[Korean Man Hee Lee's Peace Story | Peace Education – Rwanda] MOUs Signed with 7 Schools… Education Officials Moved by and Inspired to Adopt the Philippine Case

[Korean Man Hee Lee's Peace Story | Peace Education – Rwanda] 

MOUs Signed with 7 Schools… Education Officials Moved by and 

Inspired to Adopt the Philippine Case

▎ A Seed of Peace Blossoms in Rwanda: The Story of HWPL Peace Education

Rwanda—a country of stunning natural beauty and a deep, painful history—is experiencing a remarkable transformation. On the grounds where gunfire and hatred once echoed, a flower named peace is now blooming. At the heart of this change is HWPL (Heavenly Culture, World Peace, Restoration of Light), a global peace NGO, and its unique peace education program.

▎ From the Philippines to Rwanda: A Wave of Peace

In September 2020, Rwandan educators participated in the HWPL Peace Education Development Forum held online. The forum was focused on the case of the Philippines, a country that endured over 40 years of conflict but is now fostering peace through HWPL peace education. Education leaders from Indonesia, Nepal, and Bangladesh also joined.

Rwandan representatives—principals and teachers from local schools—were deeply moved by the Philippine experience. Having lived through their own national tragedy, they resonated strongly with the message and potential of peace education.

▎ Peace Education Takes Root in Rwanda

By December 2023, seven schools in Rwanda had signed MOUs with HWPL to implement peace education:

▪️  Groupe Scolaire Gihunde

▪️  Kicukiro Apade School

▪️  Groupe Scolaire Marie Reine Rwaza

▪️  Groupe Scolaire Sayabagarura

▪️  Lead Hill School

▪️  Iriba Academy

▪️  GS Gisoozi One School

Among them, GS Gisoozi One School held a pilot class in June 2021 using Lesson 1 of the HWPL Peace Curriculum. The focus was on “diversity, harmony, and coexistence,” helping students recognize the peaceful order in nature and reflect on how different elements live together in balance.

“What kind of bowl is the most useful in our lives?” the teacher asked. Students examined various bowls and realized that all have their unique uses regardless of shape. The key lesson: every being has value, and we must live together in harmony and respect.

▎ Nurturing Peace Citizens

HWPL’s peace education is not just informative—it is transformational. Before the lesson on “Why do we need laws?” students gave general answers like “for safety.” After the class, their responses evolved into more nuanced understandings: “To guarantee safety, maintain social order, and protect citizens’ rights.”

Regarding the concept of a “peace citizen,” students initially believed that simply understanding peace was enough. But after the course, they offered deeper insights: “Peace citizens become messengers of peace who prevent armed conflicts and act as leaders to resolve disputes through peaceful means.”

▎ Teachers Learn and Change Too

Peace education has had a powerful impact on teachers as well. One said, “Peace citizens play a role in preventing wars through nonviolent solutions and become leaders in resolving conflicts.” Another teacher highlighted that peacebuilders must confront difficult political issues through dialogue and negotiation.

Others emphasized international legal principles. One teacher referenced the UN Charter: “Any disputes that may threaten peace must be resolved through peaceful means, based on justice and international law. One of the UN’s key goals is to maintain peace and security through the rule of law.”

▎ From Tragedy to Hope

Rwanda’s history includes one of the most tragic genocides in modern history, where ethnic tensions between the Hutu and Tutsi resulted in over 500,000 deaths in the 1990s. Today, however, a different story is being written—one of reconciliation, understanding, and education for peace.

HWPL peace education is more than a curriculum; it is a message of healing and hope, one that empowers both students and teachers to become agents of peace.

Peace isn’t something far away—it begins with each of us. Rwanda’s journey reminds us that even the most wounded places can become gardens of peace. How can we start planting peace in our own lives today?

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