Winter, 2007/08
The Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict -
International is pleased to present its e-Newsletter.
In this issue, you will find:
- How to Foster a Culture of Peace in the Schools?
- International Day of Peace 2007
- From the Executive Director
- Calling College Students
- President's Letter
- CEMPROC Patrons
How to Foster a Culture of Peace in the Schools?“If we are to wage a war on war we must begin with the children.” – Mahatma Gandhi
This past Fall, Diana Palacios and Kristen McCaskey had the opportunity to work with 30 teachers at the Ciudad de Cuenca School, during a 10-hour training that included sessions on effective communication, negotiation and non-violent techniques to resolve conflict. The teachers enthusiastically embraced the topics and brainstormed how to apply them to the classroom. CEMPROC followed this course with a training series for school directors in Quito throughout November and December, which was also a very positive step toward bringing conflict resolution education to more schools in Quito. The training is part an agreement between CEMPROC and the Regional Office for Pichincha in the Ministry of Education, of a multi-pronged, long-term plan intended to foster a culture of peace. This pilot project, designed to reach students, parents, teachers and school principals, primarily entails providing trainings in conflict resolution and the establishing a school mediation center. This initiative hopes to reduce the number of violent incidents in school and improve the quality of communication within the family and school. By empowering various facets of a neighborhood to resolve conflicts non-violently, projects like this will reduce the amount of violence in the community. In doing so, today’s students will be better-prepared citizens of tomorrow who can flourish in a culture of peace.
International Day of Peace Celebrations 2007The International Day of Peace, celebrated around the world by more than 200 countries and recognized by the United Nations as a time to recognize the value of nonviolence, was observed through several special CEMPROC programs this year. The annual Taste of Latin America benefit dinner took place on September 15, with a record number of countries (18) being represented among the attendees. The festivities included typical food from Mexico, Ecuador, Colombia, Chile, and Guatemala; a fantastic dance performance by the Latin American Folkloric Group of Cumming; silent auction; hay rides and farm animals; and the 'Squash Cineplex' where the video documentaries produced by this summer's study abroad students were shown. In addition to the success of the dinner, CEMPROC also celebrated the International Day of Peace by sponsoring a children's art contest in which local students illustrated what world peace means to them. A panel of honorary judges including School Superintendent Paula Gault, Sheriff Ted Paxton, and CEMPROC Board President Chuck Pugh selected first, second, and third place winners in two categories: school age and pre-K, each of whom received a ribbon. The first place winner of the school age division and the 'People's Choice' winner selected by the attendees of the Taste of Latin America also each received a $30 gift certificate to Target. In addition, the winning entries were displayed in the Board of Education building. Congratulations to all winners, and especially to fifth-grader Jaimee Marino of Daves Creek Elementary, whose winning artwork entitled "Imagine World Peace" is currently on display in Ecuador. Poster prints of her stunning piece are available by contacting CEMPROC at info@cemproc.org. Through the eyes of children, we can see a more peaceful future! More info and a winners' gallery is available online at http://www.cemproc.org/peacedayartwinners.htm.
