Heritage

Contentsassessment points for peace education based on heritage81tp Teaching practicef The children know about important historical issues and heritage in their region.They are capable of linking facts about the past to present and future issues.Madonna and St Julien are two primary schools located in the centre of ‘Flanders Fields’ 8 ,Belgium. Due to their close proximity, it was inevitable that both schools wouldwork on projects dealing with First World War heritage. Passing on knowledge aboutheritage to future generations was the main objective. As a result, the children startedguided tours for adults and children from different schools, and shared the knowledgethey had gained on heritage.Both schools want to remember the First World War in the context of ‘Peace Wakes’.Information remains important, but facts about the past are linked to present andfuture issues (e.g. refugees, the use of chemical weapons).Both schools use exchange programmes to develop their peace project. Students ofthe schools share their knowledge of the past relative to their own environment withWalloon peers during in situ visits to their immediate environment. In a second phaseof the peace project, their experiences will be extended to contemporary conflict.I think it is important to remember wars, but not toremember victory. You should remember how warshave brought destruction, and feel sorry for the bravepeople who died.Hugo, England, 12Caution with re-enactmentpa Pedagogical approachIf empathy leads to identification and/or re-enactment (acting out historical situationsand events), caution is called for. In re-enactments, a particular event or actionis often isolated from its context. As a result, it is likely that various aspects or goals8 ‘Flanders Fields’ is a common English denomination of the First World War battlefields in the province ofWest Flanders, Belgium.