“International Friends for Peace 2024”: Stop Violence and Bullying in Schools 

Chulalongkorn University organized the “Opening of International Friends for Peace 2024,” or the 3rd event for the project to stop violence and bullying in schools, on April 4, 2024, at CU Innovation Hub, Visid Prachuabmoh Building, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pannee Cheewinsiriwat, Chulalongkorn’s Assistant Vice President for Research Affairs, gave an opening speech.  

“International Friends for Peace 2024” is a collaboration between Chulalongkorn University and Globish Academia (Thailand) English language institute, an educational start-up from CU Innovation Hub.  The event took shape after receiving a positive reception of the first two events held for the project to end violence and bullying in schools. Targeting 7^th-10^th grade students, the project intends to raise awareness of the problems and come up with methods to prevent violence in schools.  

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pannee Cheewinsiriwat emphasized the importance of providing youth a platform to share their opinions and ways to solve the problems of violence in schools and communities. The International Friends for Peace aims for youth to learn from the experiences of international speakers before applying the knowledge to create innovation for their society.  

One interesting topic in this event was Social Sustainability. On this, Ms. Ruttanawadee Kiatisimkul, Director of Corporate Governance, Haad Thip PCL. (Bangkok), one of the project’s sponsors, who gave a talk on the way to do business that respects others and the inspiration for supporting the International Friends for Peace.  

 Then, Asst. Prof. Dr. Chanisa Tantixalerm, from the Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, and Mr. Thiraput Tippayarat, from Globish Academia (Thailand), presented on The Unexpected Impact of “Generation Gap” and the Importance of Achieving Inclusive Society. Apart from showing new perspectives on the unexpected outcomes of the generation gap, the talk suggested that an inclusive society is an appropriate solution to the problem. The generation gap is a phenomenon arising from differences in values, attitudes, and experiences between age groups, which can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts in many aspects of life, whether in families, workplaces, or society at large. However, an unexpected impact of the generation gap is the opportunity to learn and grow together. When differences are accepted and respected, society can creatively innovate and find new approaches to problem-solving. An emphasis on the importance of an inclusive society  

An inclusive society emphasizes leaving no one behind and enabling everyone to live together happily. Creating such a society is essential for preventing and addressing issues like bullying, especially among children with special needs or learning disabilities (LD) who are often bullied or not accepted by society. 

Promoting leadership among youth and being peace leaders can create inspiration and experiences that will help children see the long-term impact and desire to see change in society. This year’s focus on the generation gap underscores the importance of building intergenerational understanding and promoting an inclusive society, highlighting the significance of accepting diversity and understanding different mindsets, thus leading to mutual learning and growth. 

In the “International Friends for Peace 2024,” representatives of last year’s winners presented the application of design thinking and the “Problem Tree,” which was designed to help parents and children understand and effectively handle cyberbullying, and can lessen the generation gap.    

Additionally, the concept of creating “Safe Zones” on the internet was presented.  This will allow children to spend quality and safe time online free from bullying. This has directly led to the development of a mobile application called “Made Safe Space.” This app offers new ways to manage limited online time by creating spaces where children can explore, learn, and communicate with others without facing the risk of bullying. 

The “Opening of International Friends for Peace 2024” reflects Chulalongkorn University’s commitment to stopping violence among youth. However, it also allows youth to participate and become leaders in creating peace and understanding in society through cultural exchange, learning, and innovation. Towards this end, cooperation from all related parties is needed.  

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