Mohamed Sahnoun leaves behind the memory of a very wise man. There have been very few men like him, may he rest in peace.

Cornelio Sommaruga

Mohamed Sahnoun was an Algerian diplomat and President of Initiatives of Change from 2007 to 2008. His great ability to listen and understand others enabled him to bring together certain conflicting parties. He created the Caux Forum on Human Security, a conference which still runs today. A commemoration ceremony was held for his family and friends on Wednesday 10 July 2019 in the main hall of the Caux Palace.

It was in this intimate and solemn atmosphere that his friend and Honorary President of Initiatives of Change, Cornelio Sommaruga, recalled the life of Mohamed Sahnoun. He was an exemplary figure in the diplomatic world whether in his role as Ambassador of Algeria, advisor to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and Kofi Annan or President of Initiatives of Change. In the words of Cornelio Sommaruga, ‘he was a source of motivation and encouragement in his role as diplomat and mediator in the service of peace.’

His Excellence the Ambassador of Algeria to Switzerland recalled that in addition to his exceptional professional career, Mohamed Sahnoun was, above all, a friend. ‘During my first meeting with him I saw his humility, his lucidity, his ability to listen and his love for his country.’ These touching words were followed by a trumpet performance by Nick Foster, Director of the Caux Forum.

Hania Sahnoun, Mohamed’s daughter, highlighted that ‘peace can only be achieved by civil society’. It was for this reason that Initiatives of Change held an important place in Mohamed Sahnoun’s heart. Finally, Richard Werly, friend and journalist for Le Temps, expressed his thoughts through a piece read by Barbara Hinterman. For him, Mohamed Sahnoun, was a source of wisdom, someone who knew how to listen and understand whether in a personal or diplomatic situation.

Mohamed Sahnoun’s family and his closest friends were invited into the prayer room which will be renamed in his honour. The gathering observed a minute’s silence whilst his portrait was hung on the wall. Mounir Beltaifa, IofC’s Vice-President then offered a prayer in Arabic.

The commemoration ended with a few words from Andrew Stallybrass who remembers Mohamed Sahnoun as the epitome of the values he spoke about, a characteristic which makes him so memorable. Barbara Hinterman encapsulated these values, ‘Mohamed was a man of dialogue, a man who believed in loving each other, in human fraternity and in the responsibility to protect.’

Text: Nicole Walther

Photo: Paula Mariane

The importance of working closely with local communities and promoting a creative and inclusive peace was at the forefront of the third and final edition of the ‘Towards an Inclusive Peace’ conference which took place from 8 to 12 July 2019 as part of the Caux Forum. While attention was focused on the victims and causes of violent extremism in 2017 and 2018, this year it focused on three subjects: deep prevention, community resilience and protection of peacebuilders. The approaches presented are based on the concepts of inclusiveness, sustainability and context-specificity.

Establishing the facts: some details on the consequences of violent extremism.

‘Violent extremism divides communities, exacerbates conflicts and destabilizes regions,’ stated Barbara Hinterman, Secretary General of Initiatives of Change Switzerland during the Conference’s opening ceremony. ‘In the countries where we work, violent extremism has killed, injured and displaced millions of people,’ continued Dr Khalid Koser, Founder and Executive Director of the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF).

Taking an interest in violent extremism is critical not only for populations but also for States and the private sector. If security approaches seem inefficient, it is best to go beyond them and include local actors. Accordingly, GCERF seeks to strengthen three vital elements of community resilience: capacity building, social cohesion and equal access to opportunities.

Community resilience as a driver of change.

‘We must commit ourselves to articulating a positive vision of what we want’ said Melinda Holmes, Director of the Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) of the International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN). Indeed, peace is not defined purely by the absence of war and violence but rather by a state where the values of justice, democracy and human rights are respected. Prevention approaches need to concentrate on both the context and the strength of the community.

As Daniel Hyslop, Director of Policy and Learning for Interpeace, recalled ‘99% of terrorism occurs in the context of armed conflict or political terror’. As a result, the context must first be understood by working with local populations. Secondly, the approach must be integrated and positive. It must allow dialogue between all the actors and prioritise community resilience.

