The Caux Peace and Leadership Programme is a programme of IofC Switzerland. Its alumni from over 40 countries want to make a change in their communities as well as themselves.

As part of the widening outreach of the programme, we are launching a new and thought-provoking series of articles and events which will allow our alumni to share their stories, experiences, challenges and how they have carried what they learnt at CPLP into their daily lives. Each month we will post a new article, offering you inspiration and food for thought and soul-searching. After each article, you can register to discuss the issues in more depth in an on-line follow-up conversation. 

The series will start with our friends in Beirut, who have shown immense courage and strength following the devastating events of 4 August 2020. This will be in two parts starting today.

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When a home is a crime scene, you want to fly away, but that makes you want to hold on to it even more.

Antoine Chelala is a young graduate of the American University of Beirut, with a background in business and social psychology. He attended the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme in 2017 and 2019 and  was involved in the inaugural Creative Leadership Conference in 2020, which coincided with the first-ever Caux Forum Online. Like many others, he was in Beirut on 4 August 2020, when a massive explosion occurred. This is his story.

I have always had a love-hate relationship with my country and the recent disaster in Beirut  has reinforded these contradictory feelings.

Lebanon is home and I love home. There is no other place like it, even when it brings too much pain and sadness. When a home is being killed, destroyed and stolen from you, it is hard to feel safe. When a home is a crime scene, you want to fly away, but that makes you want to hold on to it even more. When justice seems to be unattainable, home will never be peaceful.

The blast that happened at the port of Beirut on 4 August 2020 at 6:07 pm will remain a horror in the hearts of all Lebanese people for ever. On this day, time stopped. A few seconds were enough to change everything. We were all bleeding in one way or another.

The week afterwards seemed to be the longest week of my life. I couldn’t pick up a pen. I will never find the right words to express what our eyes witnessed and what our hearts felt. I keep seeing the images in my head. I keep hearing the sounds. I keep reliving the moment and fearing that it will happen again.

How do I mourn a city? How do I mourn places? Memories? How do I mourn people I never met? Victims I will never know? How do I mourn cultural heritage sites? History and buildings? How do I mourn Beirut?

I have noticed that many people are writing to Beirut. I figured that, just maybe, addressing Beirut as a person might make it easier to cry over a dead city. Beirut, do you still dare to dream after what happened? Are you even listening when we tell you that you will rise again? Can your pain be covered by a layer of hope that we fiercely hold on to? Do you still feel proud when people call you the phoenix? No matter how much I write about you, the ink flowing from my pen will never be able to depict the flowing blood nor the flowing tears. I just need to admit that I will never find the words.

Somehow, I want to hold on to sadness. I want to stay in the stage of grieving because I feel responsible for keeping Beirut’s memory alive. I don’t want to let go too soon. I don’t want Beirut to sink into oblivion. All this pain cannot go away: I want to be moved by it every single day. All this suffering needs to be acknowledged and recognized.

I, and many people around me, feel guilty for not suffering enough. This feeling stands in the way of happiness, inner peace and mental clarity. Everyday activities such as reading a book, taking a walk or watching a movie suddenly became a luxury that only some of us can do. I don’t feel like I deserve these things while Beirut is still in ruins. Too many hearts are shattered, and unlike broken glass, no broom can sweep up these eternal scars. I also feel guilty because I know that, one day, things will go back to normal for me, since we have not lost any close family members, we are all well physically and our house still exists. Hundreds of thousands of other people will not be able to ‘go back to normal’, their lives are changed forever.

If you wish to be part of an online follow-up conversation with the CPLP alumni on Saturday, 10 October 2020 at 14:00 pm CEST, you can sign up through this link.  You will find the terms and conditions here.

Find out more about the Caux Peace and Leadership Talks here.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

• Learn more about the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme.
• Find out more about the Caux Forum.
• Discover Creative Leadership 2020.

Mohammed Abu-Nimer is Professor at the American University’s School of International Service in International Peace and Conflict Resolution in Washington DC and a Senior Advisor to the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID). He is an expert on conflict resolution and has been facilitating dialogues for 30 years. He has been one of the main faculty of the Caux Scholars Program since 1993 and was a speaker at Tools for Changemakers in July 2020. He agreed to tell us more about the role dialogue plays in building sustainable peace.

Peace-building runs in Professor Abu-Nimer’s blood: for many years his grandfather was a mediator in his community. He experienced his first dialogue at the age of 19 when he started university. At that time he thought dialogue was a form of political activism. He discovered that while political activism and dialogue both aim at change, dialogue does it by building relationships, enhancing our understanding of ourselves and others, and finding common ways to bring that change, rather than through confrontation, blame or shame. Since then, he has been applying dialogue to resolving interfaith, interethnic and interracial conflicts all over the world.

