Open a Window for Peace is a game created by the Students’ Council and members of the Gaming Club. Its aim was to animate the school’s Annual Exhibition with the theme of ‘Peace and Harmony’ in March 2017. The game was conceived with, produced and rehearsed mainly during midday break Gaming Club and Students’ Council meetings.
Students started out by a consideration and application of the game Global Conflicts, Palestine which acted as a springboard to start discussing the development of their own game. Although it was not directly linked to particular lessons, we coordinated with Geography HoD Ms Rita Debattista in its production and it was later related to relevant syllabus sections.
The Aim of the Game
The Game tries to highlight the intricacies of international relationships, conflicts and refugee crises by presenting a simple scneario that students can relate to.
The Game Story
The game presents, two neighbouring countries called Maltland and Gozino which are in conflict with each other. Over the past years a Religious conflict has led Maltland to claim Gozino’s main water supplies. As a result, Gozino’s harvests and grazing lands are suffering. The people of Gozino are in danger of famine. Many people are fleeing from Gozino to other neighbouring countries, creating a refugee problem between Gozino and these countries.
The competitors need to answer questions that will win them the right to close Windows to War and open Windows to Peace.
Game Play
Students are split into 3 groups, each given a sheet of 30 questions which they must seek the answer to in 10 minutes. The answers to the questions could be retrieved from the exhibits set up in our school hall. This helped increase students’ interaction with the exhibition.
After the 10 minutes time were up, participants were called back to the quiz song by John Lennon’s song ‘Imagine’. Each team was randomly asked 10 questions from the original 30 questions. With each correct answer a team was able to open a Peace Window or close a War Window.
Closing a War Window is worth 10 points, while opening a Peace Window is worth 5 points. However if a team opens all five Peace Windows, they get 30 bonus points. Some windows also give bonus points, this helped to create an element of randomness in the game that adds to its excitement.
The team with the most points wins.
The Peace Process
As the players open the five Peace Windows the following messages are displayed:
Peace 1
You have helped Maltland and Gozino meet in a summit discussing the beliefs behind this conflict. So now you are one step closer to ending the conflict peacefully.
Peace 2
You have managed to determine the facts behind this conflict. Maltland and Gozino are now better informed about their rights to the water supplies. You are one step closer to ending this conflict peacefully.
Peace 3
You have helped Maltland and Gozino break the conflict into small issues. It will be easier for them to agree on several small issues than to agree on a big one. Congratulations. You are one step closer to ending this conflict peacefully.
Peace 4
You have led one side to make concessions on some issues and can now look forward to concessions from the other side. Looks like you will manage to resolve this conflict very soon.
Peace 5
You have managed to end this conflict and both communities can now proceed in peace. Peace is precious and fragile…If both countries have a sufficiently diversified economy that will help keep the peace.
As the players close the War Windows the following messages will be displayed, highlighting key steps in establishing peace:
War 1
You have convinced Gozino to cut its defence budget and used the money to invest in the infrastructure that uses water from the water table and reverse osmosis. You are one step closer to ending the conflict!
War 2
You have helped Gozino further cut its defence budget and invest in better health services: providing free health services for all. This will improve the health of the general population and may help lead less people to flee the country. You are one step closer to ending the refugee crisis!
War 3
Both countries have further reduced their defence budget and you have convinced them to invest better in education. Both Maltland and Gozino are launching programs to educate people to use water more wisely. The next generation of Maltlanders and Gozinians will have better prospects.
War 4
Thanks to your help the Maltlanders are stepping down and the people of Gozino are a healthier and better educated people. Gozino is starting to attract more foreign investment and many more jobs are being created. Gozino is becoming safe to live in.
War 5
The water and refugee crisis are resolved. You have managed to end this conflict and both communities will proceed in peace. Peace will be kept only as long as the parties find it in their interests and wills to do so. Peace is precious and fragile…so people like YOU are all important!
To encourage participants to reflect on these steps leading to the end of a conflict, the quiz ends with two Final Questions for each team which involve close-ended questions about them.
Conclusion
This project helped the Students’ Council build on their team work and group organisational skills as it involved various aspects that needed to be tackled within a very limited time window.
Students also grew to better appreciate the many and various elements that contribute towards the escalation of a conflict or the establishment of peace. Students came to see that peace is not established as one big decision but it is in fact a precious and fragile contract that is achieved in baby steps.
And that was only the starting point, because then they set about getting this message across to their peers…
Moving Forward
I feel that when students are involved in creating a well-researched game or activity they are extremely motivated and gain both on an individual and team level. Given the right climate and time allowance they have the opportunity to recognise various skills in in themselves and each other.
Following this project, I tried a similar approach with Verduino @ Verdala and aim to attempt similar projects in future.
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