This email series highlights voices of peace from around the world, to help you find yours.
This month’s Voice of Peace is Search’s CEO, Shamil Idriss.
The US election has dominated minds and airwaves in recent weeks. While our staff and partners across the globe process the outcome in various ways, many wonder—as with any new administration—what exactly the next four years will entail. Amidst the unknowns, there are several things I’m certain will be true for Search, and for peacebuilders like you.
First, in the U.S. as in every other region where we work, we are diligent about maintaining good relations and cooperation across political and other dividing lines. In the American political context, we are a non-partisan organization that has maintained bipartisan support with champions and advocates for our work in both the Republican and Democratic parties, including in the U.S. Congress.
Our recent bipartisan track record includes good working relationships and significant policy wins both with the outgoing Biden Administration, as well as with the first Trump Administration—during which some of the most pivotal U.S. peacebuilding policies and legislative acts were signed into law, including the Eli Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act; the Global Fragility Act; the Women, Peace, and Security Act; and the Middle East Partnership for Peace Act. This demonstrates that our work transcends political divides and that we can, and do, make progress regardless of shifts in political leadership. It is too early to tell what U.S. foreign policy changes will be implemented under a new Trump Administration, but as we do with each U.S. election transition, we will leverage the relationships we have to engage and advocate for policies that reduce violent conflict, support peace processes, and invest in peacebuilding.
On a personal note, long before the election, I was disappointed to see the dehumanizing rhetoric used during the campaign toward many different communities: immigrants, racial and religious minorities, the LGBTQ community, and others. This appears to be part of a disturbing trend across political processes in many regions of the world. It is antithetical to the uncompromising belief in the dignity of every human being which is at the core of Search for Common Ground’s mission, values, and conflict transformation methodology. It also reinforces the importance of our mission. The work that our teams are doing around the world to build trust, respect, and cooperation across lines of conflict has never been more critical.
To that end, here’s what I’m certain is true for peacebuilders everywhere, and how you’re invited to join this critical work. At this and every moment in history, there are opportunities for action. We don’t know what the future holds because we’re creating it now. And today, there’s so much we can do to build peace. In fact, our Common Ground USA team compiled a list of 50 things you can do to decrease polarization and strengthen resilience within your community. Our US team has drawn direct lessons and applied program methods pioneered by our colleagues around the world—including Nigeria and Sri Lanka—to prevent violence and reconcile Americans across their dividing lines. Let’s draw from this deep well and do some extraordinary work together.
