Peace education as a peacebuilding tool in the Western Sahara region

Abstract

Peacebuilding is a profound challenge in societies that experience decades-long protracted conflict. The Western Sahara Conflict is considered such a profound peacebuilding challenge. Located in the Maghreb region on the North-West coast of Africa, the Western Sahara is considered the Most Inaccessible Place on Earth, the Least Economically Integrated Region on Earth, and the Last Colonised Place on Earth. The conflict is known as Africa’s Longest Conflict, Africa’s Forgotten Conflict, and the World’s Oldest Conflict, and Western Sahara as the Most Heavily-Mined Place on Earth which has produced the Most Protracted Refugee Situation Worldwide. The Western Sahara has a long history of violent conflict. In 1991, Morocco and the Polisario agreed to a UN-brokered ceasefire for a future self-determination referendum, which has yet to take place. Morocco rejects a vote including independence as an option, considering Western Sahara integral to the kingdom. The ceasefire was broken in late 2020, resuming violent conflict. For 48 years, from 1975 to 2023, all peacebuilding efforts have failed. This protracted conflict has divided communities along a "berm," the second-largest man-made defensive barrier in history, leading to polarization, animosity, and negative attitudes between the groups. This study employs an action research approach and peace education as a key tool to implement a peacebuilding intervention in Laayoune, Western Sahara. The interdisciplinary methodology seeks to understand the complexities of relationships between Moroccans and Sahrawis in the region. Research findings show that peace education workshops effectively promote reconciliation and peacebuilding by providing a safe space for dialogue, fostering mutual understanding and empathy among participants, and facilitating transformative changes in relationships, trust, and cooperation, while also contributing to personal growth and development among participants. This study makes significant contributions to the field of peacebuilding by highlighting the often-overlooked effectiveness of peace education as an intervention in the Western Sahara Conflict and emphasizing the vital role of action research in ensuring the sustainability of peacebuilding efforts.