A film by Chris Farina. More at Rosalia Films.

The World Peace Game, a brainchild of public school teacher John Hunter, pits teams of students against each other as leaders of countries in crises and conflict. The students scheme and negotiate, compete and cooperate, wage war and make peace. But the game is not won until all countries enjoy security and prosperity. Says one fourth grader, “One of the things I learned is that other people matter. In this game one person can’t win, everyone has to win. That taught me a lot about cooperating with other people, being generous, and having an attitude that, if you work together, you can achieve anything.”

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  • EdB

    What a crazy world. Too many political "leaders" frequently act like bratty kids while "kids" in Mr. Hunter's class demonstrate what true leadership is!

  • jeannette

    Everything, the teacher, the kids, the broad concept of the project.!

  • Carmen DeVida

    Seeing the children really engaged, with full-on cooperation, listening, learning, with excitement and joy. Thrilling to see them become leaders with critical thinking skills and having a heart-full resolution to solve the world's problems is absolutely inspiring and share-worthy. I'm so glad to see this. Mr. Hunter's vision for his students is beyond brilliant.

  • Caela Farren

    Seeing the joy, cooperation, and actual thinking going on is so inspiring and gives me great hope for the future. Thank you. Caela

  • Veronica Lake

    I've never thought I'd ever want to be a teacher, but this makes me genuinely consider it. What an amazing teacher, this gives me a lot of hope for the future of this planet and the human population (as well as all the other forms of life).

  • Kate Ringrose

    Thank you Mr Hunter. Inspired to make more changes in my classroom - aren't we so very priveledged to have the job we do? Thank you for being a light!

  • Denise Ahlquist

    Everything! It gives me so much hope for the future. And it fills me with gratitude for teachers like John Hunter and all the others who shape the future through teaching with heart and minds FULL ON!

  • Dharmamitra Jeff Stefani

    What inspired you about this video?Thank You Sunada Yuko Takagi...this isTruly AWEsome. It is similar to Midel United Nations, which I was WAY into in high school, but this is by and FAR more Creative and Brilliant!!

  • Thomas Kamphuis

    This is the kind of teaching that should be present in all schools, wow.

  • Janet

    Wow a strategic game that teaches so many different life skills & tools! The sense of creativity, empowerment & leverage in these children's faces would light up any classroom. Watching you teach through intention & observing the children reflect on their actions is totally inspring. Bring it on Mr Hunter!

  • CRM

    Keep up the great work!! Change happens with educating our children to do things differently then we have before them.

  • Kaumudi

    Wow! Learning to be leaders at that young age.. and learning that I alone cannot win - if everyone wins - only then its a true win..

  • Fiona Campbell

    The generosity, humility, skill and wisdom of John Hunter, and his using all this, combined with his love of children and his hope for a better world, to empower, inspire and educate them. Bravo, and thank you.

  • Laura Shore

    This brought tears as I felt the possibilities for children to find a place of power and possibility in a complicated and frightening world. Changing the paradigm is our best hope and this game seems to do just that.

  • Liliane Grace

    Absolutely brilliant and inspiring. Well done, John Hunter and kids! I will be spreading the message far and wide and will be in touch to see personally. I'd love to know what a class like yours thinks of the novel I've written for youth about living consciously.

  • Francine

    Inspiring! Maybe this game should be a requisite for our national leaders!!!

  • Herb

    Mr. Hunter is a brilliant role model who may, indeed, help improve the world. I am inspired by the intelligence shown by these 4th graders. Parents and teachers need to see this.