Mercy Corps, who was represented by Emilie Tankora, a programme specialist for social cohesion, peace and conflict in Niger, has an approach that is in line with these principals. Mercy Corps’ aim is to work with local communities to understand the different realities and make projects sustainable. Their approach is two-fold: a short-term component to respond to immediate needs and a long-term one to rebuild societal links through dialogue.

The programme to prevent violent extremism presented by Lisa-Raine Hunt, Community Coordinator for the UK Home Office, also emphasizes community resources and resilience.

During interactive group workshops, participants tackled the subjects of prevention, community resilience and protection of peacebuilders. Through the life journeys of local actors, the contexts of six countries were compared and studied in-depth: Nigeria, Ukraine, India, Nepal, the United Kingdom and Indonesia.

Creativity and art in the healing process

Dr Ram Baghat, Co-founder of the Drums No Guns Foundation and the Massive Resilience Project presented his approach to promoting resilience. He showed how music and dialogue can restore the balance by encouraging dignity and respect.

‘Recognizing one’s own vulnerabilities to then be able to connect with others, and working on one’s values to engage with communities’ are two of the actions undertaken by the Fighters for Peace association in Lebanon, co-founded by Christina Foerch Saab. Theatre is used by the association as a tool to start a discussion about individual and collective memories.

Storysharing also allows people to understand how to go through the process of healing from trauma. Hasan Davis who is now a national leader in US justice juvenile reform was drawing on his personal experience when he said, ‘everybody deserves to become the hero of their own story’. The role of hope and trust, and the importance of adopting a long-term vision were more formally explained the next day during the plenary.

The varied points of view, meeting formats and discussions make the Caux Forum not only a unique place for personal inspiration and learning but also for connecting with others and oneself, just as Initiatives of Change encourages.

Keeping safe through action

Against the backdrop of a crisis in global democracy, Guissou Jahangiri, Vice-President of the International Federation for Human Rights (Fédération Internationale pour les Droits Humains, FIDH) underlined the importance of networks and connections to protect peacebuilders.

Having highlighted the failure of the international community to protect peacebuilders and the lack of recognition for peacebuilding processes, Stacey Schamber, Senior Program Officer for ICAN illustrated the importance of networks in promoting peace. As an example, she spoke about one of her peacebuilding colleagues who was held at an airport for more than seventeen hours. Through the ICAN network she was supported by other women and was able to find a solution to the situation. ‘Solidarity is a way of supporting each other and staying safe,’ she concluded.

Rodolfo Dominguez Marquéz continued this discussion with a presentation of his work as Coordinator of the Justice, Human Rights and Gender Civil Association in Mexico. He discussed several action plans to combat violence: identifying the risks with the assistance of specific methodologies then implementing protocols as well as strengthening peacebuilder networks and promoting restorative justice.

The aims of the conference have therefore been achieved: collaborations have begun while the participants feel inspired by the conference, exchanges and meetings.

The graphic summary provided by Anna Lena Schiller combines these observations with drawings and words from the participants.

Solidarity, human dignity, equity...Peace and dialogue can be promoted through a human- and community-centred approach.

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The sun is slowly setting but the air is still warm as ten people form a circle to listen to Brian Iselin’s captivating story told during the human library as part of the Ethical Leadership in Business conference. He tells us how he discovered the extent of modern slavery and how he decided to fight it.

He first came into contact with human trafficking during his time as a federal agent combatting narco-trafficking. While searching for narcotics, he found two baby girls in a sports bag who were meant to be sold for adoption in Vietnam. Profoundly appalled by this discovery he shifted his priority to modern slavery and decided to take action.

But what is modern slavery? Slavery is not a new problem, the main difference today being that trafficked and abused people are not part of our society as they are not seen. Scandals such as child labour are common amongst big fashion brands but most people distance themselves and continue to buy the clothes. As Iselin says, ‘80% of what we all buy is slave tainted (…) we are talking about hundreds of millions of people’.

Two years ago, Iselin created the NGO Slavefreetrade based on his belief about customers that ‘nobody would willingly do something wrong if [they] knew that it was not right’. The aim is to show the customer what they should do instead of blaming them for doing what they should not and therefore relies on a positive message and incentive.

