Introduction to Community Peacebuilding

Cohesive communities are the foundation of society. As such the presence or lack of ‘positive peace’ in a community naturally has an impact on the local level as communities struggle to maintain connection and involvement, as well as impacting the larger society through ongoing polarization and disconnection. Beginning with the viewpoints and assets of all participants in the room, this learning opportunity will open space for community members to explore together the structural and political causes of conflict at the local level, and the necessity of peacebuilding to address the underlying root causes of conflict within their communities.  Through knowledge sharing and interactive activities grounded in participants’ local context, this learning gathering offers an opportunity to strengthen, integrate, and reflect on the ideas, skills, and principals involved in building positive peace and what those ideas mean to participants personally and as peacebuilders in their communities.

Outcomes for community members will include:

• Increased understanding through engaging in an exercise that is designed to assist community members in identifying their community’s social, cultural, resource, and creative assets that are crucial for peacebuilding and conflict transformation.
• Through the learning and knowledge sharing process, community members will learn skills to develop an inclusive and community-owned definition of peacebuilding.
• Community members will identify key aspects and tools of community peacebuilding encompassing the community’s social dynamics, economic setting, and political environment.
• Community members will become familiar with some peacebuilding literature focused on community peacebuilding.

Who should take this workshop?

Canadian residents in a position of leadership in the community, community organizers, NGO community, students, those engaged in social justice and sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Fees

Accepted participants from the Atlantic provinces will receive full funding covering tuition, most meals, and accommodation. Participants from outside the Atlantic provinces are required to pay a fee of $400 for the same.

All participants are responsible for arranging and covering the costs of their own travel to and from the course venue, as well as their evening meals (supper).