"Preventing war is the work of politics, while establishing peace is the work of education."
Dr. Maria Montessori
Peace is an Action,
Not Hope
Thich Nhat Hanh
Charmaine Soh Chian Mui
Conference Director for the 10th Asia Montessori Conference
Founder and Director of Greentree Montessori, Singapore
President of Chinese Montessori International
M.Ed. in Early Childhood Education
AMS (Birth to 3) Certified
AMI (3to 6) Certified
MACTE Accredited Trainer
Student of Magda Gerber (founder of RIE)
About the Conference:
A Letter from the Conference Organizer
Dear esteemed colleagues and learned friends,
Two years ago, we witnessed tanks rolling out and refugees fleeing in disarray. Last October, we saw buildings collapsing and children crying out in shock. The war is happening right in our midst! Though the bloodshed and cries may seem distant, they are visible to anyone who pays attention. If we close our eyes and listen, we can feel the distant cries of agony and the deafening sounds of bombings. Can we remain indifferent?
Seeing children terrified and suffering in the midst of war fills me with both pain and helplessness. All I can do is turn this compassion into educational action, helping children understand the injustice of war and the importance of peace.
Montessori once said, "Preventing war is the work of politics, while establishing peace is the work of education." How do we answer children's questions: Why do they have to fight? Why do they have to kill? How do we make children understand that war is cruel, and plunder and killing are wrong and unacceptable?
Children's values are shaped during their formative years. They observe how we treat ourselves and others, silently absorbing our actions. They won't ask why we do things; they absorb the message: This is how it's done.
At the end of 2023, I decided to make peace education the theme for 2024 — advocating the virtues of non-contention. I believe that empathy is inherent in all people, especially children. As adults, we must first understand peace, learn how to maintain peace within ourselves and with others, learn how to resolve conflicts, and learn how to interact with others using peaceful skills and methods in kindergarten.
We have decided to utilize the 10th Asia Montessori Conference in October of this year to bring together early childhood educators and professionals from across Asia to explore concrete actions to promote peace. The conference will include discussions on creating peaceful environments through practical actions, learning non-violent interactive methods, fostering children's self-help and cooperation spirit, mutual respect, and global citizenship awareness, aiming to build a more peaceful world.
Authored by,
Ms. Charmaine Soh Chian Mui
10th Asia Montessori Conference Director