Dawson College is located on the traditional unceded territory of the Kanien’kehá:ka. This land has also served as a gathering place for Abenaki, Anishinaabe, and other nations. As uninvited guests, it is our responsibility to honour the stewards of this land by educating ourselves about the histories and contemporary realities of First Peoples, and by contributing to the critical work of reconciliation and decolonization.
In the aftermath of the 2006 shooting at Dawson College, staff, students, and faculty expressed a desire to prevail against violence through nonviolence and education. Rather than hire more security or arm the security on campus or purchase metal detectors we built a 22,000-square-foot peace garden on the campus grounds, launched a large-scale conference on nonviolence and education, and created and staffed the Dawson College Peace Centre. The Dawson College Peace Centre offers yearly extra-curricular programming, often open to the broader public, free of cost. Our staff also works with faculty teaching in the Peace Studies Certificate to provide administrative resources like grant writing and management, professional development opportunities, and much more.
Dawson College has an abiding commitment to peace, both in action and education. This commitment is discernible through the Peace Studies Certificate and the various projects, events, and activities organized and/or co-sponsored by the Dawson College Peace Centre. The Centre is dedicated to the practical application of peace in our everyday world. Its central pedagogical tenet is using collaborative community project-based initiatives to teach, inspire, and engage people to make a commitment to peace in pragmatic ways. Real solutions to real-world problems with compassion, respect, teamwork, leadership, and love are the heart of the Dawson College Peace Centre, and the thrust of the Peace Studies Certificate.
Mission
To achieve peace and nonviolence in our community through education and action.
Vision
The Dawson Peace Centre is a hub for:
Learning: To offer formal and informal educational opportunities in peace studies
Knowledge: To collaborate with other peacebuilders to better understand nonviolence and peace
Innovation: To translate knowledge about peace and nonviolence into concrete practices in our communities
Mobilization and Action: To engage in partnerships that contribute to peace and nonviolence initiatives within the Dawson College Community and beyond
Values
The Dawson Center for Peace Education’s values offers an understanding of peace as a lifelong individual and collective project.
- Nonviolence and Peace
- Respect and Care for the Community of Life
- Ecological Integrity
- Social and Economic Justice
- Service to our Community
Special Thanks
Our thanks to the Brian Bronfman Family Foundation for their generous support, collaboration, and seed funding for the Dawson College Peace Centre.
