PHILOSOPHY OF PEACE AND PEACE EDUCATION

Estas reflexiones constituyen el núcleo de la video conferencia que el autor realizó en el marco de las VI Jornadas de Investigación y Docencia del Centro de Investigaciones de Trabajo Social (CITS) de la
Universidad del Zulia, en la República Bolivariana de Venezuela. Concretamente, responden a la invitación de la Dra. Rocío Belandria y su  estudiantado de Trabajo Social en la asignatura «Negociación y Conflictos». La perspectiva des de la que se desarrollan es la de una filosofía para hacer las paces que venimos elaborando (Martínez Guzmán, 2005, 2009, 2010, 2015a; Martínez Guzmán y París Albert, 2004) más de 20 años y que tiene su vertiente docente en un Máster
Universitario y Doctorado en Estudios Internacionales de Paz, Conflictos y Desarrollo.

Abstract
As the architect of Uechi Ryu Karate-do, Kanei Uechi formalized an Okinawan system of karate which was developed from Chinese Gongfu. In his September 27, 1982 “Letter to All Karatekas of the World,” he emphasizes the importance of courtesy towards others (above even physical techniques in karate) and describes his art as an instrument for character building which transcends “nationality, race, sex, age, [and] religion.” Uechi’s view that karate can bring people together from different countries in a universal brotherhood and sisterhood is similar to the ancient Stoic notion and contemporary cosmopolitan perspective which ask people to consider others’ well-being, regardless of nationality. Chirot & McCauley’s list of strategies to prevent future genocides in Why Not Kill Them All includes cultural exchange as an important approach and Kanei Uechi provides a good example of it, especially when he suggests that people should treat others with courtesy and respect to build a more peaceful world. Authors who offer praise for cosmopolitan contamination in order to undermine notions of cultural purity such as Anthony Kwame Appiah also help clarify the challenges of a global citizenship which aims at peace. As an art form which has been exported all over the world and shaped by multiple regions and traditions, Uechi Ryu Karate-do offers a type of cultural exchange between different peoples and nations. As a martial art, it is associated with combat and war. However, like most forms of cultural exchange, it increases the likelihood of peace among people and across nations.

I reflect on the following words from John Paul II’s 2002 letter, “The Rosary of the Virgin Mary”: “Families seldom manage to come together, and the rare occasions when they do are often taken up with watching television. To return to the recitation of the family Rosary means to fill daily life with very different images, images of the mystery of salvation: the image of the Redeemer, the image of his most Blessed Mother” (§41). I suggest that we should proclaim a “fast” for the imagination, and that the family rosary nourishes the imagination, mind, and heart.

A logical God
exists, in separation from the philosophical or speculative God of religion, and capable of reuniting atheists and theists into a formidable force for good against the twin problems perplexing humanity at
present:  the intellect question and the cooperation question.

building policies and practices, but also address their feasibility. Finally, the development of education and peace research can be enhanced by rigorously designed evaluation studies. How do we measure the outcomes of peace-building policies and practices? The choice of criteria for measurement may depend on the local context, but the discussion and establishment of fair and adaptable evaluation methodology can further enhance education policy and practices favoring peace and thus enrich the research in this field.