• Relationships with Others . In order to transform relationships with other people and within communities , it is necessary to treat people with dignity , respect , and justice . Reconciliation was possible in Sierra Leone when perpetrators and victims of the civil war talked together about the past through the locally-owned Fambul Tok transitional justice program . Across the Horn of Africa , Sustained Dialogue processes led by youth built trust across inter-ethnic lines , and Playback Theater in the United States helped people to compassionately listen to each other across various racial and cultural community divides .
• Relationships across Sectors . Peacebuilding must be integrated from the grassroots to the international level across various sectors including humanitarian assistance and development . In Sierra Leone , while official processes for transitional justice met a need at national / international levels , an additional intervention was necessary through the Fambul Tok initiative to meet the needs of local people for justice and relationship-mending . In The Gambia , the initial gains made through conflict prevention had to be consolidated through institution-building measures , public service provision , and sustainable development .
� Providing Processes and Tools to Address Conflict Without Violence
Peace is not possible unless it can first be imagined . If people are unable to imagine the possibility of resolving a conflict in a nonviolent way or lack the specific tools to do so , then violence will continue to be used to address grievances , disagreements , and injustices . As such , this Sampler showcases several concrete examples of effective tools which provide nonviolent alternatives to address , resolve , and transform conflict . There are many such practical tools , including :
• Preventive Diplomacy & Mediation . United efforts of regional / international organizations and political leaders to mediate with a former dictator can prevent armed conflict and avert the escalation of a constitutional crisis , as in The Gambia .
• Interest-Based Negotiation . Strengthened local capacities to manage conflict can reduce violence even during a volatile situation . In the Central African Republic , hundreds of combatants voluntarily disarmed and myriad disputes were solved peacefully because local leaders created legitimate alternatives to violence .
• Sustained Dialogue . Dialogue-to-action processes allow diverse stakeholders to identify issues in their communities and develop initiatives to address them , as accomplished by youth across the Horn of Africa .
• Community Agreements . Inclusive consultation with communities can transform conflicts over natural resources , as evident in Liberia where local communities agreed to preserve nature in exchange for certain public services / investments . Such consultations must be inclusive of various ethnicities , genders , ages , etc .
• Playback Theater . Interactive , arts-based processes can bridge divides , help people process loss , and foster a sense of belonging in community , as apparent through Inside Out ’ s engagement in the United States .
• Trauma Awareness Education . When mental health practitioners and other leaders foster conversations to help people become aware of trauma , this may stop cycles of violence ; lack of awareness can be dire for communities , as evident by high rates of veteran suicide and intimate partner violence in the United States .
• Restorative Justice . When victims have a chance to tell their stories and perpetrators acknowledge the impact of their actions , there is a possibility for healing , as evident through Fambul Tok in Sierra Leone .
The goal of peacebuilding is not to eradicate conflict but rather to create thriving communities by finding ways to resolve issues , transform relationships , and provide processes and tools to address conflict without violence . Whether applied to one stage of conflict or across the conflict continuum , peacebuilding efforts cannot succeed without the ownership of local stakeholders .
Peace is possible – and achievable .
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