What is dialogue?

Dialogue, he says, starts with finding commonalities with others that enable us to see them as humans and build a relationship with them. However, he insists, this is not the most important step. The next, and more difficult, step is to explore the differences. ‘We use our commonalities to construct a web of relationships that allow people to solve their challenges and differences peacefully,’ he says. ‘But it’s not only relating to the other, it’s answering the question of what we can we do together to address the issues.’ Dialogue has the power to develop concrete strategies to bring peace in the community.

No justice, no peace

Peace is impossible without justice, Abu-Nimer continues. ‘For African American and non-white people in the United States, for example, there can be no full reconciliation with the dominant political system, and with the community that supports it, without structural changes.’ Dialogue can contribute to structural change by making its participants ‘realize that there are many ways to get to justice, including political activism, boycott and all the other techniques of peace and non-violent resistance’.

Although dialogue is not the only gate to peace, it makes peace sustainable. Structural change alone is often not sufficient. In South Africa, for instance, the abolition of apartheid led to a huge shift in the system, but this didn’t stop racial segregation, cultural violence and racial biases. ‘You can have a structure that is fair and just, but if that’s not accompanied with dialogue and with a culture and practices of peace, there is no guarantee that peace will be sustained. If anything happens (such as a natural disaster or increased economic hardship), people may revert back to violent conflict.’ Dialogue promotes a deeper kind of peace because it builds peace at the individual level. ‘Dialogue is the most powerful tool for the prevention of violent conflict. You will always have conflict, but dialogue can prevent the violence of it.’

Fostering a culture of dialogue

The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID), where Abu-Nimer is a Senior Advisor, aims at building a culture of peace. He wants dialogue to become part of the curriculum, taught to children as an essential skill, like crossing the road safely. Everyone needs to ‘master some of the basic tools of dialogue’ if we are to create a society that is less cruel, racist and xenophobic. In a society where we were all well-versed in dialogue, we would give other people the chance to say what they want without judging them and labeling them. ‘If we don’t institutionalize dialogue, much of our efforts to build peace will be lagging.’

Through dialogue, we not only encounter others, but also ourselves, says Abu-Nimer. ‘Dialogue deepens our understanding of ourselves, of what we want and what is important for us. This changes us and makes us grow as humans. Dialogue has helped me to be more patient, to appreciate everyone’s perspective and to avoid as much as possible judging other people. It also allows me to hear the grievances of others in a clearer way and enables me to understand myself better.’ By practising dialogue, we become more aware of how limited our awareness of the world is and how we depend on other people to achieve what we want.

Where to start?

He provides two final pieces of advice for anyone who finds themselves involved in a conflict, whatever it may be. First: ‘Ask yourself what your role in the conflict is and become aware of it.’ Second: ‘Understand that a conflict is an opportunity for change. It is an attempt to deal with relationships of dependency and interdependency.’ Identifying what the other party wants and ‘how you can help them get what they want without losing yourself and what you want’ will help you find a way to solve the conflict peacefully and to grow.

Read more on Tools for Changemakers 2020

Sabica Pardesi is 24 years old and participated at this year's online version of Learning to be a Peacemaker. She is currently pursuing her Masters in Digital Business with a background in Fine Arts. Her research focuses on high-growth digital startups in South Africa and digital marketing. She is passionate about social impact through creative and entrepreneurial initiatives. 

"I am really thankful to the person who introduced me to the Initiatives for Change programme Learning to be a Peacemaker. It was life-changing in so many ways. It opened my eyes to things we know in theory, but don’t really put into practice either actively or consciously. So, here are some of my thoughts on the programme and why I enjoyed it so much.

From the outset, I found myself in a safe bubble with a wonderful group of keen learners. I had expected to attend a lecture, but instead found myself taking part in a dialogue with stories. Together we discussed and unpacked the “why” of peacemaking.

It was a unique experience where people from different backgrounds, cultures and journeys came together to understand what peace means. Growing up in a Muslim home, we all know the basics of Islamic teachings, the pillars, and the qualities of human attributes. Yet, we practice what fits, what is contextually appropriate and what meets our terms. In a few days we unpacked Islam as a means of preserving life. We started from the core principles of Islamic and Quranic teachings, the struggles, the life of the Prophet, perspectives on loyalty and global citizenship, finally building up to the qualities of a peacemaker, all intertwined with stories, and relevant examples. 

