Influence of peace clubs on peaceful coexistence among students in public universities:A case of the University of Nairobi

Abstract

Peace clubs are a student initiative whose aim is to create a responsible and young generation through a culture of dialogue. Peace clubs are student based organizations. The clubs aim at creating a peaceful and harmonious academic environment where students of diverse backgrounds live inter dependently. Peace clubs’ work is based on the objectives and principles of peace education and these clubs have been found to be useful as an instrument for conflict resolution. This is because Peace Education is a process used to change attitudes and behaviour by teaching skills that equip youths with the ability to use non-violent approaches when dealing with conflict. Our study will determine the influence of adoption of peace clubs on peaceful coexistence among students in public universities by looking at peace club activities, composition of peace clubs, training and funding of peace activities. This study will use descriptive survey design. The target population of this study consists of members from 4 peace clubs at the University of Nairobi. Data will be collected by means of interviews and administering of questionnaires and data will be analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Science. Among the major findings of the study were that most clubs are not funded despite the fact that they promote peacefully coexistent. The study suggests that s Universities should adopt a holistic and integral approach in promoting peaceful co-existence by encouraging peace clubs to engage their members and other students in meaningful activities such as dramatization, miming, singing, poetry, projects and exchanges to heighten local, national and global awareness of individual, cultural and religious differences. The more students are exposed to activities that promote positive images of other people’s culture, religion, uniqueness, social identity etc, the less they are likely to find faults with one another and the more they are able to live and work together for the benefits of mankind and for the good of the society