In 1982 the first IIPE was held at Teachers College, Columbia University. It was organized by Professors Betty A. Reardon, Willard Jacobson and Douglas Sloan in cooperation with the United Ministries in Education. Each of these professors, working in different fields and disciplines, came together to apply their collective knowledge, wisdom and experience toward a problem that threatened the extinction of the human race and all life on the planet – nuclear proliferation. The first IIPE experience examined the practical and theoretical contributions of education to world order and nuclear and general and complete disarmament. In doing so it addressed the political and personal dimensions of the task of disarmament, inquiring into worldviews, beliefs and attitudes that sustain and make possible a highly militarized system of global security.
From 1982 the Institute evolved in parallel to other developments in the peace research and peace studies fields and the work of the IIPE founder, Dr. Reardon. Rather than an exclusive focus on disarmament education, the IIPE began to examine peace and violence more holistically. Complementing this systemic and holistic view, the Institute organically developed into an annual, international program that is hosted, cooperatively planned and co-coordinated by a partner academic or non-governmental institution. This internationalization of the IIPE enables it to be inclusive of the multiple, socio-cultural perspectives and concerns of peace and violence and exposes participants to a multitude of educational approaches and transformative pedagogies of peace that are practiced in different socio-cultural contexts. Furthermore, it has enabled the Institute to be adaptive and flexible in its form and in the content chosen that frames each year’s program.
From 1982 to 2007 the IIPE secretariat was housed at the Peace Education Center at Teachers College, Columbia University. The IIPE secretariat has since been housed at Global Education Associates (2007-08) and the National Peace Academy (2009-2014). The Judith Herb College of Education at The University of Toledo was the home of the IIPE secretariat in 2014. Since 2015 the IIPE has operated independently with a U.S. 501c3 non-profit fiscal sponsor.
Below is a list of past IIPE host institutions, locations and themes where available. When underlined, reports are available for download in adobe .pdf format.
IIPE 40th Anniversary
The IIPE 40th Anniversary Celebration of “Living History, Global Voices” took place via zoom on Saturday, March 18, 2023. This special virtual event was a “night of a thousand stars,” gathering participants from the first 4 decades of the IIPE to share their experiences in an interactive format.
2022: Mexico
Theme: “Weaving Together Intercultural Peacelearning.”
Co-organized by the IIPE Secretariat in partnership with Colectivo Tomate and a network of former IIPE participants and hosts from across Mexico and the Americas.
2019: Nicosia, Cyprus
Theme: “Educating for a Culture of Peace in Divided Societies: History, Dialogue, and Multiperspectivity Toward Reconciliation.”
Co-organized in partnership with the IIPE Secretariat and the Association for Historical Dialogue and Research (AHDR).
2017: Grillhof Seminar Center. Innsbruck, Austria
Theme: “Aesthetic Peaces: Social, Political & Embodied Learning – Responses for Human & Planetary Survival”
Co-organized in partnership with the IIPE Secretariat, members of the Faculty of Education and Queens’ College at the University of Cambridge, and the Unit for Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Innsbruck.
2015: The University of Toledo. Toledo, OH. USA
Theme: “Education for Urban Revitalization toward Social & Ecological Justice: Peace Education in an Era of Globalization“
Organized by the Peace Education Initiative at The University of Toledo (home of the IIPE secretariat).
Community Dialogue and Public Forum (Flyer)
Community Dialogue and Public Forum (Program)
Community Dialogue and Public Forum (Report)
2013: UNESCO Chair for Peace Education, the University of Puerto Rico. San Juan, Puerto Rico
Theme: “Towards a Possible World Free From Violence: Pedagogies, Proposals and Politics for Human Rights and Peace”
Co-organized in partnership with the UNESCO Chair for Peace Education at the University of Puerto Rico and the National Peace Academy, USA (home of the IIPE secretariat).
Reports, Presentations, Photos and Links on the UNESCO Chair website (in Spanish)
2012: National Women’s Education Center. Tokyo, Japan
Theme: “Educating for Human Security and Survival: Emergencies in Ecology, Energy, Economy”
Organized in partnership with the National Peace Academy (home of the IIPE secretariat) and the Global Campaign for Peace Education Japan (GCPEJ)cooperating with a consortium of other national organizations invested in furthering peace education in Japan including the Society for Building a Culture of Peace.
2010: Fundación Escuelas de Paz. Cartagena, Colombia
Theme: “Learning to Read the World from Multiple Perspectives: Peace Education toward Diversity and Inclusion”
Co-organized by the National Peace Academy (home of the IIPE secretariat) and Fundación Escuelas de Paz in partnership with the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and Development (AECID), the Colombian National Ministry of Education, Fundación Plan, UNICEF Colombia, and the Biosophical Institute.
2009: EJBO Foundation. Budapest, Hungary
Theme: “Human Rights Learning as Peace Education: Pursuing Democracy in a Time of Crisis”
Co-sponsored by: the EJBO Foundation with the support and sponsorship of UNESCO, the Center for Nonviolence and Democratic Education of The University of Toledo, Ohio and the Biosophical Institute. Plenary Session Recordings
2008: University of Haifa. Haifa, Israel
Theme: “Critical Pedagogy: Educating for Justice and Peace”
Co-sponsored by: the Jewish-Arab Center and the Center for Research on Peace Education (CERPE) of the University of Haifa and the Center of Critical Pedagogy of Kibbutzim College of Education.