Islam means peace. This is not something that can be worn like a blanket when we feel the need for warmth, but something that needs to be processed, internalised and submitted to. Then, the warmth will come from within. We will no longer feel the need to be accepted, to be heard, to be followed. We will find that everything will be enough. We cannot be peacemakers without first ‘uncapping’ this inner peace. Anyone can uncap their inner peace by accepting the higher power. In Islam when we submit to the oneness of God, we acknowledge that He is all knowing and all seeing. Knowing that I am never alone feels like a big warm hug. His presence is eternal and that gives rise to the practice of awareness. That is right, it is something that is practised and developed overtime. To become more aware, we must be conscious of our every intention, action and utterance.

Before this course, I was another person looking to change the world and spread peace. As young people, we carry the anger and pain passed onto us by our parents, by our nations and cultural biases. We are quick to voice injustices and make statements. Although this is not wrong, we often fail to account for sustainability. The course really made me ponder how we do good for the short-term, we treat the symptoms and not the cause. This stems from a lack of knowledge and the pursuit of quick wins. We live in a world where we are continuously seeking to differentiate ourselves, to become better than one another. But a peaceful society comes from merely accepting our differences and embracing one another.

Now that the course is over I am still someone who wants to change the world, but I now know that peace does not just have to be spread, it needs to be cultivated and nurtured. For this I need to practice awareness, as well as the qualities of peacemaking. I also need to acquire knowledge and be patient. My generation which feeds on instant gratification for a living is in for a mighty challenge. But perhaps future generations will reap the benefits.

Usually, Swiss National Day on 1 August is an opportunity for Caux Forum participants to discover some Swiss traditions, including cheese fondue. This year, it looked like the Caux Palace would be empty, and most celebrations in the area were cancelled. However, the large terrace of the Caux Palace was a perfect place to throw a party where locals could celebrate at a safe distance from each other. IofC Switzerland partnered with the Society for the Development of Caux and L’Artisan Glacier to offer a festive programme.  

During the warm summer day, more than 300 people came at different times to enjoy the beautiful view and the entertaining programme. Following Swiss tradition, the day opened with a concert of alp horns in the gardens. Delicious food prepared by our dedicated team was available all day long, as was the bouncy castle for younger visitors. In the afternoon, we offered discovery tours of the Caux Palace in three languages. Most were fully booked, showing how eager locals are to learn more about this magnificent Belle Epoque building and its rich history. In the late afternoon, the Lounge Band jazzed up the party that went on through the evening.

We would like to thank all those who visited us on this Swiss National Day and look forward to other opportunities to celebrate in the Caux Palace gardens.

Can you truly listen? What if we all had the power to make our communities more cohesive and inclusive by starting to deeply listen to each other? The Tools for Changemakers conference was a three-day experiential journey designed to equip participants with the powerful tool of dialogue. More than 180 active or aspiring changemakers from all over the world and from all ages joined the online event from 17 to 19 July 2020. They experienced first-hand how transformative it can be to authentically share with and listen to each other.

Despite being online, the conference was highly interactive. It successfully created a safe space and offered plenty of opportunities for participants to get to know each other, reflect on their experiences and share them. Words of gratitude flowed in, as participants left feeling inspired and connected. A Facebook group has been created to offer that community a new venue.

Let’s talk! – Exploring dialogue principles and learning from experienced practitioners

The first day of Tools for Changemakers introduced participants to the tool of dialogue. Experts  spoke about their approaches to dialogue and shared their vision for how these can play a significant role in responding to the challenges facing the world.

Dialogue is an enquiry into difference, not a decision-making process.

Simon Keyes

‘Dialogue is a process of thinking about differences,’ said Simon Keyes, Professor of Reconciliation and Peacebuilding at the University of Winchester. He said that dialogue enables us to see how our opinions are shaped by our environment and that it builds trust and relationships. The process is often not easy and requires us to suspend our judgments, to be honest and transparent and to free ourselves from the need to agree or make decisions. ‘The challenge comes from the fact that we are born in different places; it gives us misperceptions of each other,’ said Mohammed Abu-Nimer, professor at the School of International Service of the American University, and senior advisor at KAICIID. Dr Iryna Brunova-Kalisetska, researcher, trainer and dialogue facilitator, drew attention to the fact that dialogue takes time, which we don’t always have in the midst of a conflict.

Let’s listen! – Experiencing a dialogue

For the second day of Tools for Changemakers, participants had the opportunity to experience dialogue themselves. In small groups, they shared their experiences of privilege and discrimination. They learned to express themselves authentically, listen carefully to others and reflect on their experiences, which led to deep connection. ‘Recognizing my privilege has encouraged me to learn more about other peoples’ experiences of oppression and discrimination,’ stated a participant.

