Peace Cell Project (PCP) runs peace education and ecology programs for children and young people in Iraq, a country long affected by conflict, as a joint effort between Japan and Iraq. Its motto is "Stop conflicts through books and theater," and its work is based in Duhok in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.
The organization grew out of the experience of a member who has carried out humanitarian aid in Iraq since 2003. Convinced that breaking the cycle of revenge requires a new kind of peace education built on respect for diversity, the founders drew on the potential of theater workshops they encountered in Japan, and specialists in education, reading and the environment came together to start the project.
Its work centers on reading campaigns such as school libraries, a mobile library, picture-book and kamishibai production and storytelling; communication and theater workshops for children; and ecology programs including clean-ups and awareness-raising. In Japan it also holds "Tankyu Fes," which covers topics such as modern history and philosophical dialogue.
Key points
- Peace education that nurtures children's imagination and empathy through picture books, storytelling and theater
- Aims to spread its "Duhok Model" across the whole of Iraq
- Several ways to take part, including monthly supporters called "Saibo-san," volunteering and internships
Why this organization's work stands out
It is striking that the group tackles the hard challenge of preventing conflict through dialogue, not force, using familiar forms of expression such as picture books and theater. Choosing Duhok as its base, a place home to Syrian refugees, internally displaced people and former child soldiers, also reflects its thinking.
Annual financial reports and the articles of association are published on the official website, which makes it easy to learn about its activities and management when considering support.
Editor's comment
I felt warmth in the idea of making peace less distant by nurturing it from places where children can meet books and stories.
You can see the activities and interviews with supporters on the official website. Please take a look.