2007: Baketik. Arantzazu, Spain (Basque Country)
Theme: “Identity, Interdependence & Nonviolent Transformations ”
IIPE 2007 Theme Background Paper
IIPE 2007 Outcomes & General Conclusions
2006: University for Peace. San Jose, Costa Rica
Theme: “Towards a Planetary Ethic: Shared and Individual Responsibility”
2005: Femme-Art-Méditerranée (FAM Network). Rhodes, Greece
Theme: “E=MC 2: Education = Movement for Constructive Change (educating for peace through the arts)”
2004: Sabanci University. Istanbul, Turkey
Theme: “Human Security: Building a Culture of Peace”
IIPE 2004 Report (includes program) Sabanci University website
2003: Asia Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU). Seoul, South Korea
Theme: “Educating for Peace in Divided Societies”
IIPE 2003 Flyer APCEIU Website
2002: Miriam College, Quezon City, Philippines
Theme: “Weaving Solidarity Toward a Culture of Peace”
IIPE 2002 Opening Plenary Report
IIPE 2002 Solidarity Statement
2001: Lebanese American University, Byblos, Lebanon
Theme: “A Global Civic Responsibility”
2000: Mahindra World College. Pune, India
Theme:“Education for a Culture of Peace: A Human Security Perspective”
Co-Sponsored by: Ashta No-Kai (women’s literacy and development NGO)
1999: University of Calgary, Alberta & Nakoda Lodge, Morely First Nation, Treaty Seven Territory. Canada
Theme:”Renewing Ancient Wisdoms for the Next Millennium”
Co-Sponsored by: Athabasca University Native Studies; Confederacy of Treaty Six First Nations; Stoney Nation, Morely; Center for International Education and Development, University of Alberta; Institute of Peace & Global Education, University of Alberta; Regional Partnerships of Schools and Colleges, New York; Sustainability Education Centre, New York.
1997 (Aug. 7-14) : University of El Salvador, El Salvador
Theme: “Education for Reconciliation and Reconstruction”
Co-Sponsored by: International Center for Solidarity in San Salvador; Culture of Peace Program, UNESCO.
1997 (May 19-30) : Noordelijke Hogeschool. Leeuwardem, Netherlands
1996: International Christian University. Tokyo, Japan
Theme: “Education for a Culture of Peace”
1995: Kansas City, Missouri
Co-Sponsored by: University of Missouri, Kansas City, and Avila College.
1994: Fordham University. New York, NY
1994 (Aug. 16-21): University of Alberta, Edmonton. Alberta, Canada
Theme: “Uprooting Violence”
1994 (June): Noordelijke Hogeschool. Leeuwardem, Netherlands
1993 (July 25-31) : University of Hawaii. Honolulu, Hawaii
Theme: “Education for Diversity and Democracy: Ethnicity and World Community”
Co-Sponsored by: University of Hawaii, Matsunaga Institute
1993 (June 23-30) : Noordelijke Hogeschool. Leeuwardem, Netherlands
Theme: “Education for Diversity and Democracy: Ethnicity and World Community”
1992: Tokyo, Japan
Theme: “Peace Education: A Global Movement”
1991: University of Oregon
1989 (November): Earlham College, School of Religion. Richmond, VA
1989 (September): Union Theological Seminary. New York, NY
1989 (July 23-29): Teachers College, New York
Theme: “Education for Global Responsibility”
1989 (April): Chapman College, Orange, California
1989 (Jan. 13-15): University of S. Florida, Tampa, Florida
Theme: “Issues of Race and Ethnicity in our Schools”
Co-Sponsored by: Suncoast Area Teacher Training Honors Program at the University of S. Florida.
1988 (Dec. 3-7): Sibol ng Kapayapaan at Kalinangan. Manila, Philippines
Theme: “Emerging Approaches to Peace and Development”
Co-Sponsored by: The World Council on Curriculum and Instruction, WCCI Philippines Chapter; and Notre Dame University
1988 (July 4-9): The University of Alberta, Edmonton. Canada
Theme: “Peace Education: Now and for the Next Generation”
Co-Sponsored by: The faculty of Education, University of Alberta; Alberta Teachers Association
1988 (June 3-5): Teachers College, New York
Theme: “The Earth in Crisis: the Ecology of Peace”
Co-Sponsored by: The United Ministries in Education; the Environment and Conservation Education Program of New York University; the Consortium on Peace Research, Education and Development; the International Council on Adult Education; Global Education Associates; and Educators for Social Responsibility NY Metro.
1988 (January 15-17): Eckerd College, St. Petersburg, Florida
Theme: “Human Rights Inquiry”
Co-Sponsored by: The Eckerd College Education Program and Suncoast Area Teacher Training Program (USF)
1987: University of California, Irvine
1986: United Nations University, Tokyo, Japan
Theme: “The International Consultation on Peace Studies in Higher Education”
1985: Manhattan College, New York
Theme: “Dimensions and Practice of Peace Education”
1984: Florida
1983: Teachers College, New York
Theme: “Perspectives on Peace”
Co-Sponsored by: The Peace-Making, Militarism and Education Program of United Ministries in Education; the Teachers College Peace Education Concentration; the Teachers College Office of Continuing Education; Auburn Theological Seminary in cooperation with the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction
1982: Teachers College, New York
Co-Sponsored by: The Peace-Making, Militarism and Education Program of United Ministries in Education; the Peace Education Commission of the International Peace Research Association; and the World Council for Curriculum and Instruction