In practice this means that on a regular basis Slavefreetrade asks workers at every stage in a brand’s supply chain if their human rights are being resepcted. The questions include rights such as dignity, equality and child-free labour. Slavefreetrade then provides the company with access to the results so that they can address any issues. Iselin told us about one case in which the head of human resources for a big label discovered that sexual harassment was happening in a factory that he did not even know existed. With the help of this detailed information, he could do something about it.

The platform brings transparency in a sector where it formerly did not exist. The challenge is now to convince big brands to join the movement and face what is really happening in their supply chains. This will only happen by ‘bringing good actors together’.

Text: Nicole Walther

Photo: Paula Mariane

Bram Jonker is involved in bringing innovation and technology to the digital transformation within Deloitte Tax & Legal. It may be his first time at the Caux Forum but he is no stranger to the Caux Palace where he studied as a student of the Swiss Hotel Management School. He found the Ethical Leadership in Business conference, during which he was a speaker, an enriching experience. ‘It is really about listening, no judgements, no right or wrong answers. It is a safe environment where people can share what they truly believe.’ Bram, for example, has a lot to share about the impact of technology on children now and in the future.

For him, technology is like the water in a bathtub. ‘When parents put their children in the bathtub they first have to check the temperature of the water.’ Parents have the same responsibility when it comes to checking the technology their children use. This is why Bram tests every gadget himself before giving it to his children. If he feels that he cannot trust it, he will search for an alternative.

Bram is convinced that technology will evolve in a way that helps children. For example, when a child asks the virtual assistant what the weather is like instead of simply giving the answer, it could take a more educational approach and explain how to look at the clouds. However, evolution takes time. ‘Until [the technology] is ready, people have to take responsibility. We are not victims; we are making choices.’

Bram believes that ‘jobs remain, tasks shift’ and as a result automatization will be a great opportunity for future generations. Indeed, repetitive tasks are slowly disappearing and being replaced by work involving creativity, collaboration, communication and critical thinking. As robots take care of the boring tasks, more time is freed for meaningful human activities and interaction.

During the conference Bram shared these insights with a wide range of people, who might give him a new perspective about the role technology will play in his children’s life.

As he says,‘I have never been in such a diverse group of people, with different positions in governmental agencies, non-profit organisations but also in the commercial industries and it is very interesting to hear their different points of view.’

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Text: Nicole Walther

Photo: Paula Mariane

This year’s Just Governance for Human Security conference, part of the Caux Forum, focused on good governance, social inclusion and healing memory. These three human security pillars were linked to the following Sustainable Development Goals: Reduced Inequalities, Gender Equality, and Partnership for the Goals. The participants represented many countries, notably Mali with a delegation supported by the FDFA, Ukraine and Japan. Over the course of five days they were inspired by the panels, equipped through workshops and training tracks, connected during their community groups and reflected in the quiet times. Dominique de Buman, former president of the Swiss National Council, opened the conference on Tuesday 2 July.

‘People that attain a state of good inner governance trust themselves and trust is a natural outcome of good inner governance’ said Iqbal Singh Bains

The panel on 3 July focused on good governance. Iqbal Singh Bains from the Ministry of Happiness, in Madhya Pradesh, India talked about inner governance as a level of wellbeing. With the help of Initiatives of Change, he has set up a happiness programme based on gratitude, responsibility, acceptance and forgiveness.

Dr Christiane Agboston Johnson from the Centre de Hautes Etudes de Défense et de Sécurité, pointed out that women often do not trust the armed security forces and that in order to tackle this strong women are needed in leading positions. Dr Achim Wennmann, Executive Coordinator of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, and Jonathan Rudy, from the Alliance for Peacebuilding, spoke about the importance of dialogue between individuals in conflict in order to foster understanding and trust.

The theme of the interactive session on the third day was social inclusion as a condition for trustbuilding with a focus on women, indigenous communities and youth. The first speaker, Nicole Pitter Patterson, Co-Founder of SheLeadsIt spoke about how her organization empowers girls to create apps and podcasts, and to take part in hackathons so they too can be part of the technological revolution while Md Mozahidul Islam, from Rights-based Programming and Advocacy for HEKS/EPER Bangladesh, spoke about the importance of protecting marginalised communities such as indigenous people. Finally, Tinotenda Mhungu, a social and economic justice activist from Zimbabwe, explained how and why he strengthens youth participation in politics.

