The Lebanese and Emirati higher educational landscapes and learning environments are commonly defined by a traditional information transmission approach which is considered the orthodox approach. There have been reforms in the education sector throughout the 20th c. and in the first two decades of the 21st c. However, alternative teaching and learning approaches still need to gain momentum, such as those that aim at developing deep learning. I argue in this paper that nowadays’ Southwestern Asian region marked by the digital revolution, continuous wars, and crises, requires more than surface learning. The purpose of this paper is to 1) introduce to what is deep learning and why it is essential in higher education in Southwestern Asia; 2) present my peace education approach that embeds deep learning practices, particularly in Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates, and 3) present a case study at the American University in Dubai - the Peace Art project.