  • Neetu

    I am not able to watch most of the videos :( The following msg is displayed when I click on the links: "This website/URL has been blocked until further notice either pursuant to Court orders or on the Directions issued by the Department of Telecommunications"

  • Jagdish

    Inspiring. As I was watching this video, a thought was going through my mind:How we as adults can be a part of such a project and join our hands with children in our families, schools and communities? I deeply appreciate the gift given to us by Mr. John Hunter. Peace. Jagdish P Dave

  • Elizabeth

    Mr. Hunter is one of my son's teachers. From parents, educators and children who have been blessed to have him in their lives, this is what will make a change in the world. If 4th graders can solve polution, end war, create economic stability, one has to wonder what is wrong with all the adults who are in power? And are they using their power wisely? These children learn that.

  • sethi

    Thank you . Wonderful . An old saying which I learnt in my childhood . " The child is the father of man ." We have so much to learn from children .

  • Lynn Wiemold

    Giving children the tools to solve problems not only by themselves but with others. In addition, giving children the ability to think about what is happening outside their own bubble and how they can influence change for other people.

  • Ashfaque Qureshi

    this is the sign of change

  • Ann O'Nimity

    EVERYTHING! John Hunter you are amazing and have created something, a program for peaceful cooperation, that should be mandatory in every school - not just primary but right through college level. By then the tools will be ingrained in time to tackle the issues which seem to increase. I applaud you! In fact, I think you should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize! Please find a way to have your Peace Game go National! Inner city kids? What a gift this would be - a way out, a confidence builder in good values and ethics, integrity. Your game enables dialogue, cooperation, and Thought! I can't say enough. Brilliant! Everyone benefits from your creativity.

  • Moe Heeley

    I think it should tell the people of this world, something about its condition and what happens to us after birth when we need to ask questions like this and turn to our kids for answers! Thank you John Hunter for initiating this program and may we all together, pray, the issues blocking our freedom and happiness will be overcome.

  • georgia

    Is this not just the coolest, most beautiful thing ever?! If all kids and adults everywhere open up to viewing the world as a totality instead of waving their flags in competition with one another, the world will become a much easier place to heal and improve and be a happier space to live and learn and play. For peace to come about we need to listen to these kids!

  • steve

    Inspirational.....I remember how involved I was when we did model UN simulations in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades. I loved it. Sadly due to teachers constantly having to meet developed standards, specific criteria needing to be met, and budget cuts, lessons like this will not be in my daughter's classroom. However, we will do activities such as this at home.

  • Carla

    These kids will change the world. More schools should incorporate this into their curriculum.

  • Cristiano

    Can you please upload this video (and maybe others) to dotsub.com, so that people can croudsource subtitles in many languages, making it accessible to many more people around the world?

  • Nancy Mangan

    What inspired me about this video and the TED talk by Mr. Hunter: I previously had shared about your good works on my Nancy Mangan Advocate Project media networks. I am currently taking the Peace Ambassador Certificate Course and have just shared with them tonight in a large/detailed update! Grateful how your ideas are catching on, builded upon and additional interest being generated with further developments. Grateful to see and hear the eagerness of the students. Precious. Sincerely and with Kind Regards, Nancy Mangan

  • Brian

    Thanks again guys...we all really need the reminder that it's about everyone...hopefully this message will get to the powers that be...in time, it will have to for us all to survive..peace and blessings...

  • Ruth Ann Pickett

    1. The student that said that you cant be all about war and you can't be all about peace. so true. 2. This teacher believing that the kids can and should be challenged in a productive way! He has such confidence in the kids and that they can do it! 3. I loved the student's comment that their teacher is a brain-stretcher! As a teacher myself, I want to be a brain-stretcher, too!

  • Maha

    The world needs more inspired teachers like John Hunter.

  • Kelly Russell

    YES! YES! YES! John you are a beautiful light in the world! We want to support you!www.yuriosworld.com

  • Jeffrey Farrar Dean

    That it took children to do what adults could not. From the mouths and minds of babes. Whats so cool is their willingness to take part in this program. They could choose to be playing, but instead they chose to take an active part in trying to make thing right and better.

