What is the role of the individuals in the peace-building process? Through our interviews with Agents of Peace worldwide we have come to realize that the individual is in fact very important to peace realization and actualization.
It is not uncommon for us to believe that the only way for us to truly make a difference in this world is to support large, well-established organizations. Even then, we often think "what is my contribution going to do? How can this minuscule donation of my time or money help affect change?"
Speaking with Marianne Elliott on the telephone earlier this month I was pleasantly surprised to find that she had come to terms with this dilemma is a dramatic and life-altering way. As a Human Rights Lawyer with the UN in Afghanistan, Marianne had first hand experience of the inability, sometimes, of even the big organizations to make a difference (visit this link for more information). Through her experience in Afghanistan she went from believing that the only organization that was big enough to really make any difference in Afghanistan was the UN to realizing that the only way that she could truly contribute to peace was to "behave in a way that [she was] contributing to peace and not contributing to conflict."
This is interesting given the nature of this project and the question arises again: are individuals important to the peace-building process? Marianne explained during the interview that she saw first hand the affects of individual leadership on the actions and outlook of peace-keeping troops in Afghanistan--but how does this translate into non-military groups? How does this translate into grassroots peacekeeping?
Do an individual's motivations and emotions regarding peace and peacebuilding have an effect on the project and process itself?
It is something to ponder.
Be sure to listen to the interview with this inspiring woman on our NUPRI website. Also check out our interview with Peter Singer for another take on individuals and peace.
Showing posts with label Agent of Peace. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Agent of Peace. Show all posts
Thursday, 28 July 2011
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Individual Obstacles to Peace
Having spoken to a number of individuals in the past couple of weeks about the obstacles to peace in our world, it has become abundantly clear that many of the most pressing obstacles are caused by our individual flaws. Danielle David, a young woman and avid volunteer studying Psychology and Religion at Careleton University in Ottawa, the most important obstacle to peace is ignorance and a lack of desire to know more about what is going on in the world, an complete inability to separate oneself from one's own "stuff". This was quite perceptive of Ms. David and we decided to think about it a little more--could it be that our North American culture, the culture of "I" and "Me" and "Mine", could be the main obstacle to peace? Or is it more than just a North American phenomenon?
We spoke with Marianne Elliott from New Zealand this week and the discussion was quite enlightening as throughout our 40 minute conversation on peace with the ex-UN peacekeeper and now yoga instructor, we came to the realization that it is not just a North American trait to be obsessed, or perhaps simply preoccupied with one's own problems. Marianne spent a number of years working for grassroots NGOs and larger organizations such as the UN with the hope that she could affect peace in the world. What she realized in participating in discussions with individuals in conflict was that they too were preoccupied with themselves, though perhaps in a different way. In her experience, individual motivations often overshadow the final destination in discussions of peace-building and peacekeeping missions. If you come at peace-building from a position of anger and resentment to those disrupting the peace, Marianne believe, then how can you possibly expect a peaceful resolution? A valid point, given the inherent lack of peace associated with anger and resentment.
So if we as individuals are the problem, then how can we solve this problem without becoming more self-absorbed. Danielle David and Marianne Elliott, women or different ages and upbringings, from opposite ends of the globe have found the solution in themselves. Both seem to agree that in order to build peace you must first have knowledge, in Marianne's case, knowledge of yourself and your motivations, in Danielle's case, knowledge of the world around you.
When you reconcile the two perspectives on individuality as an obstacle to peace, it appears that you have arrived at a coherent and all-encompassing solution to this specific problem--that is: know what the problems are around you that you would like to fix, and come to terms with the reason that you feel the need to fix them.
So what do you think? Does this seem like a valid and effective way to approach peacekeeping? If so why, and if not, why not?
We spoke with Marianne Elliott from New Zealand this week and the discussion was quite enlightening as throughout our 40 minute conversation on peace with the ex-UN peacekeeper and now yoga instructor, we came to the realization that it is not just a North American trait to be obsessed, or perhaps simply preoccupied with one's own problems. Marianne spent a number of years working for grassroots NGOs and larger organizations such as the UN with the hope that she could affect peace in the world. What she realized in participating in discussions with individuals in conflict was that they too were preoccupied with themselves, though perhaps in a different way. In her experience, individual motivations often overshadow the final destination in discussions of peace-building and peacekeeping missions. If you come at peace-building from a position of anger and resentment to those disrupting the peace, Marianne believe, then how can you possibly expect a peaceful resolution? A valid point, given the inherent lack of peace associated with anger and resentment.
