Interior of the Common Space Initiative Research Library, Beirut. (Photo: Martin Waehlisch.)
PEACE EDUCATION AND RESEARCH
Physical and Virtual Libraries for Peacebuilding
For individuals working to transform conflicts in their own societies, gaining access to even the most basic information can be a challenge. In too many countries, knowledge resources ranging from accurate histories of those societies in conflict, to practical training manuals on negotiations, to texts on constitutional law, can be out of reach, even in the age of the internet.
For much of the past decade, a core element of our assistance to peacebuilders in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Lebanon and now Myanmar/Burma has been helping them gain access to information both by donating and developing new libraries containing books and training manuals in native and foreign languages, as well as developing online resources that can be shared through virtual private networks.
In Lebanon, we have helped the Common Space Initiative develop its library with texts in Arabic, French and English covering Lebanese history, comparative religions, peacebuilding, negotiations theory and practice, international law, Middle East politics and transitional justice, among other topics. These books are part of a growing library that includes publications which the Common Space itself has generated, available not only to the stakeholders in initiatives which the Common Space directly supports, but to all who visit the Common Space’s central office.
The physical library is augmented by curated online resources across many fields of peacebuilding, which the Peace Appeal has constructed over the last decade and which the research staff of the Common Space continues to augment as part of their knowledge sharing efforts. These resources are increasingly being transferred to new platforms so that they may be accessed by the general public as part of the collaborative initiative known as "The Peace and Dialogue Platform."
The Peace and Dialogue Platform
The vision for the Peace and Dialogue Platform is that of a collaborative on-line space and "shared knowledge" resource for peace and dialogue processes and structures. The platform is currently in development engaging a group of national and international civil society organizations and UNDP's Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery. The goal is to build a dynamic platform where stakeholders to conflicts and practitioners in the field of peacebuilding will share experiences, capture unfolding processes and through this engagement jointly create knowledge of use to future peacebuilders.
The initiative is an extension of both the Peace Appeal Foundation's efforts to build physical and virtual libraries for peacebuilding as noted above, and an effort we call Peace Tools, in which we have integrated commercially available technologies, from virtual private networks to public social media platforms, with tailored knowledge resources and applications drawn from the experiences of peacebuilding professionals and the perspectives and continued learning of stakeholders in conflicts over time.
In its current form, the Peace and Dialogue Platform has the following aims:
The current launch date for the platform is anticipated to in March of 2015.
Physical and Virtual Libraries for Peacebuilding
For individuals working to transform conflicts in their own societies, gaining access to even the most basic information can be a challenge. In too many countries, knowledge resources ranging from accurate histories of those societies in conflict, to practical training manuals on negotiations, to texts on constitutional law, can be out of reach, even in the age of the internet.
For much of the past decade, a core element of our assistance to peacebuilders in Sri Lanka, Nepal, Lebanon and now Myanmar/Burma has been helping them gain access to information both by donating and developing new libraries containing books and training manuals in native and foreign languages, as well as developing online resources that can be shared through virtual private networks.
In Lebanon, we have helped the Common Space Initiative develop its library with texts in Arabic, French and English covering Lebanese history, comparative religions, peacebuilding, negotiations theory and practice, international law, Middle East politics and transitional justice, among other topics. These books are part of a growing library that includes publications which the Common Space itself has generated, available not only to the stakeholders in initiatives which the Common Space directly supports, but to all who visit the Common Space’s central office.
The physical library is augmented by curated online resources across many fields of peacebuilding, which the Peace Appeal has constructed over the last decade and which the research staff of the Common Space continues to augment as part of their knowledge sharing efforts. These resources are increasingly being transferred to new platforms so that they may be accessed by the general public as part of the collaborative initiative known as "The Peace and Dialogue Platform."
The Peace and Dialogue Platform
The vision for the Peace and Dialogue Platform is that of a collaborative on-line space and "shared knowledge" resource for peace and dialogue processes and structures. The platform is currently in development engaging a group of national and international civil society organizations and UNDP's Bureau for Conflict Prevention and Recovery. The goal is to build a dynamic platform where stakeholders to conflicts and practitioners in the field of peacebuilding will share experiences, capture unfolding processes and through this engagement jointly create knowledge of use to future peacebuilders.
