Conflict resolution, prevention, and transformation: Search for Common Ground

The Children and Youth Programmes of Search for Common Ground (SFCG) seek to transform the role of young people in conflicts so that they have concrete alternatives to violence and can significantly contribute to building sustainable peace. Through projects in 10 countries, SFCG is committed to fostering the participation of youth as leaders for protection, peacebuilding, dialogue, and reconciliation in their own communities and countries.

Young people have a significant impact on how national and local conflicts unfold. Not only are they victimized by direct abuses, but they are often direct participants in conflict as soldiers and ideologues. They are pulled into armies, rebel groups, militias, and gangs and are caught in cycles of violence that infiltrate their lives and outlast the wars of their parents. Yet many young people also clamour to avoid participating in violence by finding ways of contributing to their societies to play positive roles in their communities.

Young people are, therefore, key to the resolution of societal conflicts and need to be engaged as important stakeholders. SFCG's programs work to engage youth who are at-risk of involvement in violence and to facilitate their participation in transforming the ways their societies deal with conflict. We do this through three operational methods: formal and non-formal education, platforms for them to have a voice in society, and opportunities for them to take concrete action in their communities.

1. Indonesia: Conflict Transformation Comic Book ProgrammeGebora
The first series of the Comic Book programme, was piloted and published in January 2003, and is now into its fourth episode. This fun colourful series of 12 episodes is set in a fictional kampung or village called Pagar Bukit in Kalimantan and tells the story of five teenagers from different backgrounds who form a football team. [more]

2. Indonesia: Pesantren-Based Peace Education
Common Ground Indonesia's peace education programme in pesantrens in Madura is an important model, as it is bottom-up, developed by the pesantrens themselves, and uses relevant and accessible material to develop conflict transformation awareness and skills amongst pesantren students, teachers, and management. There are 15 large pesantrens in Madura, with up to 5,000 students each, and numerous smaller ones, with an estimated three pesantrens on average per kecamatan. [more]

3. Macedonia: Model for Multicultural Pre-school Education
SCGM initiated Mozaik in 1998 to support Macedonian educational institutions in bridging the gap caused by linguistic, cultural and ethnic segregation in schools and kindergartens. Mozaik is a unique model of multilingual and multicultural pre-schooling in public kindergartens. During its first phase of implementation, the project included six groups of Macedonian- and Albanian-speaking children ages 3-7. More recently SCGM has reduced the number of groups but increased the diversity of participants by expanding the model to Serbian- and Turkish-speaking children. [more]

4. Macedonia: Nashe Maalo Television, Theatre and Outreach Projects
Nashe Maalo was the first children's television program in Macedonia created to promote intercultural understanding, to encourage conflict prevention in a multicultural society, and to impart specific conflict-resolution skills that children can use in their everyday lives. This unique series, co-produced by Common Ground Productions and Search for Common Ground Macedonia, presents a timely opportunity to influence an entire generation of children in Macedonia in the direction of mutual tolerance and respect. [more]

5. Morocco: Building the Collaborative Community
Moroccan cities suffer from a chronic problem of abutting shantytowns where alienated youth live in unhealthy environments and experience a myriad of conflicts and social problems. The shantytowns are a major hindrance to the socioeconomic development of the country. Such towns are in need of youth-development projects aimed at building healthy and vibrant communities. [more]

6. Morocco: Training Workshops
Within the context of Building the Collaborative Community of Sidi Yahia Al-Gharb, SFCGM organized two training workshops in Conflict Resolution and Communication. The first workshop was attended by 25 participants representing the amicales (local Community-Based Organizations, or CBOs), Agence Nationale de lutte contre l'Habitat Insalubre (ANHI), the local authorities, and local schools. The second workshop was attended by 24 youth between the ages of 14 and 20 who belong to the local community of Sidi Yahia Al-Gharb and are members of its CBOs. [more]

7. Sierra Leone: Quality Education Pilot Project
Corruption and the lack of educational opportunities were two factors contributing to the discontent from which the civil war emerged. To begin to address these root causes, SFCG-SL's Community Peacebuilding Unit opened a pilot project to facilitate public participation in ensuring quality education. The pilot project focuses on two districts: Port Loko in the north and Moyamba in the south. [more]

