PENN

PENN was established by an inclusive team of 20 Educators, Institutional Heads, Retired Government Officials, Civil Society Leaders and fresh University Graduates (youth) longing to serve in promotion of Peace Education for management and restoration of sustainable Peace in the post Armed Conflict era of Nepal after the Comprehensive Peace Agreement 2006 and before the promulgation of New Constitution in 2015.

Peace Education Network-Nepal (PENN) is a pioneer organization that began as a loose network started by the 20-member team that had been formed for Peace Building in Nepal from the International Day of Peace, September 21, 2009 and chaired by Chintamani Nath Yogi, Ph.D. The 20-member team sat down for a formal meeting on 2066 Chaitra 05 (March 18, 2010) at CPS College, Kumaripati, Lalitpur-5, Nepal in order to give the loose network a shape of a Non-Governmental Organization (not for profit charitable organization) and making an inclusive constitution for the organization that could bring individuals, institutions, organizations, and charitable connectivity forums working for Peace in Nepal and the SAARC region under one umbrella. The meeting suggested the name of Mr. B.N. Sharma (Acharya) to lead the Organization as the President of both the Ad-hoc Committee as well as the first Executive Committee. PENN was duly registered with the government as a  ‘not for profit’ organization on 2067BS.03.27 (July 11, 2010) with a major objective to bring motivated youth and experts under one umbrella for building peace. PENN has contributed resources and effort to the government in construction of the national curriculum for peace in Social Studies and led and convened activities in peace in school education and community leadership forums thereafter. PENN members collaborate closely with GOs and I/NGOs working for sustainable Peace and Development in Nepal.

We serve our members:

• Recognition of committed schools and persons on PEACE and NON-VIOLENCE by Certification.
• High-quality educational professionals and peace education specialists in school: building capacity of Principals and Teachers on Peace, Child Rights, Peace Pedagogy, Transformative Pedagogy, Civic Education, and Global Citizenship Education.
• Participative & Virtual Trainings on Conflict Management skills to Youth, Principals, Parents and School Management Committee members.
• Professional support in establishing Peace Clubs and building leadership in students in order to lead peace initiatives in schools and communities.
• Presentation of a Peace Award to selected individuals/institutions/organizations on International Peace Day, awarding members for their contribution in Education.
• Networking opportunities connecting schools, children, and youth nationally and internationally and PENN members with other national and international organizations.
• Sustainable partnership programs between public and private Organizations working nationally and internationally in Education, Sports and Health sector.
• Free-ship/scholarship and education support to victims of natural calamities and the underprivileged.
• Training of leaders of the community for the development of peace and harmony.
• Working digitally throughout our network and sister associations.

Our journey:

PENN, in the initial days, networked with GOs, INGOs, and Private Schools for capacity building, seminars/workshops, conventions and policy making. PENN trained youth and educators in skills for Peace building. We also have special programs to celebrate International Peace Day and UN Day. During the days of Covid lockdowns, we networked with our members virtually and kept our mission moving ahead with International Youth Summits and training to school children.

Presently, we have been performing the following activities throughout our calendar year:

1. Updating PENN Education support schemes for underprivileged children especially, girls in public schools. We look for sponsors who are motivated to help children each year until they complete their school education. At present, there are 27 children being educated under this scheme. 
2. We publish a PENN Resource Book (previously PENN Bulletin) the latest is volume VI created 2025 September 21 – International Peace Day. The Resource Book has become a digital publication after the Covid-19 era and is published every alternative year.
3. We bring school children and teachers together for notable peace activities each year during the International Peace Day celebrations on September 21.
4. We train member school teachers and parents at schools on the basis of the need finding.
5. On September 21, International Day for Peace, we award dedicated and motivated Peace Activist(s) who have worked incessantly for Peace Building in Nepal for more than a decade with National Peace Education Award. This was begun in 2019 and we have awarded 3 such National Personalities (Late Assoc. Prof. Dambar Bir Thapa, Chintamani Nath Yogi, Ph.D. and Mrs. Stella Tamang) and this year – 2024, we have awarded the 4th recipient (Ret’d. Lt. Gen. Bala Nanda Sharma). At the same time, every year on September 21, we update our national baseline data on the roster of Peace Activists.
6. From early 2024, we have collaborated with UNESCO Kathmandu and UNESCO Chair at Kathmandu University School of Education (KUSOED) for training a 3-credit course in Peace Education through our Master Training of Trainers (MToT). In the first cohort, we had 21 educators. After 48+ hours of rigorous training, the Master Trainers were graduated and certified and together, will publish a Training Manual. They will then begin training other teachers at their base schools or organizations from early 2025. By the end of 2025, we will have produced the 2nd and 3rd cohort of trainers to embark on the journey of trainings in ‘Peace and Sustainable Development’ with a team of 71 trainers.
7. In 2024, we started a Permanent Endowment Fund Account termed as “PENN Akchhaya Kosh” in Nepali in which contributions of Peace Lovers and Institutions working for Peace can contribute for noble cause of peace building and promotion of Peace Education in Nepal. The amount saved under it is: Rs1,25,000/-. The target of increment in this fund is to reach NRs300,000/- by July 2025. The 13th Annual General Meeting decided that all Life Membership fees must be placed under Permanent Endowment Fund.  This fund has been used for administrative renewal of the organization and National Peace Award every year. We look forward to strengthen this Fund by bringing contributions from generous donors who are then offered Honorary Membership of PENN.  

Our coalition project:

From December 10, 2024, we have begun collaboration and networking with other I/NGOs and universities in Nepal and abroad for trainings in ‘Peace Education and Social Emotional Learning and Leadership’. We have signed a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with EQ4Peace Inc. USA and World Without Anger (WWA), Nepal. We have plans of working in collaboration with the Ministry of Education/GoN and UNESCO Nepal in order to integrate Peace Education and Emotional Education with multi-disciplinary approach in the national education system in Nepal. Our new Project is named – PESEL Project-Nepal (Peace Education and Social Emotional Learning Project-Nepal). We envisage working with Organizations in South Asia and South East Asia Region for promotion of Peace Education and Social Emotional Learning for Educational Transformation in order to achieve Global Citizenship Education.