Towards an Inclusive Peace 2019

Facilitated by Daniel Hyslop, Interpeace

This workshop highlights an evidence-based understanding of the drivers of violent extremism, while showcasing policy and political responses for participants to articulate alternative peacebuilding approaches. We will explore advocacy approaches for decision-makers and map out research agendas from events of positive deviance to build constructive responses to conflict. This session will also provide some overview of trauma-healing and trust-building approaches.

Facilitated by Hassan Ndugwa, Extremely Together - Kofi Annan Foundation

This workshop will introduce us to the “whole of society” approach, bringing in trends and case-studies from the East African context some of which are: inclusion of peace education, curriculum development for madrasas and social media training to provide an alternative understanding of Islam. The focus will be on discussing the roles of some of the community change agents such as teachers, psychologists, entrepreneurs, local authorities, artists and social workers in preventing violent extremism (PVE). We will discuss each of these categories and their roles in mainstreaming PVE in everyday lives to prevent youth from radicalization and marginalization. Participants will actively engage and build on live stories, scenarios and examples to test the practicality of discussed strategies and techniques.

Facilitated by Peace Generations: Miftahul Huda, Nenden Mutiara and Irfan Amalee

Since the last 12 years, Peace Generations has trained more than 416 educators, 6252 students as well as engaged with the CONVEY Project to prevent violent extremism for youth in Indonesia using a module of 12 basic peace values, some of which are: accepting yourself, overcoming prejudice, respecting differences, celebrating diversity, understanding conflict, rejecting violence, and forgiveness. Using the creative medium of board game and Initiatives of Change principles of inner listening, Peace Generations work with peacemakers across Indonesia.

In this workshop, Peace Generation will:

• Explore ways of tackling violent extremism through peace education

• Explore creative techniques such as board games to deal with extremism, while sharing about the Indonesian context

• Share ideas and practices of how to engage young people in conversing about how to prevent violent extremism

Facilitated by Neuro Network: Daya Bhagwandas and Dida Guigan

This workshop will open up the space to understand the anatomy and physiology of trauma, where it sits, its different levels and the impact on life and the need to address the ‘deeper issues’, and offer simple and accessible resources available for individuals and communities to find support and resilience as an outcome. Case studies and practical examples will be used to make this an experiential journey for the participants. The specificity in this approach is the attention given to the 90% subconscious that is the driver of human life, emotions, civilization, culture and society.

The individual stories and exercises will highlight how we react or respond to trauma and what makes one more resilient and others more vulnerable to access inner peace and clarity around life purpose. Practical activities will be offered, focused on the consciousness of the body, breath and a special focus on the frequency of the voice, to engage the participants to experience and understand the tools and resources being offered.

Neuro Network will invite participants to explore:

• Releasing trauma and discovering resilience

• Breaking the chain of wounded memories

• Inner governance, inner freedom & higher purpose

Facilitated by IofC UK: Amina Khalid and Micheline Ngongo

Peace Begins at Home - intergenerational dialogue training aims to explore the issues of social cohesion in today's world and look deeper at the push and pull factors of violence extremism from different levels - home, community and society. This workshop will create an opportunity to reframe the challenge of countering violent extremism (CVE). Drawing from the tools and techniques from peacebuilding, state and non-state actors can be equipped to: (1) understand the dynamics which foment violent extremism, (2) identify creatively a set of tools and approaches that prevent those dynamics from giving rise to violent extremism; and (3) ensure that responses do not aggravate and radicalize affected communities even further.

The goals of this session are:

• Build relationships across generations through honest and open dialogue

• Share practical tools to implement more effective cross-generational relationship

• Inspire the community to tackle intergenerational conflict going forward by increasing the understanding of the challenges faced in different communities

Facilitated by Community Trustbuilding Fellows-IofC USA: Elaine Williams and Kelly Carter Merrill

As we do the good work to heal communities and prevent future violence, we are often faced with our own or others' unhealed personal wounds. Even the most well-intended comments or innocuous moments can trigger disproportionate emotional responses. Emotions can run high and illicit defensiveness; or conversely, sensitivities may illicit feelings of self-devaluation. After a triggering event, we tend to follow a predictable triggering cycle, with seven steps, ultimately ending with a regretful response. Further study of this cycle also reveals seven opportunities to step outside of the cycle and find growth and freedom. Objectives of this Session are:

• Understand what a trigger is and how it impacts interpersonal conflict

• Identify our own personal triggers and their interpersonal roots

• Learn seven strategies for interrupting the Triggering Event Cycle

• Consider the role of the Trigger Event Cycle when extending compassion to others who are in conflict

Facilitated by Lisa-Raine Hunt

Public spaces in our cities, towns and villages have been used for millennia as vibrant places of meeting, dialogue, learning, exchange and democracy. Extremists have long targeted these spaces for exactly these reasons, disrupting freedom & democracy, spreading fear and violence while dividing communities. As a result we are seeing less communal use of public spaces and the increasing physical dominance of safety barriers, checkpoints and security patrols.

