We need alternatives to violence.

Children naturally mimic adult behavior. That is why it's important to teach everyone conflict resolution skills.

When violence dominates a country or region, economic growth, environmental progress, health care and education all suffer. As violence continues to escalate around the world, it is clear that people of all ages and nationalities need to learn conflict resolution skills more than ever. Adults, lacking the negotiation and mediation skills to resolve conflicts peacefully, often resort to violence to address economic, religious and political issues. Children, modeling behavior they learn from adults, are more likely to behave violently towards each other. This cycle may seem to be never-ending, but it doesn't have to be that way.

By learning basic conflict resolution techniques, children and adults discover that there are alternatives to violence. Conflict resolution education teaches the skills necessary to resolve conflicts effectively, creatively and--most important--peacefully . A child in Uganda, a teacher in Sri Lanka, and a farmer in Brazil who learn to use these non-violent techniques will communicate better with classmates and co-workers. They will also benefit from learning related skills, such as critical thinking and creative problem solving.