Thursday March 28th, 2024
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Farida Osman and Goethe Institute Combat School Violence

To help keep the fighting out of the schoolyard, the Goethe Institute in Cairo has launched an initiative called ‘Schools Without Violence’, with support from Olympic swimming champion Farida Osman.

Staff Writer

Farida Osman and Goethe Institute Combat School Violence

We've all seen it at one point in our childhood. A circle of chanting students, forming a wall beyond which you cannot see, their cheers drowning out a noise you cannot hear. A teacher rushes to see what's going on, only to find two bruised kids in the middle of a fight. There's an unspoken agreement among the classmates not to divulge the details of the confrontation - who started it, who the real victim was, why it happened at all - so that even if a beaten down boy tries to explain himself, he is just one voice against many, and the teacher is put in the difficult position of having to punish them all uniformly, with no clear path of stopping the violence for good. Or worse - the teacher becomes involved in the violence themselves.


To help keep the fighting out of the schoolyard, the Goethe Institute in Cairo has launched an initiative called ‘Schools Without Violence’, with support from Olympic swimming champion Farida Osman. The initiative provides training courses and workshops for teachers, school administrators, school psychologists and pedagogues to work towards plans for settling conflicts in schools, and creating a peaceful, safe atmosphere for students and staff alike. The programme focuses on instilling several positive values in school environments such as healthy communication, mutual respect and general support amongst peers.


"We are pleased with the support of Olympic champion Farida Othman,” says regional director of the Goethe Institute in the MENA region Susan Höhn. “Undoubtedly, preparing teachers and social workers to adopt innovative methods that enhance dialogue, understanding and mutual respect in schools has become indispensable all over the world."


Osman has recently taken to social media to support the initiative by providing insight via series of videos on social media on following your dreams, and how sports can positively impact other facets of students’ lives, ultimately leading to less violence in schools.