HWPL Peace Education Teacher Graduation Ceremony…In the Youthful Nation of Lesotho, “Peace” Takes Root in Public Education

We work hard to teach children math formulas and English vocabulary, but how often do we teach them how to live together?

These days, whenever I watch the news, there are so many stories about conflict, hatred, and violence.
And every time, I find myself wondering: Shouldn’t peace also be something we learn from a young age?

This is also why I found the recent HWPL Peace Education Teacher Graduation Ceremony in the Kingdom of Lesotho particularly inspiring.
At first glance, it may have looked like a simple event, but in reality, it marked the beginning of a movement to teach children about peace and coexistence within the public education system.

Why Is Peace Education Gaining Attention in Lesotho’s Public Schools?

On March 13, a meaningful event took place in Maseru, the capital of Lesotho in southern Africa.
The event was the “DPE-HWPL Peace Education Teacher Graduation Ceremony,” jointly organized by HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light) and the local civic organization DPE (Development for Peace Education).

The event was organized to recognize and encourage teachers who completed the peace education program and to promote the expansion of peace education in schools.
Around 100 people attended, including teachers, education officials, and community leaders.

What impressed me most was a statement made by Lesotho’s Minister of Education and Training, Ntoi Rapapa:

"Teachers play the most important role in guiding students in the school environment.
I hope this education program will expand into the public education system so that every child in Lesotho can grow up learning peace.”

It felt especially meaningful because this was more than just a private campaign— it was an effort connected directly to the public education system itself.

After all, children learn from the culture of the classroom.

When you think about it, children spend a large part of their day at school.
And they don’t just learn academics there. They naturally learn attitudes toward others, ways of speaking, and even how to resolve conflicts.
The kind of teacher a child meets can greatly shape their values and worldview.

What made this peace education graduation ceremony particularly meaningful was its focus on teachers.
The teachers who completed the training will return to their schools and pass on the values of peace and coexistence to their students.

One high school principal who attended the event said that the peace education program became an opportunity to bring “healing and hope” to students and the school community.
Reading those words truly moved me.
Children ultimately grow and learn within the environment shaped by the adults around them.

One thing that stood out to me was this: perhaps there are things we should learn before competition, and peace is one of them.
We seem to live in a world where children are taught competition, but coexistence is taught far less.
Children learn how to succeed academically, but many are never taught how to have constructive conversations when disagreements occur.
What if, from a young age, children naturally learned:

* how to respect differences,

* how to express anger through dialogue rather than violence,

* and how to understand others even amid conflict?

Wouldn’t the culture of our schools begin to change little by little?
And I believe those changes could eventually transform society as a whole.

It also made me realize that values ultimately last longer than weapons.

When people hear the word “peace,” they often think of grand international conferences or diplomacy.
But I believe lasting peace depends far more on the words children hear, the attitudes they learn, and the environment they grow up in from an early age.
That’s why the peace education initiative in Lesotho felt especially meaningful to me.

What made it meaningful was that it went beyond simply saying that peace matters. It was connected to the public education system through curriculum development, teacher training, and classroom implementation.
HWPL and DPE also plan to expand peace education programs throughout Lesotho and continue training peace education teachers in the years ahead.
This small movement that began in the heart of Africa somehow makes me hopeful about the changes it may bring in the future.

It also made me think about what we should be passing on to our children.

These days, even children seem to become overwhelmed more easily, and many struggle with stress in their relationships.
That’s why I believe something just as important as academics is “the ability to live together with others.”
Reading about the peace education initiative in Lesotho gave me a lot to think about as well.
We work hard to teach children how to find the right answers on exams, but how much do we teach them how to live together?
Perhaps future education should gradually move beyond grades alone and place greater importance on teaching ‘the value of coexistence’.
What do you think?
What do you believe is the most important value schools should teach children?
I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments 😊

:: Related Article ::

HWPL Holds Peace Education Teacher Graduation Ceremony in Lesotho

:: Official HWPL Website ::
https://www.hwpl.kr/language/en/home-hwpl-_en/