July 5, 2004

The Center for Mediation, Peace, and Resolution of Conflict - International is pleased to present its second e-Newsletter. In this issue, you will find:

  • Pastors for Peace
  • Conflict Resolution for Children
  • Planned, Proposed, and Upcoming Programs
  • From the Executive Director
  • CEMPROC Patrons

Pastors for Peace
The next CEMPROC Pastors for Peace course will take place in Santo Domingo, Ecuador, on July 17, 18, 24, and 25, 2004. All over the world, and particularly in areas where people often lack access to training and education in healthy, peaceful, and constructive conflict resolution, it is very important to empower those who are already spiritual guides in their community: pastors and church leaders. “Pastors for Peace” is a special CEMPROC program in which Ecuadorian church leaders receive intensive training in conflict resolution, principled negotiation, mediation, and a unique section on dealing with personal emotional trauma presented by the Center for Integrated Family Services. In order to make this program possible, individuals, groups, churches, or Sunday School classes have the unique opportunity to sponsor one or more Ecuadorian church leaders, providing the financial support for them to receive this in-depth training course, materials, and follow up assistance. The donor receives a letter from the sponsored church leader, as well as an information packet with photos and a report of the training. For more information, see the Pastors for Peace page on our web site, or click on the "Donate" button below to sponsor a Pastor for Peace through PayPal using an online credit card payment. We invite you to partner with us to make this important program possible!


Conflict Resolution for Children
Children are the leaders--and peacemakers--of the future, so CEMPROC has given conflict resolution programs for nearly a hundred Ecuadorian children since the last newsletter came out. Using the curriculum "Conflict Resolution for Kids", developed by U.S. psychologist Pamela S. Lane and translated and adapted to the Ecuadorian context by CEMPROC, two pilot projects were undertaken at a school in a marginalized area of south Quito, as well as in a school in Ibarra, Ecuador. The series of programs in Ibarra was co-taught by Katie Windle of the U.S. Peace Corps, who plans to replicate the program in other schools in the region, and perhaps share it with other Peace Corps sites. This will help to multiply the effect of CEMPROC programming efforts. We would like to recognize the Peace Corps, the municipal government of Ibarra, and the Sports Federation of Imbabura for their support of this program, which was featured on Prism TV news in Ibarra and which received very positive response from school directors and teachers. See more photos in the Photo Gallery.
We invite you to learn more about our planned, proposed, and upcoming programs:
From the Executive Director
This has been an exciting quarter for CEMPROC--things move quickly for a new organization. The International Board of Directors held its first meeting in May, and CEMPROC has had several successful programs both in Ecuador and in the United States. In the midst of all of this exciting growth for the organization, however, I am constantly reminded of the reason for CEMPROC's existence. I was reading over some comments made by community and church leaders who participated in the pilot course of the Pastors for Peace program back in January. Each one reported that, during the five months since the end of that course, they were able to put the practical conflict resolution skills that they learned to use in their daily lives, becoming more effective peacemakers in their own relationships, at work, in their community, and with their children. They gave concrete examples of conflicts between themselves and others which they felt much more equipped to handle after participating in the CEMPROC course, and one student described using the mediation process from the course to effectively mediate in a dispute between relatives. This is what keeps me going. The immediate evaluations from CEMPROC courses have always been positive, but this long-term follow up helps to reassure us that the conflict resolution training that is CEMPROC's focus can and does work, and that the peacemakers we are developing have a real influence in their communities. Every child who learns to share and express herself clearly instead of hitting or yelling, and every adult who gains the confidence and tools to resolve his own problems and intervene effectively in larger conflicts, is walking evidence that CEMPROC's mission of peace in Latin America and the United States is crucial, and that the programs are working. Thank you for being a part of that mission!
Best wishes,
Jeff Pugh, 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 and organizations as CEMPROC Patrons:
To find out more about the CEMPROC Patrons program, or to become a Patron, visit our Support page.



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


International Board of Directors
Chuck Pugh, President
Scott Hitch, Secretary
Sam Bagwell, Treasurer
Kathy Bryson
Fausto Sarmiento
John Cromartie

Board of Directors
CEMPROC - Ecuador

Jeff Pugh, President
Roberto Contreras, VP
Diana Palacios, Secretary
Jack Rodriguez, Treasurer
Monica de Contreras

Founding Executive Director
Jeff Pugh


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