to hope for world peace? It is an elusive concept that often seems closer to a vague state than a tangible goal. There are many different ways of talking about and defining peace, with each one trying to come closer to making peace an achievable goal. Johan Galtung, considered the father of peace studies, is responsible for one of the most common of these classifications. His work takes the idea of peace and breaks it down into two different categories: negative peace and positive peace. Negative peace can be defined most simply as the absence of violence.1 Actions taken in order to achieve negative peace, then, are those that aim to prevent or stop explicit violence from occurring. These types of actions are extremely common, mostly because many of the actions that states and organizations take in pursuit of peace fall into this category. A classic example is peacekeeping. On an international scale, modern peacekeeping utilizes third parties, typically United Nations Peacekeepers, in order to prevent violence from breaking out.2 Essentially, peacekeeping enforces negative peace. Achieving negative peace is often the first goal when it comes to maintaining peaceful societies, as outright violence is an obvious indicator that a society is not peaceful. However, the absence of violence does not necessarily mean that a society is peaceful. Another important measure of this would be positive peace, which looks at the underlying conditions of the society and works to take action towards creating a sustainable peace.3 Often, this takes the form of eliminating many of the conditions that have to do with perpetuating violence on a structural level.4 Unlike negative peace, which targets active outbreaks of violence, positive peace targets oppression and inequality. One of the major aspects of this is cooperation, which is often seen through peacebuilding efforts. Peacebuilding works towards replacing structures that reinforce war and violence with those that reinforce peace, often by targeting and eliminating issues like inequality.5 According to Galtung, this is how peace becomes sustainable – by providing structural alternatives to violence through cooperation. Another crucial part of this process is communication, especially what is known as nonviolent communication. Nonviolent communication focuses on speaking and listening in way that emphasizes meeting the needs of others and utilizing compassion.6 This process focuses on communicating observations, feelings, needs, and requests.7 If those on both sides of a conflict are able to believe that their needs are being heard and acknowledged, it allows them to focus on working towards a solution, as opposed to taking out their anger. In this way, nonviolent communication promotes positive peace. Establishing a dialogue between parties becomes one of the structures that replaces violence.. Brgy. Cabezas,Trece Martires City, Cavite (046) 430-5795 depedcavite.ecnhs@gmail.com Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF CAVITE PROVINCE EUGENIO CABEZAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BRGY. CABEZAS, TRECE MARTIRES CITY, CAVITE Negative and positive peace are not contradictory, but complimentary. In order for a truly peaceful and nonviolent society to be achieved, there must be both the absence of violence and continued cooperation towards a sustainable culture of peace.8 This is reflected even in the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, with Goal 16 setting out to not only reduce all forms of violence, but also strengthen institutions and policies to prevent further forms of violence.9 There is only so much progress that can be made towards cooperation and sustainable peace when there is still active violence. Similarly, a lack of violent conflict does not mean that a society is at peace. It takes both negative and positive peace to achieve a truly peaceful society. Comprehension Questions: What is the main idea of the article? What is the different between negative and positive peace? Does communication plays a vital role in achieving peace? How? In your opinion, how can Philippines and China attain peace when both countries are claiming ownership of some parts in the West Philippine Sea? Activity: Personal Journal Action In your drawing notebook, draw your visualization of peace. Prepared by: Bernadeth R. Maestro Brgy. Cabezas,Trece Martires City, Cavite (046) 430-5795 depedcavite.ecnhs@gmail.com Republic of the Philippines Department of Education REGION IV-A SCHOOLS DIVISION OFFICE OF CAVITE PROVINCE EUGENIO CABEZAS NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL BRGY. CABEZAS, TRECE MARTIRES CITY, CAVITE Brgy. Cabezas,Trece Martires City, Cavite (046) 430-5795 depedcavite.ecnhs@gmail.com
