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AEI-Open Windows
News
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Study Session
“Applicability of Peacebuilding in
Youth Work” |
The United Network of Young
Peacebuilders (UNOY) invited organizations
from different countries to participate in the
study session “Applicability of Peacebuilding in
youth work” in Budapest (Hungary), 2nd – 9th
March 2008, organized in cooperation with
Peace Action, Training and research institute of
Romania (PATRIR), Youth Action for Peace
(YAP) and Earth Charter Youth Initiative
supported by the Council of Europe (COE).
To overall aim of the study
session is to: Enhance applicability of Peace
building practices in youth work.
The specific objectives
are to:
1.
Have a
critical reflection on Peace Building
2.
Exchange experiences in Peace Building and
Conflict Transformation among youth
3.
Explore the applicability of Peace Building in
Youth Work
4.
Develop Peace Building practices in different
settings or contexts
5.
Integrate different tools and resources into the
study session
6.
Promote the cooperation and networking on
organizations and networks working on Peace
Building
The targeted group were youth
from 18 countries, aged 18 – 35; they are
involved and active in youth work on a local,
national or international level. Also they have
experience in the field of: peace building,
conflict transformation, non-formal education,
social work and intercultural learning.
The study session was very rich,
interesting and motivating for its theme in
introducing many important topics, workshops,
lectures, theories, practices, group
discussions, reflections, skills, energizing,
youth participation and presentations. For
example, having a workshop about “Mapping peace
and conflicts in today’s societies” was
significant to know that during the year 2007 we
have 42 conflicts, 0 conflict in Europe, and the
longest peace in modern times between states
were 63 years in Europe and the world have 32.9
million refugees displaced in 1997 etc. As a
Palestinian participating in such a study
session, this training pushed me towards
knowledge and understanding of different
conflicts such as multicultural community
struggle between minorities and majorities,
indigenous and migrants, radicalization of
religious parties, Armenian genocide and borders
with Azerbaijan, feeble and economic crash,
problem of identity and territory etc.
I learnt from the critical reflection and
theories on peace building workshop. Conflict is
complex and the first causality of conflict is
the truth and dialogue. In addition the many
important theories such as:
Community Relations Theory, principled
Negotiation Theory Human Needs Theory, Identity,
Theory Intercultural, Miscommunication Theory
Conflict and Transformation Theory.
I have learnt and came out with many
ideas regarding many discussions and group
meetings and brainstorming which led me
personally to understand and to have a deep
conviction that love and peace walk together as
people say peace comes from inside (Inner peace
and the spirituality of peace). Peace is a
process and means that everything we do as peace
builders, organizations should be peaceful. We
need to work on a positive peace including all
actors and targets, companies and NGOs. We need
also to move forward in peace process,
cooperation, education, dialogue, inspiration
and motivation. We need to understand diversity
(ethnic, religious, sex and economic), conflict
and rejecting violence. On a certain levels we
can't deny and avoid the importance of human
rights education and lobbying.
It is important in conflict to understand
the style of conflicts and when which to use?
Forcing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding
and accommodating. I really was interesting in
such practical exercises where you know your
self, evaluate your reaction, understand better
how you mange differences especially when it
comes to relations. For example: A: I try to
find a compromise solution. B. I sometimes
sacrifice my own wishes for the wishes of other
persons. Or I am usually firm in pursuing my
goals either I may try to soothe the others
feelings and preserve our relationship.
The Arab Educational Institute,
represented by Mr. Milad Vosgueritchian,
introduced on Thursday 6th 2008, a
workshop entitled "Youth Communication or how
Youth communicate their Daily Life Reality" AEI
case study where Mr. Milad talked about the RRCA
which is read, reflect, communicate and act and
its strength in the life of youth where despair,
depression and no freedom of choice to reflect
on their disagreement, anger, differences. We
also try our best as a peaceful organization
that believes in justice, human rights and
nonviolence to spread the message of all
prophets and peace activists in which they
transformed enemies into friends. In addition to
the NVC practices, Mr. Milad also introduced to
the participants the NVC – Nonviolence
Communication, where he emphasized on words are
windows or walls and how much our communication
could transform the conflict negatively or
positively – compassionate listening. The
reaction and the impacts were clear and shown
heart to heart communication which reached to
the deepest place in the mind and heart of
participants. And the difficult question is do
we as peace builders really have inner peace and
how we can get to that level. Also many
workshops were given by participants about
sustainability, diversity/prejudice reduction,
equal to equal, educating Muslim youth, power
chairs.
“More Than Stereotype” is an activity
that includes an intercultural night where each
participant introduced his/ her culture through
customs, desserts and kinds of chocolates,
typical wines. What made this night special and
joyful is in spite of all differences in culture
we share respect, kindness, smile, shouting,
dancing etc. also socio cultural party and food.
I believe such kind of intercultural
meetings, peace camps and study sessions etc.
are very helpful and powerful step in building a
mutual understanding, communication and dialogue
towards a better networking, participation and
understanding of youth in all over the world of
peace and peace building.
No matter who we are, which background,
religions, ethnics and organizations, we have
the responsibility as a youth to break
stereotypes, get out from our fear, build
bridges instead of walls, our motto is we are
all different but we are all equal. Let's stop
prejudice, discrimination, separation,
segregation, and injustice, inequality and
violence in the world because we are the world,
we are the peace, we say enough is enough.
Really I felt
my participation was very important in Budapest
because it opened my mind into different
conflicts, ideas, experiences and I learnt how
much it is very important as a general youth
coordinator, communicating the AEI and the
distorted image about Palestinians and the
conflict. I always say we are the ambassadors of
the youth voice abroad and we have a
responsibility to talk about our identity and
values as Christian and Muslims. The session
were also a chance for me to express the
importance of living together and respecting
differences as the only solution to avoid
clashes and conflict a knowing the other. At
the end it was a very successful and wonderful
experience in which over than 18 countries were
together coexisted for a week in an amazing way
where all were together as a mosaic of peace
building. |
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