8. Ukraine: Conflict Resolution Radio Drama
A conflict prevention radio drama for young adults in Crimea has been produced in 2002. Designed to model new ways of working together across social and ethnic lines the radio drama Nasha Ulitsa created in collaboration with the Youth and Children Theatre on Moskoltso, depicts the complexities of conflict centred around everyday pressures on young adults, including school, drugs, parents, relationships, friends, government and religion. [more]

9. Ukraine: Problem Solving Education Initiative
Confidence, communication and cooperation are learned behaviors, not innate human capabilities. In this post-Soviet period of transition, we must teach the generation the skills they need to gain control over their own lives. In the process, we want to create a culture of cooperative problem solving -- not confrontation. [more]

10. Angola: Youth Radio Program - Baza Madie
Studio N'Jango produces a youth radio program entitled Baza Madie, which means 'Let's Go' in Angolan youth slang. Baza Madie episodes focus on one single general issue, and include a short drama skit, spot messages, music and popular entertainment, news features, vox pops, and interviews slots.

11. Burundi: The Youth Project
SCG uses its radio station, Studio Ijambo not only to broadcast documentaries, soap operas, news and current affairs programs, but also to reach out to the children and youth of Burundi. Among the broadcasts are music programs for youth, a live phone-in discussion program, and a children program presented by children. [more]

12. DR Congo: Sisi Watoto
As part of Search for Common Ground (SFCG)-DRC's overall conflict resolution program, this project addresses the effect of war on children in a radio-based project designed to empower young people to disseminate information about the issue and children's rights more widely. The Giving Voice to Congo's Children project produces radio programs by children for children and broadcasts dialogue, magazines, and news reports throughout eastern DRC. [more]

13. DR Congo: So-Called Child Witches Campaign
For thousands of children living in the DRC, the ongoing conflict has resulted in their expulsion and marginalization from family life and into a life on the streets. An estimated 70,000 "unaccompanied" children are living throughout the country, many of whom have resorted to life on the streets. This marginalization is compounded by the belief in witchcraft in the DRC; thousands of these children have been accused of being child witches. [more]

14. Liberia: Talking Drum Studio - Jujay
Jujay is a radio drama written by young playwrights. The objective of the program is to deepen the discussion and analysis around children's rights and responsibilities with children, adults, and policymakers alike. [more]

15. Liberia: Young Citizens Radio Programme
As of October 2004, 90,000 former combatants had been disarmed and demobilised and disarmament officially concluded on October 31. However, UN peacekeepers continue to disarm former fighters in remote corners of northern and south-eastern Liberia who still have weapons. [more]

17. Sierra Leone: Talking Drum Studio - Atunda Ayenda
This daily radio drama was the first radio soap opera aired in Sierra Leone. Originally launched to raise awareness on the post-war disarmament process, the programme now addresses a range of social issues of particular concern to youth, including HIV/AIDS, corruption, and community sanitation. Through exploring the experiences of youth in a forward-looking manner, Atunda Ayenda seeks to develop the critical thinking of youth about their situations. [more]

18. Sierra Leone: Talking Drum Studio - Golden Kids News
TDS-SL has developed a children's news program called Golden Kids News. This is a news and issues program that is partially identified, reported and produced by kids. This show engages children of mixed backgrounds who serve as producers, reporters and actors and who identify issues for and about children and advocate on their behalf. [more]

19. Sierra Leone: Traight Tok (Straight Talk)
Radio for AdolescentsTraight Tok (Straight Talk) is a radio programme for teenagers aged 14-19 that is produced in a magazine format, incorporating music, interviews, and commentary. The programme addresses issues of particular importance to adolescents, including HIV/AIDs, sexuality, health, and relationships.