Grass roots movements across the world are starting to respond to these challenges by intentionally reclaiming public spaces for peace. The process of communities coming together, to lead inclusive and creative activities, builds community resilience and nurtures spaces of belonging while transforming division into collective expressions of peace. In this workshop, we will engage in the creative process of mapping our communities, both as individuals and collaborative groups. In addition to exploring public spaces for peace in the U.K, we will produce a map of assets in our own focus locations which can be activated to develop community resilience and forge peace. 

Goals of this Session are:

• To inspire and enable communities to reclaim public space for peace

• Understanding the assets (skills, strengths, knowledge, potential) in local communities and how public spaces can be used as a key asset in peace building

• Mapping public spaces and assets in our communities in a creative and interactive session that provides a model for future programmes

• Listening and sharing with participants about activation of public spaces across the world

• Sketching as a strategy for activating public spaces for peace in communities

Facilitated by ICAN

This workshop will facilitate exchange of the strategies and approaches used by local peacebuilders to respond to their own protection needs in the context of insufficient state and international protection regimes. It will provide the opportunity to share experiences and coalesce around good practices for civil society actors to establish mechanisms to respond to protection needs. A few existing models will be presented by peacebuilders who have designed these in different geographic contexts with different violence and conflict dynamics.

Facilitated by Community Trustbuilding Fellows-IofC USA: Abigail Lash Ballew and Joshua Ballew

Nonviolent Communication is a four-step process that increases understanding, connection, and well-being while reducing confusion, isolation, and harm. For some, it is an effective tactic in challenging circumstances; for others, it is a way of life. This workshop will introduce you to the four steps, provide opportunity to practice, and include time for personal reflection and sharing. Whether you have never heard of Nonviolent Communication or if you are familiar with it and want a refresher, this workshop is for you.

Developed by clinical psychologist, Dr. Marshall Rosenberg in the 1960s, Non-Violent Communication involves four components in which one communicates: (1) The concrete actions we are observing that are affecting our well-being, (2) How we feel in relation to what we are observing, (3) The needs, values, desires, etc. that are creating our feelings, (4)The concrete actions we request in order to enrich our lives. The objectives of this session are:

• To become familiar with the four components of Non-Violent Communication

• To practice Non-Violent Communication

• To explore opportunities to use Non-Violent Communication in your own context

Focused on the North East region and the experience of local organizations with diverse peacebuilding tools in Preventing Violent Extremism.

• Dr. Idayat Hassan, Director of the Centre for Democracy and Development (NGO).

• Abdulrazaq O Hamzat, Director of Foundation for Peace Professionals (NGO) which developed the "Nigeria Peace Index", a local adaptation of the Global Peace Index.

• Ferdaouis Bagga, Policy Analyst. U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Focused on the use of non-violence and different tools to build community resilience and address the situation in Eastern Ukraine, while strengthening the capacity of civil society to tackle violent extremism in their everyday lives.

• Felix Schimansky-Geier, KURVE NGO

• Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska, Executive Director at Integration and Development Center for Information and Research

• Tatiana Kyselova, Associate Professor at National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy

Bringing alive stories of former militants, inter-tribal and inter-communal actors, who transformed from triggering violent extremism to transforming it in the 7 states of North East region of India.

• Sunny Mawiong, IofC India

• Penuo Hiekha, IofC India

Centered around the implementation of restorative justice and dialogue initiatives with victims and perpetrators in post-war Nepal to open up the space for community healing and reconciliation.

• Rajendra Senchurey, Researcher

• Chiranjibi Bhandari, Professor at Tribhuvan University

Exploration of Indonesia’s context, its religious tensions, and the forms of preventing ISIS recruitment of young people.

• Irfan Amalee, Peace Generations Director

• Miftahul Huda, IofC Indonesia

Focused on the experience of local communities in Manchester and Glasgow who have been socially excluded and are struggling economically.

• Micheline Safi Ngongo, Labor Councilor, human rights activist and founder of LIGHT Project International.

• Ian Monteague, Chair of Family Action in Rogerfield and Easterhouse -FARE

Exploring the protection of peacemakers and peacebuilding approaches in the current Iraqi context.

• Alyaa Ibrahim, Odessa

• Fatimah Al-Bahadly, Al-Firdaws Society

Facilitated by Peace Elicits with the collaboration of Amis de Caux and IofC Switzerland - Jannik Gresbrand, Ram Bhagat and Brigitt Altweg

Engage in holistic conflict transformation and peace work by navigating and taking into account our bodies through a range of interactive practices.

Hear the inspiring story of courageous peacemakers from around the world. This session will inspire you with a unique story by local peacebuilders sharing about their work.

• Hasan Davis (USA)

• Hassan Nduwa (Uganda)