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Blog: From Pain to Compassion, from Victim to Victor: Hearing the Stories that Heal
The cycle of violence can be broken. On interTactica this week, we get acquainted with two people, featured in our "Healing of Memories" dialogue, who haven't given up on hope.
In 1990, Father Michael Lapsley was a chaplain in exile, working with the African National Congress (ANC). He had left his native South Africa some fourteen years earlier, on the heels of the Soweto massacre, because of his opposition activities to the system of Apartheid.
But now was a more hopeful time in the history of South Africa. Nelson Mandela had, at long last, been released from prison. Soon after, Father Lapsley received a small package of religious magazines, unbeknownst to him most likely sent by South African security operatives. As he opened the first periodical, a sophisticated letter bomb blew both his hands, broke all windows, shattered his ear drums, destroyed one of his eyes, and tore a hole through the floor.
Blog: Engaging youth in non-violent alternatives to militarism
It's not too late to add your comments to our dialogue on the topic 'Engaging youth in non-violent alternatives to militarism'. This tactical dialogue is a space for those working with and interested in engaging youth in non-violent alternatives to militarism to share their stories, challenges, resources and ideas.
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Blog: Innovative tactics used to transform conflict
Transforming conflict from violence and anger to constructive debate is
not easy. Yes, that is a huge understatement. Each conflict is unique
and carries with it its own contexts - cultural, historical, political,
economical, etc. Human rights practitioners have developed, borrowed
and adapted ingenious ways of approach conflict mediation, negotiation,
and conciliation. Is it possible for practitioners to learn from the
approaches of others, even though the conflicts vary so greatly? We
think so! Here are a few of the examples of conflict transformation tactics that have been used successfully by practitioners around the world.
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Blog: From Motivation to Solution: A Strategy Tool
How do you eradicate an age-old abusive practice so entrenched it has become woven into a people's identity?What if the practice serves to assuage powerful, visceral fears? What if the practice also meets some real needs, such as for food, housework and sex?
Pretending for a minute you could even end the practice, how would you then prevent it from raising its ugly head again?
One of the leading promoters of human rights in Africa, Emile Francis Short must also be a master of strategy. In his tactical notebook entitled Powerful Persuasion: Combating traditional practices that violate human rights, you can study the 10-year campaign he led in Ghana to free thousands of women and girls from religious enslavement.
It is a riveting story. I am especially grateful to Mr. Short for letting us in on the sophisticated design of his highly successful campaign. Somewhere in there, I got a glimpse of a powerful strategizing tool that could be more widely used. I'll call it the Motivation to Solution Strategy Tool.
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