Ebony Walden, Matthew Freeman and Rob Corcoran, three dialogue facilitators from the United States, then discussed the role of dialogue in the #BlackLivesMatter context. ‘Often people think that we don’t need to talk, that we need action, but I think that this is a false dichotomy,’ said Matthew Freeman. Dialogue is a crucial step in taking action, as it can help us to get on the same page.

Watch the full discussion here.

Let’s reflect! – Taking inspiration from stories of impact, sense making and looking ahead

For the final session of T4C, two peacemakers shared the impact that dialogue has had on their lives. Angela Starovoytova, a trainer in effective communication from Ukraine, explained how she started her career wanting to ‘share her wisdom with the world’ and for others to adopt her values. She then came to realize that others are entitled to their opinions, even if she disagrees with them. When her father and she kept arguing on their positions regarding Russia’s annexation of Crimea, she decided that their relationship meant more to her than being right and chose the path of dialogue, reuniting the family.

Watch the replay here.

Janine Farah, who is doing a Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies in Australia, told of the courage it had taken for her to enable someone who had suffered deeply to engage in dialogue with a person from the same community as the perpetrators.

Participants had the opportunity to expand these discussions in smaller groups – talking about where they could use dialogue in their own personal and professional lives. Hearing stories from all over the world served as a source of inspiration to participants, bringing them closer together.

Participants’ words of appreciation showed that they found the experience inspiring and that they enjoyed connecting at a deeper level with others. We look forward to seeing how they will use what they have learnt about dialogue in addressing the challenges faced by their communities.

Thank you to the team for the seamless organization, and to all the participants for their vulnerability and willingness to dialogue, to listen and to share openly. It was a true privilege to be part of this event.

 

So much gratitude and inspiration! Thanks to the organizers for such a wonderful opportunity to connect with so many change-makers from the world!

Watch the replays on Youtube

Know more about Tools for Changemakers

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The Creative Leadership conference took participants on a six-day journey of personal inquiry to discover what creative leadership is and what kind of leaders they are. More than 120 passionate changemakers joined the adventure, where they were inspired by impactful stories and given the space to create a strong virtual community.

Creative Leadership is a new initiative launched by alumni of the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme (CPLP) and their first venture involved the major challenge of bringing the conference online. The young team, clearly well-versed in technology, managed to offer participants an experience that was deep and powerful. They created a safe space for sharing and bonding during dialogue groups and tea times, led participants on the path of self-reflection in quiet times and invited social entrepreneurs who are making a difference in the world to teach them about leadership through human libraries and webinar sessions. They even accommodated time differences by offering two programmes, in the ‘morning’ and ‘afternoon’. Participants showed their gratitude to the organizing team during the closing session and expressed their desire to stay connected and to support each other as they step further into creative leadership.

Creating a space for change

The conference started by opening a safe space for sharing, so as to create a community and allow participants to feel secure enough to explore how they could bring change into their lives.

The first keynote speaker, Maria Paula Garcia Romero, explained how after participating in the CPLP, she wanted to do something for her community and became a social entrepreneur. She started the Suuralairua Library programme, which aims at empowering isolated indigenous communities in Colombia by providing them with a library and enabling them to teach each other how to read and write down their own ancestral stories. Starting from this experience, she explained how the leadership model of any enterprise needs to be customized to the project and to the community involved. In fact, she said, ‘the communities need to be involved in the creation of the project’, so as to ensure that it serves them and respects their identity.

Leadership from the self

Through the quiet times, human libraries and dialogue groups, participants grew in their understanding of it means to lead from the self. One of the most powerful sessions of the conference was led by four life travellers, who introduced the concept of spiritual politics, encouraged leadership through example and service and generated the atmosphere for mindfulness. Rodrigo Martínez Romero, Harmen van Dijk, Pepe García and Lázaro Valiente allowed participants to reflect on their own purpose and cultural heritage, and inspired creativity to unite their separate worlds.

Who we are is how we lead

The first webinar on this theme was led by Sonita Mbah from Cameroon, who delved into the connection between culture, identity and leadership and shared practical tools. Sonita has dedicated more than seven years to building the Better World Cameroon non-profit and the Bafut ecovillage. She is now the Executive Secretary of GEN (Global Ecovillage Network) Africa. She also received the Gender Just Climate Solutions Award from Women and Gender Constituency in 2017.

She stated that her connection to her roots, culture and environment is the basis of her leadership. ‘Whatever has come out which is good has come out from a place where I am grounded in my culture,’ she said. This isn’t without its challenges. Her culture also implies trauma from colonization which needs to be healed, and she has had to fight against sexist cultural norms. The work and difficulties are sometimes overwhelming, but her practice of meditation and journaling keeps her centred, while her vision for a better world keeps her inspired.

