RCE Greater Kuala Lumpur - 2021

Peace and Unity in Diversity Education
Basic Information
Title of project : 
Peace and Unity in Diversity Education
Submitting RCE: 
RCE Greater Kuala Lumpur
Contributing organization(s) : 
The Blue Ribbon Global
UCSI Group SDG Secretariat Office
Malaysian Youth Council
RCE Central Semenanjung
RCE Greater Gombak
RCE Penang
El-Shaddai Refugee Learning Centre
Potato Productions, Singapore
Focal point(s) and affiliation(s)
Name: 
Norani Abu Bakar
Organizational Affiliation: 
DL2GO Global (The Blue Ribbon Global)
E-mail: 
norani.abubakar@DL2GO.org
Name: 
Dr. Ng Oi Leng
Organizational Affiliation: 
El-Shaddai Refugee Learning Centre
E-mail: 
drngol@ecb.org.my
Name: 
Megala Chandran
Organizational Affiliation: 
UCSI University (Student Affairs and Alumni)
E-mail: 
megala@ucsiuniversity.edu.my
Format of project: 
Manuscript, PowerPoint, Video
Language of project: 
English and Malay
Date of submission:
Thursday, October 14, 2021
Web link: 
https://blueribbonglobal.wordpress.com/
Additional resources: 
Malaysian Youth Council: https://belia.org.my/wp/2021/05/08/online-peace-and-unity-in-diversity-education-opude/
UCSI: https://www.ucsigroup.com.my/sites/default/files/sdg_month_proposal_peace_unity_youth_virtual_gathering_june_2021.pdf
UCSI College: https://www.ucsicollege.edu.my/sites/default/files/ucsiwings-vol5.pdf
The Blue Ribbon Global: https://www.facebook.com/blueribbonglobal/posts/4270171783100619
TBR - APPGM-SDG news: https://www.facebook.com/blueribbonglobal/posts/4317986814985782
Does this project link to any education and/or sustainable development policy or policies?: 
Yes
National Security Policy
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Constitution of Malaysia - Article 153 Basic Rights
At what level is the policy operating?: 
National
Geographical & Education Information
Region: 
Asia-Pacific
Country: 
Malaysia
Location(s): 
Greater Kuala Lumpur
Address of focal point institution for project: 
UCSI Group, Jalan Puncak Menara Gading,Taman Connaught, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur
Ecosystem(s):
Urban/Peri-urban
Target Audience:
Community, Higher, Secondary, Youth (Informal)
Forced migrants
Socioeconomic and environmental characteristics of the area : 
Greater Kuala Lumpur (GKL) is a unique multicultural Asian hodgepodge of a rich cultural experience and access to diverse urban dwellers, i.e. different ethnicity, religion, nationality, and educational and socio-economics.
Description of sustainable development challenge(s) in the area the project addresses: 
International Organization for Migration reported that at the end of 2018, there were almost 2 to 4 million undocumented migrant workers in Malaysia (2020). Many self-settled in big cities such as GKL. While the relations among multicultural Malaysians have been rather stable over the many decades, the influx of the Malaysians and non-Malaysians to these cities, especially with the high number of undocumented persons, imposed a great threat to this county's national security and harmony. The country's hospitality culture that is not well supported with a strong institution and accessibility of education for all especially for migrant youths, and the non-existing of a sound peace and unity education, may lead this country to an unanticipated state of instability. Effective social integration programs and meaningful engagement among its diverse population and vulnerable groups are truly needed to prevent xenophobia and socio-economic instability to escalate. One great opportunity lies within this problem, and that is the enormous strengths waiting to be leveraged from this socially rich heritage of GKL super-diverse residents.
Contents
Status: 
Ongoing
Period: 
September, 2013 to September, 2030
Rationale: 
This Peace and Unity in Diversity Education (PUDE) was developed by The Blue Ribbon Global (TBR) in 2013 to foster unity in Malaysia in conjunction with Malaysia Day 50 Year celebration. The program is designed to facilitate deeper conversation and critical thinking among youths that are interested to lead and partner with their peers in fostering greater relations, and a peaceful and united community. It revolves around building harmonious life through peace within oneself (Person), peace with the community (People), and peace with the environment (Planet) or PEACE3Ps. It also advocates education that transforms life holistically and was conceptualized to close the gaps in diverse communities and to connect citizens irrespective of culture, religion, and nationalities.
Objectives: 
The program thrives for the transformation of the Head, Heart and Hands by 'Connecting' youths of diverse backgrounds, facilitating deep 'Conversation', and engaging them in collective 'Contribution' to the community. Cognitively, the learning outcomes are: 1) understanding one’s own identity, strengths, and weaknesses, 2) understanding diversity, the strengths and the challenges of living in a diverse community, 3) appreciating equality, inclusivity, and non-violence reconciliation 4) awareness of various ways for building harmony with people and the environment. Its Training of Facilitator and continuous training programs support a continuous relationship and capacity buildings, bonding, and leadership development among these youths - working towards a common goal - holistic and abundant life that leaves no one behind.
Activities and/or practices employed: 
This program consists of 3 continuous learning processes: (1) indoor/online active and experiential learning, with an option between 15 hours workshop or 1-year module (2i) fostering network and relationship building among the new members by co-facilitating workshop/training (2ii) enhancing capacity and bonding by attending other relevant training together (3) training new facilitators (local and regional) and gradually grow to be a trainer and program coordinator. The latter is responsible to revise curriculum content, including the incorporation of UNESCO's ESD learning objectives for SDGs. The learning-teaching content integrates active and experiential learning methodology designed to facilitate critical reflection based on the workshop activities and own life journey. Training is run via Zoom platform or physically. The workshop also facilitates IT learning by integrating various Zoom functions, Kahoot, Google Form, Facebook, and Google Classroom during the workshop and participants' self-directed learning.
Size of academic audience: 
2000+
Results: 
PUDE was hosted in GKL in 2017 by El-Shaddai Refugee Learning Centre. In 2018, UCSI Group began to host the program. This curriculum has brought every walks of life to one common learning ground and enriched the locals' social integration. In GKL, migrant youths from almost 10 refugee communities and learning centers have attended PUDE 15-hour workshop or 1-year module. In 2020, UCSI Unversity published PUDE first edition student handbook. In the same year, the module content was submitted to the Department of National Unity and was adopted by Malaysian Youth Council, RCE Central Semenanjung, and RCE Greater Gombak. Their youths and students are now co-facilitating this program for high school-aged teens. The module was also presented as a Case Study to the members of the parliament, UNDP and grassroots leader.
Lessons learned: 
PUDE program hosts reported on the significant transformation of youth participants' perception and behavior towards others, especially when the session was intentionally organized with diverse backgrounds of youth participants. Some reported that the teaching-learning content is so inclusive and well developed that anyone of different generations, nationalities, ethnicities, etc. can relate well to all of the teaching-learning content. The challenge when organizing the physical training at a specific location was its homogenous population that directly led to the same demographic pattern of the workshop participants. COVID 19 shifted the training to an online platform and this creates an opportunity to recruit participants of diverse backgrounds, including youths from the region. This added value to the program as most youths are often appreciative to meet and learn from their diverse background peers, local and global.
Key messages: 
Providing accessible peace education that can facilitate the transformation of life holistically, instill positive values, minimize cross-cultural gaps and connect citizens irrespective of culture, religion, and nationalities is fundamental for creating an abundant life today and a sustainable tomorrow. This PUDE program thrives to achieve this. However, more changes are still needed and the effort can only be upscaled through collective effort. Together we shape the future!
Relationship to other RCE activities: 
RCE Central Semenanjung - Community Care
RCE Greater Gombak - Sejahtera Centre
Funding: 
The project is financially supported mainly through training fees, funds raised through corporate, individual donations and in-kind contributions, e.g. Zoom host and training space.

