The „World Peace Academy – Swiss Centre for Peace Studies“ is an educational institution aiming with its programs and projects to promote a global Culture of Peace. Its mission is in the development of innovative programs in peace education and the education of experts and multipliers for a culture of peace.
The Master of Advanced Studies in Peace and Conflict Transformation is concerned with the various forms and conditions of peace as well as the obstacles to them. Peace means the absence of war, and much more. Galtung introduced the distinction between direct, structural and cultural violence:
- – direct violence means hurting and killing;
- – structural violence is the slow death from hunger and preventable or curable diseases caused by extreme inequality and political oppression;
- – cultural violence consists of the justification of direct and structural violence in education, the media, literature and art, in the form of nationalism, racism, sexism and other forms of discrimination and prejudice.
Peace means the absence of those three forms of violence and includes measures both to alleviate and heal past violence as well as to prevent future violence. The Master program explores all of these aspects of peace. Its objective is to enable the participants to play an active role in peaceful conflict transformation and in creating a culture of peace. Participants learn to analyze conflicts, to make prognoses, and to design and implement creative solutions. They also learn to detect growing tensions early and know methods to deescalate conflicts and prevent violence and how to mediate between conflict parties and how to encourage conciliation after violence. In addition, participants learn how to promote peace and development through education and action, and how to facilitate intercultural understanding and cooperation.
This postgraduate Masters program is accredited by the University of Basel, which issues the degree. The title „Master of Advanced Studies“ is an internationally recognized, non-consecutive postgraduate degree.
Contact and Information
World Peace Academy
Swiss Centre For Peace Studies
Gueterstrasse 81
CH-4053 Basel, Switzerland
Telephone +41 (0)61 315 85 95