From the Executive Director
Dear Friends,
I recently returned from an extended trip to Ecuador, where I was very pleased with the progress that CEMPROC has made. We are taking advantage of the program successes that we have had this year in order to strengthen the organization and to publicize our programs so that we are not the best-kept secret in Ecuador. We are leveraging our new office space to host public conflict resolution courses that anyone can attend, and we provided space for a refugee legal aid organization, Fundacion ASELER, during its startup stage in order to uphold and reinforce our mission of community development and working for a just peace. With the help of our program assistant, Kristen McCaskey, we have been working hard to update and improve our existing curricula in order to a.) make them more accessible to people of all educational levels through popular education techniques, and b.) incorporate concepts of social justice in order to reinforce a more complete and systemic understanding of positive peace as something more than simple absence of fighting. We are also implementing a ramped-up outreach campaign to identify new audiences and to publicize the peacebuilding work that CEMPROC has done. These efforts seem to be successful, as we were able to increase in 2007 the number of people we served by 65% over 2006, and the annual budget income increased by 80% over 2006. The successes of this year are represented by numbers as well as the intangible smile on a child's face, or the quiet thank you of a senior citizen who has gained the tools to address touchy inheritance conflicts with her children, or the exuberance of a study abroad student who shares that he has decided to pursue a career in arbitration and international conflict resolution, partly inspired by his participation in our program. All of this continues to reinforce the basic principles that I have always held to be fundamental to peacebuilding work: First, preventative work (peacebuilding) is essential and is easier to achieve change than trying to intervene after violence and conflict have already erupted (peacemaking). Second, we as peacebuilders must apply the same openness and willingness to learn that we ask of the participants; blind exportation of western, academic models is often ill-suited to the specific context and culture of the places where we work, so we must share our knowledge and tools at the same time that we invite and learn from the experiences of the participants. Third, peacebuilding is a long-term process that is often difficult to measure, but we must remain committed to quality, to meeting the stated needs of our participants, and to building a society that is aware of the need and is prepared to resolve conflict nonviolently and effectively. Overall, we must attempt to overcome the injustices of society in order to achieve peace that is durable, inclusive, and just. Thanks for your interest in this work, and we appreciate your support.
Peace,
Jeff Pugh
Executive Director
Calling College StudentsHave you ever wanted to take a class where the classroom included a cloud forest, an embassy, an international nonprofit, and a tropical city? Where the teachers included faculty from UGA and Johns Hopkins, an ambassador, an indigenous leader, specialists from several countries, and a former government minister? Now you can! CEMPROC and the University of Georgia are currently accepting applications for the second annual Maymester International Conflict Resolution Study Abroad program in Ecuador, to be held May 11-June 4, 2008. Apply today for a spot on this intensive and exciting 25-day program in which you will learn about conflict, war, violence, and strategies for resolving them, such as negotiation, mediation, intervention, foreign assistance, and more. This year we will be especially emphasizing environmental conflict, ethnic conflict, and international political tension in Latin America. In addition to classroom learning, you will have the opportunity to practice what you learn through simulations and negotiation exercises, you will go on field visits and hear guest speakers, and you will be able to apply your new conflict resolution knowledge through a practicum project with CEMPROC Ecuador (last year's projects included video documentaries on environmental conflict and Afro-Ecuadorians in the new constitution, as well as a survey project on refugees and a children's activity booklet). Your classmates will be from UGA, possibly from other universities around the country, and there will be Ecuadorian host fellow students whom you will get to know as they study alongside you. The deadline to apply is February 1, 2008, so you must act quickly! Find out more information and download an application at http://www.cemproc.org/ugaconflictstudyabroad.html . Come to Ecuador and make the international negotiation table your classroom!
President's Letter
Dear Friends of CEMPROC,
The CEMPROC Board has renewed energy for 2008! We held elections at our last quarterly meeting, and we are excited that Eduardo Stevens will serve as Vice President, Chuck Pugh will move to the Secretary role, and Kathie Stasko will assume the role of Treasurer. I'm enthusiastic about taking over as President and looking forward to helping CEMPROC continue our mission of peacebuilding and peacemaking here in Georgia, in Ecuador, and wherever we are called to serve. We also welcome new board member Gary Gotfredson, who brings many talents and a passion for service to the board. Gary and his wife Saundra have been very involved in missions efforts in Ecuador, and Gary is lay leader for Cumming First UMC. Welcome, Gary! CEMPROC is expanding in Ecuador with two new interns, Alexandra Visser, from the Netherlands, and Jeffrey Akomah from Canada. And there are exciting plans for growing our Conflict Resolution Study Abroad program this year. CEMPROC continues to help create the next generation of peacebuilders! It is exciting to review the progress and the accomplishments of CEMPROC this year as we look toward new opportunities. Many thanks to all of our supporters who work to help us build peace! In closing, I offer these words of peace for the new year:
“The first peace, which is the most important, is that which comes within the souls of people when they realize their relationship, their oneness with the universe and all its powers, and when they realize that at the center of the universe dwells the Great Spirit, and that this center is really everywhere, it is within each of us.” -- Black Elk (1863-1950)
“It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” -- Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962)
Sincerely,
Scott Hitch
President, CEMPROC International Board of Directors
CEMPROC thanks the following generous individuals, organizations, and corporations
whose contributions of time and resources this past term make possible
its programs to
reduce destructive conflict in Latin America and the United States.
