Intercultural Learning, Global Citizenship and Peacebuilding

In 2015, The United Nations (UN) adopted a 2030 agenda, which included peace at its core. Based on this blueprint, the UN member states agreed to…

Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels.

Peacebuilding here is focused at the macrolevel of government actors and institutions, including educational organizations; however, work within language and culture education (e.g., Oxford et al, 2020) suggests that individuals, including those in conflict-ridden parts of the world, often cite inner and interpersonal dimensions of peace as central. What roles might intercultural learning play in fostering peace across and between these disparate levels? What might an intercultural education for peacebuilding that is cognizant of disparity and pain look like (see Bigelow, 2016; Porto & Zembylas, 2022)? What kinds of connections between intercultural peace and other dimensions including inner peace and ecological peace can our language curricula and programs help students to explore (see Oxford, 2017)? How can language educators promote respect for all, build a sense of belonging to a common humanity, and help learners become responsible and active global citizens (see UNESCO’s definition of Global Citizenship Education)?

Refer to the CFP for the full submission guidelines.