March 3, 2020 – The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative (WPDI) is pleased to announce the launch of Project 5,000, an initiative that will train 5,000 primary and secondary school students at 50 of the most vulnerable schools across Tijuana. Project 5,000 was designed to induce a “multiplier effect” to help build a culture of peace in parts of Tijuana that need it most. Project 5,000 builds off our Conflict Resolution Education in Schools program, which empowers students by teaching them skills in conflict analysis, resolution, and mediation that they can use both at school and at home. Because this program has been successful and the need in Tijuana so great, we decided to enhance it at a far larger scale – hence, our goal to train 5,000 children and youths in their respective schools by September 21, 2020.
To meet this goal, WPDI began collaborating with Comision Estatal de los Derechos Humanos de Baja California to train 70 students in Conflict Resolution Education from multiple universities in Tijuana. Upon completing their training, these 70 youths will have the skillsets required to replicate what they have learned to primary and secondary students. WPDI will then assign them to one of 50 specially selected primary and middle schools across the city. They will then train students ages 9-14 years old over 40 sessions and hold a massive graduation ceremony on September 21 on the International Day of Peace.
Even though the 70 students are currently still undergoing training with us, they are excited about their training and the impact they will have in some of Tijuana’s most vulnerable schools. Mariell, who is learning about Conflict Resolution Education for the first time with WPDI, told us that “I think this program is necessary in order to achieve peace in our society. We must make conflict resolution a part of our culture. I am excited about putting what I have learned into practice, and I know I can contribute and create real peace. Without a doubt, I didn’t know very much about mediation before, but I am now familiar and motivated.” Leticia, another new trainee, mentioned how “I am most looking forward to teaching conflict resolution to children in my community. This is my priority.”