April, 2005
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The Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict -
International is pleased to present its e-Newsletter.
In this issue, you will find:
Starting Early: Planting Seeds of PeaceViolence is a growing problem among juveniles today, who often grow up without being taught peaceful and effective alternatives for resolving conflict. The effects of this tragedy are particularly acute in low-income and marginalized communities, including Hispanic immigrant neighborhoods, where access to special educational opportunities, particularly in Spanish language, is limited. There is a dire need in the U.S. Hispanic community for Spanish-language children’s and youth programs that work toward violence reduction through early intervention, leadership development, and conflict resolution skill-building. The Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict (CEMPROC) is working to meet this need by establishing its program, ‘Seeds of Peace’, to serve the Hispanic community of Forsyth County, which has one of the fastest growing populations in the United States. The program, which has already been pilot tested and carried out on a regular basis with hundreds of Spanish-speaking children in Ecuador, uses a small group environment, fun and interactive activities, open sharing, and family involvement to teach children (and by extension, parents) about open communication, nonviolence, the importance of sharing, mediation, and other conflict strategies. This integrated approach emphasizing open communication, mutual support, confidence boosting, and family participation serves as an important early intervention reinforcing nonviolent attitudes and behaviors in children who may be at risk for delinquency as they enter adolescence. Children learn conflict resolution strategies applicable to their lives through age-appropriate teaching methods like drama, songs, a conflict diary, and the ‘wheel of strategies.’ Each day, the class shares real conflicts they have observed and recorded in their conflict diaries, and building on the climate of trust and safety that exists in the group, they have the opportunity to reflect together how the conflicts could be resolved peacefully and effectively. The climate of nonviolence, cooperation, and open communication that is developed by this program will become evident in the behavior of the children, in the family climate, and in community interactions, as we have seen in the results of our pilot programs. Anecdotal evaluations of the program have indicated that children who participate begin to use healthy and open communication to express their needs rather than engaging in violence or destructive verbal behavior, and that respect for others and creative problem-solving increase in their interactions with friends and family members. Contact CEMPROC at info@cemproc.org for more information about how to bring a children's conflict resolution program--in Spanish or English--to your school, church, organization, or neighborhood. 
CEMPROC is Growing!CEMPROC proudly welcomes its new director for Ecuador, Dr. Diana Palacios. An attorney and mediator in Quito, Diana joined the CEMPROC staff in January after previously serving on the consultative Ecuadorian board of the organization. Diana received her juris doctor from the Central University in Quito, Ecuador. She has received certification as an arbiter and conciliator from the International MERCOSUR Tribunal for Conciliation and Arbitration. In addition, she is certified through the Catholic University of Ecuador as a mediator, and she has taught several courses on general conflict resolution themes in churches and other organizations. Diana's professional goal is "to work to promote conflict management, based on mediation, such that people may benefit from an extrajudicial agreement and can seek a favorable accord between parties." A native of Cuenca, Ecuador, Diana now lives in Quito with her husband, Jack Rodriguez, and their two daughters, Diana and Daniela. CEMPROC is excited about the wealth of experience, good judgment, and collaborative spirit that Diana brings to the organization in the early stages of its growth. Available Services, Products, and Training CEMPROC is a prime source of information and materials related to peace and conflict resolution. Some of these are available for free to the public, and some are available to be ordered. Our training manual for the basic CEMPROC conflict resolution course provides very practical steps to understand and improve communication, interpersonal relations, negotiation, and mediation skills. This manual, available in English or Spanish, is included in CEMPROC courses, or it can be ordered separately. Please e-mail info@cemproc.org or see the training web page for ordering information. You can also find an excerpt from the manual and sample instructional materials on this page. In addition to instructional materials, CEMPROC makes available research undertaken by the organization or its affiliates, such as the policy analysis of the Colombian conflict and its implications for U.S. policy, written by Jeff Pugh. This and other research works are available on the Research web page. We are happy to work with your organization to develop a customized training program that can help you strengthen the capabilities of your staff or members to deal effectively and productively with the conflict that is an inevitable part of life. We have developed custom training programs for educational institutions, churches and religious groups, university classes, and entire office staffs, and are happy to design a flexible program to meet the needs of your particular group or organization. Simply contact us at info@cemproc.org to find out more. Letter from the Board President It is truly exciting to reflect on the progress that CEMPROC has made in its organizational