''Classrooms to Compassion" by Dr. Shishir K. Srivastava

From Classrooms to Compassion: Introducing Peace Education in Schools for a Kinder Future

By Dr. Shishir K. Srivastava, Founder, Shishir Leadership Academy

The Missing Element in Modern Education

In a world increasingly shaped by conflict, polarization and disconnection, our education systems are being tested like never before. While academic excellence remains vital, we are beginning to realize that intellect alone is not enough. The 21st century demands more than just smart minds — it calls for kind hearts, calm voices and courageous peacemakers.

This is where Peace Education steps in — not as an alternative subject, but as a foundation for meaningful and holistic learning.

Why Peace Education Must Begin Early

Peace is not an abstract ideal — it is a practice. And like any practice, it must begin early. Children are born with an innate sense of empathy, but it is our responsibility as educators and parents to nurture this potential. When introduced at the school level, peace education helps young learners:

·       Cultivate empathy and understand others’ perspectives.

·       Develop emotional intelligence and self-regulation skills.

·       Learn nonviolent communication and conflict resolution.

·       Embrace diversity and inclusion as strengths.

·       Build the inner strength to become agents of peace in their communities.

By embedding these lessons into daily learning, we’re not just shaping better students — we’re nurturing better human beings.

The Shishir Leadership Academy: Education for the Heart and the World

With this vision in mind, I founded the Shishir Leadership Academy — a transformative platform dedicated to awakening a new generation of youth leaders, educators, and peacebuilders. Our purpose is clear: to provide spiritually rooted, values-based education that empowers individuals to live with inner balance while contributing to a peaceful, conscious, and compassionate world.

Our mission by 2035 is bold yet essential:

To empower youth through values-based, spiritual education that nurtures inner growth, global citizenship, and compassionate leadership.

At the core of our work lies Peace Education — a pillar of our curriculum that aligns with UNESCO’s Global Citizenship Education (GCED) framework and Sustainable Development Goal 4.7. Through our courses, workshops, and outreach programs, we equip students not just to understand the world’s challenges, but to heal them — with humility, service, and acceptance.

My Journey as a Peace Educator

Over the last two decades, I’ve had the privilege of heading international relations at one of the world’s largest schools, City Montessori School (CMS), Lucknow — an institution committed to the motto “Jai Jagat” (Glory to the World). This deep immersion in value-based education, coupled with experiences at international peace forums and UNESCO gatherings, helped shape my spiritual mission: to bring peace into every classroom and kindness into every heart.

I believe that every child is a potential peace ambassador. And every school, no matter where it is in the world, can become a center of nonviolence, inclusion, and hope — if we are willing to teach for it.

A Call to Educators Everywhere

To every teacher, school leader, and parent reading this:
Let us go beyond grades and rankings. Let us teach our children to be caring communicators, reflective thinkers, and global citizens. Let us make classrooms the training grounds of compassion — where respect is taught, forgiveness is modeled, and peace is practiced every day.

Because if we truly wish to build a kinder future, we must begin now — and we must begin in our schools.