IHL Game

• Understand the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law (IHL) and their application in armed conflict
• Develop skills in game design related to humanitarian issues
• Encourage critical reflection on the dilemmas and actors of armed conflict
• Contribute to long-term IHL awareness through the development of games

The activity is divided into several workshops, with 2 4-hour workshops recommended, although this can be revised to suit class availability, for example 4 two-hour workshops.

The activity may require an introductory workshop on the topic of international humanitarian law (IHL), or resources may be provided to teachers beforehand for integration into the course.

The first workshop is introduced by a reminder of the theme, IHL, in order to be able to experiment with the game creation tool. This tool, in the form of a board game, enables users to create their own board game. Divided into several stages, players must make choices concerning the type of conflict in which their game takes place, the mechanics employed, the parties involved, the dilemmas and the ending conditions. Once the structure of the game is complete, students can work out the details in their groups. At the end, each group is invited to present its initial results.

The second workshop consists of finalizing the game's narrative and mechanics, as well as the visual elements of the game, depending on the medium chosen. This could be a board, maps or any other element required for gameplay. The workshop ends with the students testing the various games.

The methodological approach of this activity is learning through game design, by which students must understand the principles of IHL in order to translate them into playful elements that are understandable and accessible to others. This method places students at the center of the pedagogical process, enabling them not only to learn more about the theme, but also to develop cross-disciplinary skills such as critical thinking, creativity and cooperation.

The target audience for this activity is young people aged 15 to 19.