Who you are is how you will lead, but also how you live and how you will die.

Jin In

Jin In, founder of 4 Girls GLocal Leadership, returned to the theme in the fourth webinar of the conference, where she spoke of igniting the fuel in youth to turn their words into action. She shared her personal story of empowerment, and how she got to be the leader she is now. She encouraged participants to build their courage, hope, focus and unity.

The power of our network

The final webinar was given by Tony Sakr, a senior transportation engineer who created a crowd-sourced campaign to support young people affected by the ongoing crisis in Syria. ‘Success is a team sport,’ he said, explaining that networking is an important component of success, because we cannot do everything on our own. At the heart of a powerful network is trust, since we cannot collaborate with others without trusting them. For that, accountability is vital: he advised participants to always fulfill their promises. Successful networks are also based on reciprocity. We have to see what we bring to the table. Most important, a successful networker remains humble and listens, because there is always something to learn!

Many other inspiring young leaders shared their stories during the human libraries. ‘Books’ included Maria del Pilar Aristizabal, founder of Life Academy, a social enterprise which delivers leadership workshops in Columbia; Anubha Sharma, a senior analyst who builds gender-inclusive business strategies across the value chains of small and medium enterprises in India; and Ary Marrufo, a fashion designer who seeks to preserve culture, support artisans and create awareness of their potential to create a different future in Mexico.

As the conference was closing, participants shared how the dialogue groups had given them a sense family and support and how excited they were to be part of this journey.

We are impatient to discover what all these leaders will bring forth in the world!

• Discover Creative Leadership
• More on the Caux Forum Online

If you take care of nature, it cares for you

The Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security (CDES) 2020 aimed high in its first online edition, with more than 15 sessions and a cumulative total of 450 participants. Experts discussed the connection between security and the environment, with a focus on conflicts between farmers and herders and on the importance of involving local populations and their ancestral knowledge in land restoration projects. Visionaries presented their initiatives, and a group of artists, the IofC Bards, helped participants reflect on the conference and unwind. Fruitful conversations developed, which will be continued in monthly calls. We look forward to witnessing and supporting the collaborations and initiatives that grow out of the dialogue!

Most of the sessions have been recorded and you can watch the replays here.

Empowering local populations to restore their ancestral land

The conference started with four plenaries, three of them livestreamed on Facebook and on our website and shared with the Summer Academy on Land Security and Climate.

The first plenary, ‘Anticipating the security risks of land degradation and climate’, took place on 1 July. It started with a challenging and informative introduction by Oli Brown, Associate Fellow at Chatham House and at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP). Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti, Advisor to the Nepal Centre for Contemporary Research, then explained that, important though science and modern technologies are, learning from local communities is essential to fighting land degradation. Sustainable solutions can only be developed with their collaboration and by integrating ancestral wisdom.

The second panel, on ‘Community Action: entry-point to holistic solutions’, explored concrete solutions to land degradation through cases studies. Tony Rinaudo, Senior Climate Action Advisor at World Vision Australia, is know as the ‘forest-maker’, because of his work to restore 200 million trees in Niger through farmer-managed natural regeneration (FMNR). He explained how a lot of his work in Niger consisted of ‘mindscaping’. ‘Everything you need is already in the landscape,’ he said. ‘You only need to make people friends of trees. Once you take care of nature, it cares for you. Even the poorest people can implement this technique.’ Read more here.

Himanshu Kulkarni, Executive Director of the Advanced Centre for Water Resources Development and Management (ACWADAM) in India insisted on the importance of restoring traditional practices and of empowering communities so that they can participate. He said: ‘Communities have the answers to their challenges and with the right support, incentives and policies environment, they can be implemented and bring positive outcomes.’

The last two plenaries dived deep into the practical problems of the pharmaceutical industry and climate finance and discussed initiatives to overcome them, such as the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Initiative.

Workshops and community building

After the four plenaries, ten workshops were offered, including the very first Caux Ocean Dialogue. More interactive than the plenaries, they allowed time for discussions with the speakers. Most had a structure similar to the plenaries’, with high-level speakers such as Larry Gbevlo-Lartey, CEO of Human Security Research Centre of Ghana and former AU High Representative for Counter-Terrorism; Dr Raphaëla le Gouvello, expert in marine coastal zone management; and Mukhtar Ogle, Secretary for Strategic Initiatives in the President's Office of Kenya. They all gave a short presentation before answering questions. Recurring concerns were conflicts between farmers and herders and the importance of collaborating with local population and integrating their traditional knowledge and practices. 