The plenary on 5 July focused on healing memory as a condition for a peaceful common future. For this to be possible, equitable justice for all, safe spaces for voices to be heard, and a collective and common memory are necessary. Sunny Mawiong, one of IofC India’s young leaders, grew up in a racist environment and talked about his inner transformation. He rid himself of his deep bitterness through reflection during an IofC India programme. He discovered the importance of ‘being open to forgive but also to seeing forgiveness’. Laurent Munyandilikirwa, a human rights defender, talked about the spiral of conflicts in the Great Lake Region. This is caused by a lack of justice as the perpetrators have only partly been judged.

When not in a plenary the participants took part in training tracks and workshops each with a different focus, for example, how to use Forum Theatre to reduce inequalities. The six workshops gave participants a deeper understanding of human security. In one workshop Jonathan Rudy explained how the multi-stakeholder process sparks collaborative action and includes civil society. In another, Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director of the Caux Round Table, gave an interactive demonstration of Japan’s alternative leadership approach which leaves space for incompleteness. Thanks to a group of experts from various African countries, participants were also able to hear an overview of the governance situation in Africa.

As the conference progressed the participants began to realize that their country was not the only one having problems and that everyone has stories of pain and stories of success to tell. Attending the workshops and talking to each other has given them the energy and motivation to tackle the issues they face. With this renewed vigour, actions will undoubtedly be taken once the participants get home, starting with them sharing with their communities the tools they learned during the Forum.

Furthermore, several ideas for projects emerged during the five days. With the insight that exclusion leads to extremism, one participant wants to create a programme to tackle exclusion in central Africa. Another, having connected with Muslims during the Forum, will seek to bring Muslims and Christians together in his community in the UK. Finally, Ishida will organise exchanges abroad to teach Japanese children about the importance of diversity. These ideas and projects aim to enhance trust in the participating communities to in turn create good governance, heal memories and foster social inclusion.

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By Nicole Walther

Photos: Paula Mariane

The Caux Conference and Seminar Centre already saves energy in many ways. It has also installed wood-chip fuelled heaters, which use local resources rather than importing oil. Now Caux is becoming even greener.

Initiatives of Change (IofC) Switzerland will offset the carbon footprint of the 2019 Caux Forum by planting 2,000 rubber trees in Meghalaya. (You can contribute your share if you wish – it’s just a few francs per person).

IofC wants to take full responsibility for the CO2 emissions it generates. Just running the Caux Conference and Seminar Centre emits about 160 kg of CO2 per person per day. The Caux Forum also contributes to global warming by encouraging travel. The average participant will send 1,400 kg of CO2 into the atmosphere – though, of course, an individual’s contribution can vary between as much as 6,700 kg for those who fly long distances to under 10 kg for those who travel by regional train.

In total, the Caux Forum 2019 will be responsible for some 1,900 tons of carbon emissions. To compensate for this, 2,000 rubber trees which will be planted in Meghalaya, a state of North-East India which has had a longstanding relationship with IofC since the 1960s.

The trees will be planted by the Worldview Impact Foundation, which uses drones to plant seeds in the cloud forests of Meghalaya and the mangrove forests of south-west Myanmar.

Worldview Impact’s founder and Chief Executive, Dr Bremley WB Lyngdoh has a long family connection with IofC. In the late Sixties, when Meghalaya was seeking independence from the state of Assam, Bremley’s great-uncle BB Lyngdoh went to Asia Plateau, IofC’s conference centre in Panchgani, India, to have frank discussions with other political leaders. At the same time, Bremley’s father, Eric B Lyngdoh, led young volunteers into the non-violent Hill State Movement, following IofC principles and convincing Assam’s political leaders to allow the birth of Meghalaya without bloodshed. And more recently Bremley himself helped to organize an international conference for IofC in Shillong, Meghalaya’s capital.

Bremley Lyngdoh came to Caux in 2017 and 2018 to participate in the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security (CDLS). He came back for this year’s CDLS in late June with Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya. They welcomed IofC’s help with their initiatives to restore fragile cloud forest and mangrove ecosystems.

Read more about IofC’s efforts to make the Caux Forum more sustainable