The initiative is an extension of both the Peace Appeal Foundation's efforts to build physical and virtual libraries for peacebuilding as noted above, and an effort we call Peace Tools, in which we have integrated commercially available technologies, from virtual private networks to public social media platforms, with tailored knowledge resources and applications drawn from the experiences of peacebuilding professionals and the perspectives and continued learning of stakeholders in conflicts over time.
In its current form, the Peace and Dialogue Platform has the following aims:
- Capture the process, technical and thematic knowledge that emerges out of particular national and regional contexts;
- Attract the diverse narratives in and from national and regional conflicts;
- Generate new frameworks to define, design, analyze and manage peace and dialogue process; and,
- Link national experiences, understanding of processes and technical expertise to bridge the gap between practice and theory in our field;.
The current launch date for the platform is anticipated to in March of 2015.
Educating the Next Generation of Peacemakers
In our early years, the Peace Appeal Foundation's founding partners were deeply involved in education efforts promulgating the goals and values of the UN's Decade for A Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, and in particular the principles as set out in the Manifesto 2000. As part of these efforts, we began a longstanding collaboration with the Sweden-based “Dream of the Good” – an innovative in-school peace, health and wellness program operating in several Scandinavian countries and expanding internationally. The “Dream” works with students, teachers, parents and administrators in offering 4 simple meditation and mindfulness methods that can easily be incorporated into classrooms and school settings. By 2011, over 10,000 teachers have been trained in various methods of peace education and the Swedish Parliament is considering a national program to include peace education in all schools and major political institutions. Research documenting the “Dream's” work with children and adults in school settings, from pre-school through secondary school, point to significant improvement in student well-being, reduced absenteeism among teachers, improved stress levels, and reduction in violent and aggressive behaviors.
For further information on the Dream of the Good's programs and curriculum, please see their website (in English, Norwegian and Swedish).
Prior Work: Media as a Tool in Conflict Transformation
The media plays a critical role in how parties in conflict view one another, understand their respective situations, and ultimately work to either further the goals of peace or inflame conflict. The principals of the Peace Appeal have a long history of promoting media as a tool for conflict resolution, beginning with the work of the Media Peace Centre in South Africa throughout the 1990's, and continuing to this day in the design and production of online and broadcast content, as well as educational curricula for young people around the globe.
Working in collaboration with partners in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, the Peace Appeal has developed educational curricula and broadcast media content for children and adults that promote values of tolerance and respect for diversity, and which encourage dialogue and promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Balkan Peace Media Projects:
The Peace Appeal has authored and co-produced a number of media projects to support reconciliation and tolerance in partnership with local broadcasters and production companies in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia. These include a "Truth and Reconciliation" radio and television series, a soap opera television project for reconstruction and healing, a joint animation project for Balkan children and support of media coverage exposing the human trafficking networks in the region.
Tallberg Forum:
Working with the Tallberg Foundation (an independent non-profit organization formed in 1980 to enhance understanding of transformational leadership, values and institutional change) the Peace Appeal joined the project team for the Talberg Forum's 2005 workshop entitled, "How on Earth Can We Live Together? Exploring Frameworks for Sustainable Global Interdependence," which brought together 450 leaders from 73 nations throughout the world. This two year project will continue in South Africa.
Sri Lanka:
In conjunction Young Asia Television and the Academy for Educational Development, the Peace Appeal advised and supported the production of the award-winning television drama series, "Take This Road". This multi-part series profiled the lives of three families, one Sihalese, one Tamil and one Muslim, living in the war-torn city of Jaffna.