20. Partners in Humanity
Though social change in most societies receives its most energetic advances when women and youth activists are involved in leadership positions, these are the two sectors most often ignored in dialogue and cooperative action initiatives in both the West and in the Muslim world. [more]

21. Angola: Youth Engaged in the Elections
Through three program streams, SFCG works to create a space for young people throughout the country to be forces for the realization of non-violent, free, and fair elections. [more]

22. Burundi: Additional Youth Leadership Projects
Additional projects in Burundi have brought children of different ethnicities together to learn and work towards a common goal. Youth leaders were mobilized to engage in humanitarian work to show their unity when the threat of inter-ethnic violence was high. Soccer tournaments with ethnically mixed teams have also been organized, leveraging sport to build a common identity. A peace camp brought children of different ethnicities together through peace songs, drawing, and theater. [more]

23. Burundi: Guardians for Peace - Intergenerational Dialogues
In an effort to address the role of young people in ongoing community violence, the Youth Project of Search for Common Ground-Burundi organized a series of four intergenerational dialogue workshops which connected the young men of the Gardiens de la Paix (Guardians of the Peace) with the Bashingantahe, traditional commune leaders. The Project, done in partnership with youth-led and student associations, sought to engage both groups in discussions on their roles in their communities so that they could recognize the commonalties between them.

24. Burundi: JAMAA Cartoon Book
In 2001, The Youth Project collaborated with JAMAA, a local youth association, to produce a cartoon book called Le Meilleur Choix ("The Best Choice"). The book describes the real-life experiences of two young men who participated in the violence of the mid-1990's, and their efforts to reconcile with the families of their victims. Through drama and humour, it encourages youth to avoid being manipulated by political interests that would pitch them against one another. The project oversaw the production of a feature-length movie based on the same story, which debuted on Burundian national television in August 2002. In March 2003, the book was awarded and honourable mention by UNESCO, for excellence in peace literature.

25. Sierra Leone: 2003 Bo and Kenema Peace Festivals
As part of the continuing efforts on community peace-building SFCG-SL partnered with youth in Bo and Kenema, the southern and eastern capitals respectively to organize two Peace Festivals. These festivals, which are organized annually, provide a forum for raising awareness about issues threatening the peace and stability of communities. They are typically organized around specific themes. This year, the theme for the Bo festival was "Change you way and lek Salone" and for Kenema "No to violence and yes to law and order". [more]

26. Sierra Leone: Elections 2002 - Mobilization of the Independent Radio Network and Youth Network
On May 14, Presidential and Parliamentary elections in Sierra Leone concluded a peace process that took over six years to solidify. Election day was peaceful and SFCG-SL, in collaboration with the Independent Radio Network and a network of youth monitors, was there to document and report on the elections process as it happened. [more]

27. Sierra Leone: New Years Peace Festival in Makeni
To celebrate New Year's 2003, SFCG-SL collaborated with 15 local partners in Makeni to hold a peace festival dedicated to non-violence. Over 20,000 people attended the 3 day event, which featured seven cultural groups and five drama groups, in addition to popular musician Steady Bongo and the Cultural Heroes. [more]

28. Sierra Leone: Promoting Youth and Business - Bike Riders Association
Many of Sierra Leone's youth have struggled to find viable sources of income in a country with only limited economic infrastructure. Recently, however, the operation of motorcycle taxis has emerged as one possible solution to this challenge. But the infancy of this new business, together with community leaders' prejudice against certain operators, has led to confrontation between the taxi operators and police. SFCG-SL has responded to this problem by launching a program that brings together the Bike Riders Association (representing the taxis), community stakeholders, and the police to discuss their differences. With SFCG-SL's assistance, the Bike Riders Association has taken important steps towards the development of responsible entrepreneurship in Sierra Leone. [more]

29. Sierra Leone: Talking Drum Studio- Olu
Olu is a radio drama written by young playwrights. The objective of the program is to deepen the discussion and analysis around children's rights and responsibilities with children, adults, and policymakers alike.

Felix Unogwu
Children and Youth Specialist
Search for Common Ground (Washington DC)
1601 Connecticut Ave. NW, #200
Washington, DC 20009-1035
Phone: +1 (202) 265-4300
Fax: +1 (202) 232-6718
E-mail: funogwu@sfcg.org