Together, we are creating peacemakers...one person at a
time:Catherine Amos, Eric Baker, Barbara Wood Gallery, Laura Barrett, Nell & Randy Benefield, The Blue Bicycle Restaurant (Guy and Kati Owen), Louise Birchfield, Don Boyd, Ruth Brisbois, Tessa Buffington, Cane Creek Farm, John Cromartie, Escuela Ciudad de Cuenca, Jim & Sheila Geist, Andy Gonzalez, Gary & Saundra Gotfredson, Stacey Gravitt, Hebrew International Aid Society (HIAS), Rebecca Herring, Niway Hilario, Bob & Becky Hitch*, Scott & Angie Hitch, Mary Jean & Rick Holden, Hattie Holloway, Instituto Ecuatoriano de Seguridad Social, International Folkloric Group of Cumming, Laura Jay, Elizabeth John, Peg & Jack Kneiss, Van & Tim LeBlanc, Norma Malone, Nora Martinez, Jason & Kathleen May, Carolyn & William Mills*, Terrell & Benjie Mills, Ministry of Education, Ecuador, Norman's Landing Restaurant (Bill Norman), Chuck & Ann Perry, Chuck & Lynn Pugh*, Jessica Pugh, Katie Sciortino, Deana Shuman, SIFAT, Mary Starr, Kathie & George Stasko, Eduardo & Any Stevens, Mary Stoeffhaas, Tricia Sullivan, Ann & Dwight Tallant, Taste of Latin America attendees, University of Georgia, Janet Walden, Tricia Weaver, Grace Webb, Julia & Will Weeks, Jane Willson
*CEMPROC Patron
To find out more about how to support CEMPROC, or to become a CEMPROC Patron, visit our Support page. We greatly appreciate all of our supporters.
Creating Peacemakers...One Person at a Time
Dr. Salomon Cabezas
Bishop of the United
Methodist Church of Ecuador, former Vice-Rector of the Central University
of Ecuador
Dr.
Edward J. Larson
Pulitzer Prize winner, Professor of History
and Law at the University of Georgia
Dr.
Fabiola Cuvi
Director of IECAM, a UN Focal Point,
former Undersecretary in the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health
Dr.
Brenda Vanegas
Mediator and author of Human Rights and Gender Equality in Mediation
Dr. Fausto Sarmiento
University of Georgia
International Board of
Directors
Scott Hitch, President
Eduardo Stevens, VP
Chuck Pugh, Secretary
Kathie Stasko, Treasurer
Nora Martinez
Gary Gotfredson
Board of Directors
CEMPROC - Ecuador
Jeff Pugh, President
Dr. Roberto Contreras,
VP
Dr. Diana Palacios, Secretary
Jack Rodriguez,
Treasurer
Monica de Contreras
Executive
Director
Jeff Pugh
Director for Ecuador
Diana
Palacios
UGA Study Abroad Program Director
Fausto Sarmiento
Program Assistant
Kristen McCaskey
Children's Program Coordinator
Any
Stevens
Intern
Jeffrey Akomah
Coming Events:
January-May
International Conflict Resolution class taught by Jeff Pugh, Johns Hopkins
January-February
"The Challenge of Peacebuilding for the Church", discussion series led by Jeff Pugh at Grace Church in Baltimore
February
Public Course on Family Conflict, Diana Palacios in Quito, Ecuador
February 1, 2008
APPLICATION DEADLINE for UGA/CEMPROC study abroad program
February 10, 2008
Jeff Pugh speaks about CEMPROC at Grace UMC Men's club dinner