When was the last time there was no war anywhere on Earth?

Estimates are that there have been 230 years of peace during the last 3,500 years. Of war fatalities over the past 500 years, it is estimated that three quarters occurred during the twentieth century - including roughly 16 million in World War I and 60 million in World War II. Few families across the world have escaped the impact of battles and wars. Our challenge as teachers is to ensure that our children know of the positive achievements of ancient and modern civilisations.

The articles on early Islamic civilisation and ancient Sumer provide rich stories about the achievements of humankind. So many ideas and technologies...