Peace is Not a State of Being, But a Mission

It takes a certain amount of courage to publish an issue on peace and peace education in times like these. I have no power to change world events or to stop wars, persecution, or imperialism. But if, after reading our articles on peace, we can find something that gives us hope or helps push this sense of powerlessness aside a little, it is the realization that we can start small—where we, as citizens and human beings, have influence. Namely, in the situations where we can take action: in the family, at school, at work, on the bus, in our neighborhood.

There is a theory that Waldorf education is a form of peace education. At first glance, that sounds very noble and sacred, but what immediately comes to mind are all the cases of violence, abuse, and bullying that have occurred—or are still occurring—at Waldorf schools, or the bitter anger with which families have left Waldorf schools after bitter disputes. So this «peace education» can’t be all it’s cracked up to be, can it? However, if we assume here as well that peace education does not in and of itself ensure peace, but rather strives for a peaceful state, then we can very well embrace this idea.

High school senior Lieve Quentin explored the topic of peace for her senior thesis. Frank de Vries describes Rudolf Steiner’s concept of peace and how it specifically led to ideas about social transformation in the form of the threefold social order. Ann-Katrin Neundorf reports on conflict resolution and how students can learn it, using the Waldorf School Kräherwald in Stuttgart as an example. Klara Lonnemann spoke with two former Waldorf students and one current Waldorf student for whom peace and their work in the German Armed Forces are not a contradiction, but rather a logical fit. And Xandra Fritz describes her thoughts and feelings as the mother of a Waldorf student who wants to join the army after graduation.

I would also like to draw your attention to the article by student Juri Kirstein on the revival of twelfth-grade projects at his school, to Sibylla Hesse’s piece on her history classes in the classroom, and to Dorothee Raiser’s article on the ritual practice that seems to exist at only a few schools these days.

I hope you enjoy reading this, and shalom, salam, and peace.