Pictures:

File Name Caption for picture Photo Credit
Youth Peace and Unity Partnership Inauguration Malaysian Youth Council
Image icon OPUDE May2021.jpg (108.05 KB) Online Peace and Unity in Diversity Education Workshop May 2021 Ivonne Setiawati
References and reference materials: 
PDF icon TBR RCE GKL OPUDE Program 2021.pdf
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
(https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/sdgs) and other themes of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD)
SDG 1 - End poverty in all its forms everywhere 
Indirect
SDG 2 - End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition, and promote sustainable agriculture 
Indirect
SDG 4 - Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all 
Direct
SDG 5 - Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls 
Direct
SDG 8 - Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment, and decent work for all 
Indirect
SDG 9 - Build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation, and foster innovation 
Direct
SDG 10 - Reduce inequality within and among countries 
Indirect
SDG 11 - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable 
Indirect
SDG 12 - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns 
Indirect
SDG 13 - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts 
Direct
SDG 14 - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development 
Indirect
SDG 15 - Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification and halt and reverse land degradation, and halt biodiversity loss 
Indirect
SDG 16 - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels 
Direct
SDG 17 - Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalise the global partnership for sustainable development 
Direct
Theme
Agriculture 
Direct
Arts 
Indirect
Curriculum Development 
Direct
Forests/Trees 
Indirect
Plants & Animals 
Indirect
Waste 
Indirect
ESD for 2030-Priority Action Areas
Priority Action Area 1 - Advancing policy 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 2 - Transforming learning and training environments 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 3 - Developing capacities of educators and trainers 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 4 - Mobilizing youth 
state: 
Direct
Priority Action Area 5 - Accelerating sustainable solutions at local level 
state: 
Direct
Update: 
No
I acknowledge the above: 
Yes