Working towards peace

Marking 100 years since the end of the First World War

11 November 2018 marks the 100th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended the First World War.

The British Council is exploring themes of conflict, international friendship and cooperation from 21 September (International Day of Peace) to 11 November (Armistice Day).

Discover more about how the British Council is helping promote friendly knowledge and understanding, peace and stability.

Arts as a tool for understanding

They Shall Not Grow Old: the reality of the First World War

They Shall Not Grow Old is a new film by award-winning film director, Peter Jackson, which has been co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW and the Imperial War Museums in association with BBC.

Jackson’s brilliant eye and personal fascination with the era give contemporary audiences an up-close view of the Great War in sharp focus and intense detail.

Created from archive audio and film footage, Jackson has used cutting edge technology to bring to life original black and white material, showing the reality of war on the front line.

To engage young minds in the human experience of war, the British Council has worked with 14-18 NOW's Learning Team to develop an educational resource. The resource, inspired by Jackson’s film, aims to provide students from the UK and beyond with a unique perspective of conflict.

Documents at the Jamaica National Archive where stories and accounts of soldiers are housed.

Documents at the Jamaica National Archive where stories and accounts of soldiers are housed.

Unwritten Poems: Uncovering Caribbean experiences of WW1

Britain’s First World War poets changed the way we view military conflict and had a deep impact on the national psyche. Yet the stories of the 15,600 volunteers who signed up to the British West Indies Regiment remain largely unknown.

What does it mean to fight for a ‘mother country’ that refuses to accept you as one of its own?

This collaborative project is co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW – WW1 Centenary Art Commissions, BBC Contains Strong Language and the British Council. 
Filmed and edited by Kirstie Henderson at Brave Day Production.

Image credit: Sophie Herxheimer

West Indies soldiers fighting during the Battle of the Somme Image credit: © IWM

West Indies soldiers fighting during the Battle of the Somme
Image credit: © IWM

By asking poets from the Caribbean and the Caribbean diaspora to respond to the Caribbean’s engagement in the First World War, Unwritten Poems confronts what it means to be made invisible within a larger memory of that event.

The poems are collected together in the anthology Unwritten: Caribbean Poems After the First World War (Nine Arches Press, 2018).

Learning from the past for a better future

Throughout 2018, the British Council has been sharing learning and experience of conflict and peacebuilding, as well as approaches to remembrance and artistic reflections on war.

This gives us the opportunity to reflect on how contemporary conflict could be addressed and the role cultural relations can play in building sustainable peace in environments emerging from conflict.

Acknowledging our role

The UN has also renewed its commitment to peace with its ‘Sustaining Peace’ agenda, placing greater emphasis on conflict prevention and its root causes.

We understand the global importance of the SDGs, the impact our work will make to their delivery, and the wider role that we have to play in their implementation.Image credit: MariaGershuni, from Wikimedia Commons


We understand the global importance of the SDGs, the impact our work will make to their delivery, and the wider role that we have to play in their implementation.

Image credit: MariaGershuni, from Wikimedia Commons

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which came into force in 2016, continue to provide a guiding framework for peacebuilding, with Goal 16 in particular focusing on peace, justice and strong institutions.

A new study will be released this year on the impact of British Council contributions towards SDG16.

Image credit: © IWM

Educating young minds

Our cross-curricular classroom resource aims to help 7-14 year olds across the world explore concepts of peace and conflict resolution, better equipping them to succeed in an ever globalised world.

The teacher's resource, Remembering the Battle of the Somme, contains topics and experiences from those across the Commonwealth and educates children on The War.

The lessons and activities, anchored by Peace and Armistice, should help students reflect on The War and how they would handle difficult scenarios in their own lives.

Discussing peace and beyond

Read our publication, a product of the Peace and Beyond conference held in Belfast in April 2018, which brought together academics, policymakers and practitioners in peacebuilding, from more than 20 countries.

Listen to the views from young people living in post-conflict cities.

The new publication includes essays on addressing the absence of women from peace negotiations; what technology and innovation can offer peacebuilders; and the role played by education, arts and culture.

It includes illustrations from Temujen Gunawardena, the visual rapporteur who captured both the content and the spirit of the conference dialogue.

Listening to people's voices

International attitudes towards peace

The Peace Perceptions Poll is a multi-country survey that reveals trends in global attitudes towards peace and responses to conflict.

The findings showed a clear public appetite for an approach to violence that moves beyond crisis response toward long-term conflict prevention.

The research piece showed that people believe Governments should deal with reasons people fight in the first place to help promote peace in their country.

The research piece showed that people believe Governments should deal with reasons people fight in the first place to help promote peace in their country.

In partnership with International Alert, the poll's research aims to contribute to greater public discourse around peace and peacebuilding, as well as to inspire policy makers to respond to public concerns about peace and security, including the prioritisation of addressing the root causes of conflict.

When asked 'What would be most effective in creating long-term peace?', results showed almost 30% of people from across the countries polled felt 'dealing with the reasons why people fight in the first place' as the top solution.

When asked 'What would be most effective in creating long-term peace?', results showed almost 30% of people from across the countries polled felt 'dealing with the reasons why people fight in the first place' as the top solution.

Engaging the next generation

The Next Generation studies series examines how changing social and political landscapes affect the way young people live, how they view their lives now and in the future.

The research projects examine young people’s views around education, employment, and lifestyle, as well as uncovering their hopes and fears for their country and wider world.

The research projects examine young people’s views around education, employment, and lifestyle, as well as uncovering their hopes and fears for their country and wider world.

To mark this season, new research will be published from Colombia, with young people reflecting on the recent peace accord, and a piece from Ireland-Northern Ireland, 20 years after the Good Friday/Belfast Agreement.

Learn more about our work in peacebuilding:

Read our Unwritten Poems piece.

Learn about our work with the Next Generation studies series.

Teachers can download and use our classroom resources on the First World War.