So if we as individuals are the problem, then how can we solve this problem without becoming more self-absorbed. Danielle David and Marianne Elliott, women or different ages and upbringings, from opposite ends of the globe have found the solution in themselves. Both seem to agree that in order to build peace you must first have knowledge, in Marianne's case, knowledge of yourself and your motivations, in Danielle's case, knowledge of the world around you.
When you reconcile the two perspectives on individuality as an obstacle to peace, it appears that you have arrived at a coherent and all-encompassing solution to this specific problem--that is: know what the problems are around you that you would like to fix, and come to terms with the reason that you feel the need to fix them.
So what do you think? Does this seem like a valid and effective way to approach peacekeeping? If so why, and if not, why not?
Monday, 11 July 2011
Support for Eddson Chakuma
Eddson Chakuma and his family are in desperate need of financial and moral support. Eddson is in the process of starting a chicken project to support his wife, 3 year old son and his retired parents, who he takes care of.
Eddson is an inspiring character--he is one of 6 Zimbabwean activists currently facing trial for merely attending a lecture and watching video footage of the North African revolutions which recently took place. They were tortured, in lice-infested, dirty jail cells and denied food and medical attention--to make matters worse for him and his family, Eddson was fired by his employer, the United Food & Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe, for missing work while he was imprisoned. Yet you would not know it from talking to Eddson that he has suffered and continues to suffer such a terrible ordeal. His light-hearted spirit and emanating kindness distracts from his situation.
In the last message I received from Eddson, he asked me about my family, and told me about his 3 year old son. He says that he is very sad he can not raise him better, because of the situation he finds himself in. But he remains positive and hopeful. "Just being my friend makes my life better, especially this time when I need friends most" he writes, "I and my family are praying day and night that something, an Organisation or individual will come to our rescue and we haven't lost hope yet."
If you're someone who is always thinking--"I am just one person, what good can I do?" then this is the perfect opportunity for us to give you an answer to that perennial and all-to-common question. You may be surprised by the answer.
And the answer is "everything."
To contact Eddson or send financial support to him and his family during their time of need, please email echakuma1 (at) yahoo.com .
For more information about his case visit this link.
Eddson is an inspiring character--he is one of 6 Zimbabwean activists currently facing trial for merely attending a lecture and watching video footage of the North African revolutions which recently took place. They were tortured, in lice-infested, dirty jail cells and denied food and medical attention--to make matters worse for him and his family, Eddson was fired by his employer, the United Food & Allied Workers Union of Zimbabwe, for missing work while he was imprisoned. Yet you would not know it from talking to Eddson that he has suffered and continues to suffer such a terrible ordeal. His light-hearted spirit and emanating kindness distracts from his situation.
In the last message I received from Eddson, he asked me about my family, and told me about his 3 year old son. He says that he is very sad he can not raise him better, because of the situation he finds himself in. But he remains positive and hopeful. "Just being my friend makes my life better, especially this time when I need friends most" he writes, "I and my family are praying day and night that something, an Organisation or individual will come to our rescue and we haven't lost hope yet."
If you're someone who is always thinking--"I am just one person, what good can I do?" then this is the perfect opportunity for us to give you an answer to that perennial and all-to-common question. You may be surprised by the answer.
And the answer is "everything."
To contact Eddson or send financial support to him and his family during their time of need, please email echakuma1 (at) yahoo.com .
For more information about his case visit this link.
Thursday, 7 July 2011
Can individuals make a difference?
A recurring theme in our discussions with agents of peace worldwide is the question of whether or not individuals acting as peaceful agents can make a difference. Is it possible for the individual, apart from any social movement or organization cause real change in the world of peace-building and activism.
There has not been a lot of focus on the individual in research that has been done on peace agency. In fact, the individual is nearly absent in discussions of peace-building. While there are many papers written about groups of individuals working together--women for peace, muslims for peace, christians for peace, gays for peace and so forth--little is said about the single individuals working on their own with the intent of affecting real change with in their communities, in their countries and on the global stage.
So I ask you, can individuals make a difference? And if so, how?
There has not been a lot of focus on the individual in research that has been done on peace agency. In fact, the individual is nearly absent in discussions of peace-building. While there are many papers written about groups of individuals working together--women for peace, muslims for peace, christians for peace, gays for peace and so forth--little is said about the single individuals working on their own with the intent of affecting real change with in their communities, in their countries and on the global stage.
So I ask you, can individuals make a difference? And if so, how?
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