  • steve Mills

    Wanted to say "kids in India"

  • Steve Mills

    Having recently retired after 35 years of teaching early adolescents, the LOVE AND CARING that John showed towards the kids, PLUS the STRUCTURE involved in the game, showed a wonderful UNDERSTANDING of how the kids can learn at that age - and that is what teaching is all about.I wonder if one could add something SPIRITUAL to the game - not strictly religion, but how different cultures look at situations differently. (I now spend time with kids in - just like kids in John's class, but.......)

  • sarahm

    all those beautiful little beings being free to be brilliant and collaborate and that fantastic teacher - wow. thank you karmatube for bringing this to my awareness. :-)

  • Cindy

    whew, What I would have given for a teacher like him! Teacher of the Year, of the World.

  • Debbie

    What an amazing teacher to make children think beyond their comfort zone. God bless John Hunter.

  • Barbara

    When a critical mass of people understand that ALL actions are motivated by basic human needs, that everything I and ALL others do are attempts to satisfy basic human needs, we will quit judging and start empathizing. I bet this game could contribute to this understanding. I am grateful Mr. Hunter is engaging the children this way!

  • Dawna

    Excellent! John Hunter you rock and are changing our world ...

  • Arunchikkop

    Wow... isn't this how we ought to teach our children???

  • Dr Ginger Blume

    Hope for world peace resides in our ability to teach our youth to value win-win solutions. May this game continue and flourish in our schools.

  • Roget

    Out of the mouth of Babes

  • Maria Paz

    Yes, yes, yes... all the schools on the planet should be doing something similar... Thanks for sharing

  • Vivian Wong

    What an inspiring teacher. I have 2 young kids in Hong Kong, and I am sure it would be hard for teachers here to do something so wonderfully out of the box to foster real learning. Here's to the John Hunters of the world - and the school principals who allow them to freedom and support to do their thing! Vivian Wongwww.evieconsulting.wordpress.com

  • bob

    is there any game that simulates this is the digital video war games out there?

  • Susan

    What a great inspiration. It helps me to try harder with my life and use my brain more.

  • GAIA

    JOHN HUNTER!!!!

  • Marc

    I just spent 2 months living in my car followed by five months living in a homeless shelter and my first night in my 100 sq' apt/hotel room in San Francisco. Tue reason I've abaondoned an unfruitful life in Las Vegas is so that I can succeed and make that kind of education available to my children who are stuck in the Clark County School District public education. I have one question. Where do I get my 9 year old son and 10 year old daughter an education like that when I achive my goals? I'm willing to pay any price.

  • Miss Smith

    I wish I had the privilege of working with Mr. Hunter. Such an exceptional educator, and amazing students to boot. I hope to be able to incorporate some of these wonderful ideas at our IB (MYP) middle school! THANK YOU for highlighting this video, it made my day and I'll be sharing it with my colleagues :)

  • Ric

    I'm a teacher in California. In our district the principal will walk in the classroom at any time and evaluate what is going on. If they saw this World Peace happening, they would ask what standard does this activity go with. In social science is California history so it wouldn't fit there, couldn't see it in English, Math or Science either. This teacher would be written up and told get back to work and teach the standards. I know what you are thinking. And you are correct.

  • Vassa

    Thank you. This is so so perfect. This opportunity brings an incredible experience that is so functional and practical for the young minds of these students. I do hope that all the schools will pick up on such a creative movement. All that is present here will being the skills that EVERYONE needs in life. I would love to see the adults we see all around us have this way in their mindset. thank you. Blessings for more support.

  • Page 1

  • Starting May 6, 2012, the full documentary, "World Peace and Other 4th-Grade Achievements," will air on public television stations throughout the U.S. Check here for the schedule in your area.
  • There are a many active cooperative learning tools for teaching development and international relations issues.  Check-out SimCity and Model Untied Nations, as excellent examples.
  • The next time you are perplexed about one of the world's big problems, ask a child how they would solve it. The exercize might be instructive for both of you.

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