Education For International Understanding

In the past century, the world witnessed more and more challenges and crises of morality, society, culture, etc. as well as a great development of science and technology. Therefore, it is high time that we equip children and young people through education with the capacity to lead meaningful and productive lives in a world of bewilderingly rapid and complex change. The spirit of understanding, the ability to live together and the feelings of appreciation are key factors for an effective resolution to conflicts. We believe that education is a process through which a newborn individual becomes an integrated member of his or her community. It is the main agent of transfer of a culture through generations. At the same time, by stimulating and developing intellect and creativity, education promotes the development of culture that may lead to change.In this thesis, backgrounds, historical development and solutions of implementation in schools of education for international understanding are studied. The impact of globalization, culture of peace and the notion of learning to live together on education are also revealed. By giving a survey on cases of education for international understanding in a few countries, this thesis finally indicates implications for promoting culture of peace in China.In Chapter 1, the conceptions on education for international understanding and the relationship between it and global education are discussed.Chapter 2 introduces education for international understanding from a historical perspective. It traces education for international understanding in the world from the sixteenth century and focuses on the new urgency the issues of it have taken on in the second fifty years of the last century.Chapter 3 concerns the value of learning to live together from the views of living together with others and with the nature.Chapter 4 provides an analysis of the ways in which schools can become arenas for achieving the goals and objectives of education for international understanding.Three case studies are made in Chapter 5 on helping young people to learn to live together.Finally, Chapter 6 shifts focus from theoretical studies to the way schools, society, groups and individuals in China respond to the new demands to education-learning to live together.