Productions and joint initiatives by Peace Appeal, Media Peace Centre and partners:
1. Youth Network Television (YNTV - South Africa/international) -- see
also www.chattheplanet.org by NextNext Entertainment
2. Nogalo (Animation Series with HRT and CWPNM/NYU in Croatia/Bosnia)
3. Laundry Service (TV Soap with CWPNM/NYU in Bosnia)
4. Take This Road (TV Drama with YATV and AED in Sri Lanka)
5. Africa: Search for Common Ground (Documentary series with SFCG and
Ubuntu TV in Africa)
6. African Renaissance (Documentary series with TVE and Ubuntu TV in Africa)
7. Video Dialogues (Film Dialogue Series with Ubuntu TV and partners)
In our early years, the Peace Appeal Foundation's founding partners were deeply involved in education efforts promulgating the goals and values of the UN's Decade for A Culture of Peace and Non-Violence, and in particular the principles as set out in the Manifesto 2000. As part of these efforts, we began a longstanding collaboration with the Sweden-based “Dream of the Good” – an innovative in-school peace, health and wellness program operating in several Scandinavian countries and expanding internationally. The “Dream” works with students, teachers, parents and administrators in offering 4 simple meditation and mindfulness methods that can easily be incorporated into classrooms and school settings. By 2011, over 10,000 teachers have been trained in various methods of peace education and the Swedish Parliament is considering a national program to include peace education in all schools and major political institutions. Research documenting the “Dream's” work with children and adults in school settings, from pre-school through secondary school, point to significant improvement in student well-being, reduced absenteeism among teachers, improved stress levels, and reduction in violent and aggressive behaviors.
For further information on the Dream of the Good's programs and curriculum, please see their website (in English, Norwegian and Swedish).
Prior Work: Media as a Tool in Conflict Transformation
The media plays a critical role in how parties in conflict view one another, understand their respective situations, and ultimately work to either further the goals of peace or inflame conflict. The principals of the Peace Appeal have a long history of promoting media as a tool for conflict resolution, beginning with the work of the Media Peace Centre in South Africa throughout the 1990's, and continuing to this day in the design and production of online and broadcast content, as well as educational curricula for young people around the globe.
Working in collaboration with partners in Asia, Africa, Europe and North America, the Peace Appeal has developed educational curricula and broadcast media content for children and adults that promote values of tolerance and respect for diversity, and which encourage dialogue and promote the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Balkan Peace Media Projects:
The Peace Appeal has authored and co-produced a number of media projects to support reconciliation and tolerance in partnership with local broadcasters and production companies in Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia and Macedonia. These include a "Truth and Reconciliation" radio and television series, a soap opera television project for reconstruction and healing, a joint animation project for Balkan children and support of media coverage exposing the human trafficking networks in the region.
Tallberg Forum:
Working with the Tallberg Foundation (an independent non-profit organization formed in 1980 to enhance understanding of transformational leadership, values and institutional change) the Peace Appeal joined the project team for the Talberg Forum's 2005 workshop entitled, "How on Earth Can We Live Together? Exploring Frameworks for Sustainable Global Interdependence," which brought together 450 leaders from 73 nations throughout the world. This two year project will continue in South Africa.
Sri Lanka:
In conjunction Young Asia Television and the Academy for Educational Development, the Peace Appeal advised and supported the production of the award-winning television drama series, "Take This Road". This multi-part series profiled the lives of three families, one Sihalese, one Tamil and one Muslim, living in the war-torn city of Jaffna.
Productions and joint initiatives by Peace Appeal, Media Peace Centre and partners:
1. Youth Network Television (YNTV - South Africa/international) -- see
also www.chattheplanet.org by NextNext Entertainment
2. Nogalo (Animation Series with HRT and CWPNM/NYU in Croatia/Bosnia)
3. Laundry Service (TV Soap with CWPNM/NYU in Bosnia)
4. Take This Road (TV Drama with YATV and AED in Sri Lanka)
5. Africa: Search for Common Ground (Documentary series with SFCG and
Ubuntu TV in Africa)
6. African Renaissance (Documentary series with TVE and Ubuntu TV in Africa)
7. Video Dialogues (Film Dialogue Series with Ubuntu TV and partners)