development and programs execution in its fairly brief history. Started as a “project” under the sponsorship of SIFAT a little more than a year and a half ago, organized as a 501c3 non-profit in the US and an Ecuadorian non-profit organization about a year ago, we have established vibrant, highly qualified Boards of Directors for both organanizational entities. We have developed and offered training programs in mediation, conflict resolution, and basic communications skills to hundreds of people in Ecuador and dozens in the US spanning a broad age spectrum. We have developed partnerships with other non-governmental organizations (NGOs), schools, churches and government organizations where our training materials are being leveraged to train other trainers and significantly broaden our influence and impact. We’ve hired a new director in Ecuador who is doing great things to expand our programs in that country. In the coming year we plan to continue to expand and improve upon what we’ve been doing in Ecuador. We’re developing an advanced course in mediation and conflict resolution for those who have mastered the introductory materials and are ready to apply their skills in providing services within their communities. We’re piloting study-abroad programs with US universities to build cross-cultural bridges and increase understanding of positive approaches for resolving conflict at all levels. We’re sponsoring basic research in root causes of violence and effective methodologies for developing non-violent alternatives for resolving conflict among the very poor. A key focus area for the coming year will be expanding our US-based services to the Hispanic community and those attempting to help them. The need for training and mediation services has been validated through discussions with our churches involved in Hispanic outreach and with those in our judicial system who are working with rapidly increasing numbers of cases where Spanish-language mediation services are greatly needed. We are excited about the challenges and opportunities ahead. We would welcome volunteers that can help us expand our capabilities and resources. If you are interested in assisting with fund-raising and grant research, wish to sponsor or develop a training program in your community/organization, or can provide referrals to organizations that might be interested in partnering with us, we’d love to hear from you. We greatly appreciate our sponsors and supporters who enable us to serve others. Thanks for all you do. Chuck Pugh President, CEMPROC International Board of Directors 
Conflict Resolution Education on CampusCollege students are the leaders of the near future, and CEMPROC has been working to target them in an educational effort to promote peaceful conflict resolution and encourage the study of peacemaking as an academic discipline. CEMPROC Executive Director Jeff Pugh designed and taught a course during the January Intersession term at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, entitled "International Conflict Resolution". This course, which incorporated lecture, active discussions, group activities, and negotiation and mediation simulations, provided undergraduate students from a variety of fields with a grounding in the theory of peace and conflict resolution as well as skill building opportunities to put the theory into practice through negotiation, dialogue, mediation, and other practical tools. As a result of widespread interest and the successful joint experience during the course, Jeff is already planning to offer the class again next year. From the Executive Director Greetings! As we prepare for summer, it feels almost as though opportunity is blossoming along with the buds on the trees. CEMPROC has had the opportunity to provide wonderful programs and opportunities for hundreds of children and adults over the past quarter, and we are preparing for an incredible summer of programs. In addition to expanding our acclaimed children's programming both in Ecuador and among Spanish-speakers in the United States, we are preparing a special environmental conflict symposium in May in Ecuador and a dialogue and training workshop series for Colombian refugee women in Northern Ecuador for June, among other plans. This program will also incorporate a research component, which will allow us to explore the effects of interactions between refugees and their host communities, and how the conflicts generated here affect the international relations between their respective countries. Make sure to check the web site and future e-Newsletters for information on the results from this project. This summer will be a very interesting time to be a part of CEMPROC programs, and we look forward to consolidating our ability to serve our target audience in Ecuador as well as expanding our programs in the United States. Under the leadership of our new Director for Ecuador, Dr. Diana Palacios, we are in the process of reaching out to a larger audience with a greater variety of important programs than ever before. We also invite groups in the United States who are interested in customized conflict resolution training programs to contact us so that we can work with you to design a program that meets your needs. Thanks for your interest in CEMPROC, and have a great summer! Jeff Pugh Founding Executive Director 
CEMPROC thanks the generous individuals, organizations, and corporations
whose contributions 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. CEMPROC would like to recognize in particular the following
individuals as CEMPROC Patrons:
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Creating Peacemakers...One Person at a Time 
Dr. Salomon Cabezas
International Board of
Directors Founding Executive
Director Director for Ecuador
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NO MORE, PLEASE!
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