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Sierra Leone demonstrated its leadership in peace education during its recent participation in the UNESCO International Policy Training on Addressing Violent Pasts through Education, held in Poland from September 15th to 20th, 2025.
The Sierra Leone delegation actively championed the integration of peace education into national policies, underscoring the country’s commitment to fostering reconciliation and unity through education.
The week-long program took place at the historic Auschwitz-Birkenau site and brought together experts from over 20 countries to discuss how education can serve as a transformative tool in turning painful histories into lessons of peace and reconciliation.
Representing key national institutions, the Sierra Leone team outlined three core priorities:
Curriculum Reform: Enhancing civic education by embedding peace education and lessons from Sierra Leone’s civil conflict alongside the Holocaust, to promote understanding and tolerance.
Public Engagement: Leveraging museums, cultural activities, and the arts to share civic stories, connect communities with their history, and foster national cohesion.
Teacher Training & Institutions: Strengthening teacher capacity through collaboration with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), the National Commission for Civic Education and Development (NaCEED), the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion (ICPNC), and the Monuments and Relics Commission.
Participants also reviewed the upcoming UNESCO Policy Guide on Addressing Violent Pasts through Education, which aims to be a practical resource for governments worldwide in transforming collective memory into meaningful action for peace, civic responsibility, and reconciliation.
Highlighting Sierra Leone’s unwavering dedication, the delegation emphasized the nation’s focus on building a resilient, inclusive education system—one that not only preserves history but also inspires future generations to champion peace, unity, and social cohesion.
Source: Ministry of information