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The only workshop in French was held on 10 July, in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, on the topic of ‘Land and Security in Sub-Saharan Africa’. The speakers included Oumar B Samake of the Malian Association for Awakening to Sustainable Development and Dr Mahamadou Savadogo, consultant on questions related to violent extremism in Burkina Faso. They  explained how land degradation is directly related to the rise of armed groups and how it is crucial to restore land and make it accessible to women and young people. (Read the complete report here).

Another highlight was the session on ‘Land Degradation and Remediation: latest developments and best practices’, which was full of hope. The four speakers inspired participants with their success stories of land restoration. For example, Neal Spackman, Founder and CEO of Regenerative Resources Co, explained how, working with local people, he managed to transform desertified land in Saudi Arabia to savannah. Josef Garvi, Founder and CEO of Sahara Sahel Foods, spoke of how his company is reintroducing the population to nutritious traditional foods, which grow more easily than cereals in their region.  

Participants also had the opportunity for hands-on learning. The workshop on ‘Enterpreneurship and Innovation: building the world you want to live in’ taught them how to plan future actions by framing their hopes for the world and ’retrocasting’ to determine what steps were needed to achieve them. They created a 90-day plan for action.

Lastly, the Caux Ocean Dialogue was launched, with a first exploration of the role that sea ecosystems play in the environment and of the actions needed to protect them.

Environment, security and the arts

The conference also explored the connections between art and environment. The IofC Bards, a network of poets, composers and musicians, took part in the Dialogue and created inspiring artworks to reflect their impressions.

Lisa Yasko, a Ukrainian MP and the Founder of Yello Blue Strategy, led a workshop on ‘Art and love in politics’, in which she shared her experience of making politically engaged artwork.

A two-day workshop on ‘Creativity for Sustainability’ led participants on a journey towards deeper connection with sustainability in their daily life. Finally, participants unwound through an interactive sound meditation led by flautist Žofie Kašparová.

• Read more on the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security
• More on the Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate
• Discover the CDLS Emerging Leaders Programme

The Ethical Leadership in Business conference, on 25 and 26 June 2020, kicked off the first Caux Forum Online. It offered a diversified experience with panels livestreamed from the Caux Palace, networking times and an introspective workshop. Even though participants could not meet on the terrace as they usually do in Caux, they remained very engaged throughout the conference and were inspired by the deep conversations that took place. Monthly conference calls will be organized to sustain this inspiration and support participants as they implement changes in their practice.

Innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa

The first panel of the conference explored the topic of innovation and entrepreneurship in Africa.

Angelica Kiboro, Acting Principal/Registrar at Strathmore Institute in Kenya, who lectures on entrepreneurship, led the three speakers – Dina el-Shenoufy, Chief Investment Officer at Flat6Labs; Peace N Kuteesa, Founder and Chief Operations Officer of Zimba Women; and Darlene Menzies, CEO at Finfind – on an exploration of the difficulties and opportunities arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

They all agreed that digitalization has become essential. Online businesses and e-commerce are thriving and many entrepreneurs are seizing the opportunity to make the shift. This reveals how important it is for entrepreneurs to be agile in adapting their businesses to new situations, but also to have back-up plans, as Peace Kuteesa pointed out.

Although the pandemic presents huge opportunities for some, many face difficulties with the collapse of supply chains. Communities have had to find ways to rebuild supply chains locally and to accommodate curfews. Darlene Menzies described how the situation is deepening the digital divide in Africa. Those who do not have the technical or financial means to operate the digital shift find themselves marginalized. Angelica Kiboro concluded by stressing that in times of such hardship, it is crucial for entrepreneurs to be reactive and creative, as the effects of their innovations can ripple out and benefit many.

Lifelong learning for a resilient economy

The second panel was livestreamed from the Caux Palace with some speakers also joining via zoom. As the pandemic changes the world, we need constantly to learn new skills. The capacity to remain curious and learn throughout our lives is important in increasing resilience. The panel investigated what we should learn and how.

Annika Hartmann de Meuron, Managing Director of Ethical Leadership in Business, moderated the panel: Danièle Castle, Senior Director, Education and Talent, at Digital Switzerland; Andrea Kuttner, Head of Digital Learning at Credit Suisse; Nazrene Mannie, Executive Director at GAN Global; Naureen Nayyar, technology consultant at H&M Group; Ivan Primachenko, Co-Founder of Prometheus; and Olga Strietska-Ilina, Team Leader, Skills Strategies for Future Labour Markets, at the ILO.

