Archives of Université de la Paix concerning the education of conscientious objectors (Objecteurs de Conscience)
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- Finding aids: Inventory AA2310
Fonds description:
Archives of Université de la Paix concerning the education of conscientious objectors (Objecteurs de Conscience)
According to the definition of “conscientious objection” of the Belgian law of 3 June 1964, a conscientious objector is “a militiaman who is convinced on religious, philosophical or moral grounds that he cannot kill his fellow man, even for the purpose of national or collective defence”. The law of 22 January 1969 extends the notion of militiaman to those who have performed their active service but who have not yet served under a first recall. So far, Belgian law did not yet foresee conscientious objection on political grounds. On 3 July 1975, the law of 1964 was amended as follows: a conscientious objector was now “a militiaman who is convinced – for imperative reasons dictated by conscience and provided that they are not merely based on considerations that tend to challenge the fundamental institutions of the state – that he cannot kill his fellow man, even for the purpose of national or collective defence”. So a conscientious objector was anyone who refused to perform military service and who resisted war because of personal convictions.
The education of conscientious objectors in Civil Service at Université de la Paix is a significant part of their history. For 18 years, from 1976 to 1994, thousands of young people took part in education programmes organised by the institution in collaboration with the French-speaking Confédération du Service Civil de la Jeunesse (CSCJ) and the Dutch-speaking Burgerdienst voor de Jeugd (BDJ).
Each year, the Ministry of French Culture would fund Civil Service education programmes at Université de la Paix in which conscientious objectors could voluntarily take part until 1994. The programmes addressed topics such as individual civic engagement such as demonstrated by conscientious objectors, non-violence, and the dynamics of civil service.
For more information :
JANSEN, C., L’objection de conscience en Belgique, 1919-1964, Brussels, Thesis presented to obtain a Master’s degree (Licence) in History, 1983.
LECOCQ, J.F., Une page d’histoire de l’Université de la Paix conservée au CEGES, Note, 2012, Cegesoma: AB 2601.