History of School Day of Non-violence and Peace
Llorenç Vidal Vidal, a Spanish poet, educator, and pacifist, felt that schools should be the place where the leaders and citizens of tomorrow are taught about the importance of universal peace and conflict resolution through non-violent means. With this aim in mind, he founded ‘Dia Escolar de la No-violència i la Pau’ or the School Day of Non-violence and Peace on January 30, the death anniversary of the legendary apostle of world peace, Mahatma Gandhi.
Vidal started the day in his hometown of Majorca. He conceptualized the day as a beginning for creating and nurturing an educational ecosystem that facilitates the teachings of non-violence. Over the years, owing largely to his efforts, the day has acquired the status of a pioneering, non-governmental, independent, free, and voluntary initiative to popularize the teachings of “non-violent and pacifying education,” absorbed by educational frameworks across the world.
Today, the day is observed worldwide and is also known by the acronym DENIP, derived from its Spanish name. DENIP is working to create and promote a culture and an ecosystem of education that values non-violence and peace. It propagates universal love over egoism, non-violence over violence, and peace over war.
On this day, schools worldwide organize events and conferences where educators, teachers, and students at all levels are invited to participate and freely discuss how to create a non-violent, peaceful and just society. These engagements advocate providing students with the education to appreciate and promote the importance of peaceful coexistence, tolerance of different points of view, solidarity, and respect for human rights and non-violence.