Danièle Castle opened the panel by quoting Einstein: ‘Once you stop learning, you start dying’. Although grim, this emphasized a recurring idea throughout the whole conversation: we all need to learn, at all times. Panelists showed that this does not just mean sitting at a school desk or following an online programme. Rather, there is a great diversity of skills to learn, from professional to interpersonal ones. There are also different ways of learning. Although the online offer has been booming recently, in-person and practical learning will remain essential. Each person can create her own curriculum and learn what she needs in the way that suits her, depending on her situation in life. Life-long learning is really, as Olga Strietska-Ilina put it, life-wide learning.

To make this possible, it is important to create both educational and professional environments that encourage curiosity and learning, and to make sure that no one is left out. Diversity in learning needs to be complemented by inclusivity. This involves ensuring that new technologies are inclusive, and that they aim at cognitive diversity and at bringing our cognitive blindspots to light, as Naureen Nayyar pointed out. Lastly, learning should always remain a pleasure.

Leadership for a moral renewal in the economy

How can we build an economy that is sustainable, resilient and that, most importantly, serves people?

Sarah Schwab, CEO of The Experience Accelerator, moderated an inspiring session with Vivek Asrani, Managing Director of Kaymo Fastener Company; Kristin Engvig, Founder and CEO of Global WIN&WIN Conference; Isabella Phoenix, Senior Manager of HP Global Channel and Co-Founder of Architects of Air, and Guillaume Taylor, Founder of Quadia. Due to technical issues, Brendan Kelly, Global Head of Leadership and Professional Development at Credit Suisse, was unfortunately unable to join the discussion.

All the speakers agreed that our current economy lacks vision. As Guillaume Taylor explained, our aim is profit in and for itself: ‘Form has become substance’. We need to come back to our original intent and realize that the aim is to create value for everyone around the table. As Vivek Asrani put it, we do what we do for and with the people. Only a clear vision can enable us to become clear on our values, said Isabella Phoenix, and to do business which is congruent with our values, we need to know what they are.

A lot of leaders focus only on the outcome and disregard how the profit is produced. But the ‘how’ matters. Vivek Asrani insisted that we need to start rewarding the ‘how’, rather than just the ‘what’. Our economy must undergo a complete shift of mindset. ‘We need to broaden the “what”, deepen the “why”, and adapt the “how”,’ said Guillaume Taylor.

To change the ‘how’, we need authentic and compassionate leaders. Contrary to what some may think, ‘the softer emotions don’t compromise business,’ maintained Vivek Asrani. In fact, compassion and authenticity cultivate trust and collaboration. He gave practical examples of how he embodies those values in his organization. For example, he rejected the opportunity to rent a cheap warehouse, because the sanitary conditions would not have been optimal for his employees. He also instituted paternity leave in his organization when that was almost unheard-of in India.

As Kristin Engvig said, ‘Love is not just a word, it is also a verb.’

Workshop: Leadership in the community

The conference closed with a workshop on leadership in the community, led by Gabriele Segre, Director of the Vittorio Dan Segre Foundation. He led the participants in a reflection on what identity is. We all have several identities which change with time and place. Their unique combination makes each one of us who we are.

Gabriele Segre invited us to celebrate those identities. They do not have to be in conflict. We can recognize that we all share a human identity and live alongside each other, while at the same time cherishing and maintaining the diversity of identities that we all have. Let us cultivate ‘convivenza’. Participants were invited to reflect on this question and to share with each other what that means, practically, in their daily lives.

Although it was a real challenge to move the conference online in such a short span of time, it was a complete success. Participants from all over the world enjoyed deep and meaningful conversations and reflected on what they can do to build a more resilient and inclusive economy.

We look forward to the Ethical Leadership in Business talks that will take place each month and are impatient to discover the fruits of the many seeds that were planted by the conference.

Learn more about Ethical Leadership in Business.

By Alan Channer and Karina Cheah

‘It’s one of the best ways ever with the present covid pandemic.’

 

‘We ended just when I was wishing we had more time to learn and interact.’

 

‘If possible I would like to go over it again.’

 

‘This will change the world.’

The effusive feedback from participants in the five-day 2020 Summer Academy on Land, Climate and Security vindicated the difficult decision to take the course online. Four months ago, this had seemed an impossible task to the academy’s co-directors Anna Brach and Dr Alan Channer. Thankfully, zoom calls and web-based learning platforms enabled Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace, the Geneva Centre for Security Policy and IofC Switzerland to host a successful event, with 28 participants from 20 countries. The Africa Climate Change Fund of the African Development Bank provided core funding.

‘What will it take to forge community-based solutions to deforestation, land degradation and massive flooding?

‘Why does only 1% of international funding to prevent and/or adapt to the effects of climate change reach the world’s poorest people?’

‘What part can each of us play in our own situations to safeguard the Earth?’

