Together for Peace

The training course called "Together for Peace" organized by UNOY (United Network of Young Peace-builders), the Netherlands and Academy for Peace and Development, Tbilisi, Georgia, took place in Kobuleti, Georgia, on 11-19 June 2010. 26 participants from 14 countries came together to discuss conflict situations.

The training course was organized for youth workers from EU countries, from Eastern Europe and Caucasus (EECA) and from EuroMed region, where the representative of HCA Vanadzor participated.

During the training course, definitions, conflict management issues, positive and negative aspects and types of conflicts were discussed. Conflict analysis also included mapping of the actors involved in conflict situations.

Watching movies was an important part of the training course. The participants watched a film called “Neighbours” (1952) which presents the relations of two opposing parties and analysed the escalation of the conflict according to the scenario. Another movie presented a conflict story in Wajir, Kenya.

The participants of the training course also met with the representatives of the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) (www.eumm.eu) at the Zugdidi office, which started its monitoring in October 2008, after the war in South Ossetia. The representatives mentioned that their mission was to contribute to the stabilization and normalization of the situation in post-conflict areas. EUMM also has its offices in Mtskheta and Gori.

Besides, the participants of the training course had a meeting with the representatives of the Association ATINATI (www.atinati.org), the mission of which is to support the formation of democratic societies. The organization works in the field of education, development of civil society, mass media and has its own radio channel (Radio ATINATI). The participants of the training course visited the radio station to get familiar with their workshops.

Another part of the training was the forum theatre, during which the participants analysed social interactions and conflicts between different actors/groups in a local community in order to identify solutions to the existing challenges using an inclusive community approach based on experience and errors. The groups of participants organised a role play in imaginary conflict situations.

At the end of the training course the groups of participants planned and made presentations of their own projects on gender issues, youth volunteering activities in post-conflict countries, youth exchange, intercultural exchange, peace-building, etc.
Games and energizers related to the topic of the conflict were used in the whole process of the training.

The participants also made presentations on their organizations and organized an intercultural evening.