These and other questions were addressed by a panel of distinguished practitioners and academics. The participants joined the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security (CDES) for high-level webinars featuring case-studies on:

• Community-based wildlife conservation in Namibia
• Participatory watershed management in India
• Civil society environmental action in Nepal
• UN-led dialogues on land rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo
• Farmer-managed natural regeneration in semi-arid Africa.

The case-study on farmer-managed natural regeneration was picked up by the online magazine Geneva Solutions  under the headline, ‘Conquering deforestation with a pocket-knife’. It quoted the webinar’s moderator, Louise Brown from Namibia: ‘Communities have the answers to their challenges.... With the right incentives, simple solutions can be taken forward to improve the environment, society and the economy all in one go.’

The core of the Summer Academy was group work conducted in zoom breakout sessions. Participants on different continents were able to brainstorm and collaborate on environmental restoration in their own contexts, before presenting them in the plenary sessions for feedback and further discussion, including on how solutions could be ‘future-proofed’.

Land reclamation and inter-island migration in the Maldives; social entrepreneurship and waste disposal in the Comoros Islands; environmental peacebuilding on Akassa Island in the Niger Delta; and community forestry in Nepal and Bhutan were some of the issues explored. 

The online Summer Academy went so well that the organizers were close to tears during the final session and the participants didn’t want to leave. It faded out slowly, as everyone bade farewell. A Polish participant played Bach on the cello; a Bhutanese participant shared a folk song about the beauty of nature; a Nigerian sang, ‘We are the world’.

Although the 2020 Summer Academy was vastly different from the 2019 edition, participant Nkatha Kobia from Kenya, who attended both, found that the wealth of experience from fellow participants was the same. ‘The energy and enthusiasm that was felt in the classrooms at Caux was also reflected across the computer screens via the virtual platforms,’ she explained, adding that coming to Caux in person brings an invaluable dimension of human interaction and inspiring physical location.

‘The 2020 Summer Academy on Land and Security will be memorable for being the pioneer online version of the course,’ Kobia concluded. ‘This opens new and expansive possibilities for the future of the dialogue series at Caux.’

• Find out more about the Summer Academy on Land, Security and Climate
• Find out more about the Caux Dialogue on Environment and Security

Photos: Leela Channer, Alan Channer

18 July was the birthday of Nelson Mandela and this year marked the end of the first Mandela Mile Leadership Programme (MMLP). This 14-week programme had 36 participants from 21 countries. Some of the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme (CPLP) alumni acted as buddies, accompanying the participants on their leadership journeys. MMLP ended with a 24-hour Mandela Mile livestream, interspersed with videos from the participants telling of their experiences.

One of them was Romano Iluku from Kenya, who was also a buddy. He writes:

"I was brought up in one of the largest slums in Africa, Kibera in Nairobi. Life in the slum means you have no opportunity and no hope for the future. I was accustomed to living in a 10x10 single room with five family  members, going without food at times, walking barefoot and staying out of school due to lack of fees.

Life in this environment is indeed pathetic. But because I discovered the person I was capable of being, I rose above the walls and barriers to transform my personal life. I am currently pursuing a course in international relations, peace and security.

I’m passionate about education and transformation. It is what has made me what I am today. And my passion for transformation is guided by my desire to learn, love and serve humanity and so to change the narrative that nothing good can ever come from the slums. And the narrative that someone coming from a disadvantaged background will never have any opportunities.

My experience at CPLP 2018 was a life-changing one. Experiencing Caux’s values and interacting with great and inspirational leaders made me think of something bigger. This led me into starting an organization where I live, to create flourishing and resilient communities.  

The CPLP also opened the door for me to participate in MMLP.

MMLP nurtures the leadership skills of young leaders engaged in grassroots development initiatives around the world. My 12 weeks with MMLP were productive in many ways. I found the experience of being a buddy amazing and humbling. The experience borrowed much from Caux’s values: quiet time was central to helping young leaders reflect on their personal journeys. I got a chance to share with two other participants from different countries. In my turn, I was privileged to have Nick Foster, from IofC and Caux, as my buddy. I was so encouraged and motivated by his support and received great insight on my spiritual journey.

Access to experts and guidance through the programme has helped me to shape the development of my initiative in Kenya and to realign it with three of the Sustainable Development Goals: reduced poverty (SDG 1), zero hunger (SDG 2) and reduced inequalities (SDG 10).

Interacting with likeminded and visionary leaders through MMLP and learning from their inspiring experiences was indeed remarkable to me. It has helped to improve my confidence as a young leader. "

My experience at CPLP 2018 was a life-changing one.

Find out more about the Caux Peace and Leadership Programme (CPLP).

Image: Mandela Mile