Theme: Governance

PCi work in Syria

Posted on January 7, 2020 by - Uncategorized

Peaceful Change initiative have worked with civil society in Syria, working in both Opposition and Government-controlled areas of the country. Our work has included:

  • facilitating dialogue between Syrian Arab, Kurdish and Assyrian community leaders on coexistence in Hassakah Province
  • convening and building the capacity of a network of community leaders to prevent, manage and resolve local conflicts and maintain/expand civilian space. 470 human security and community safety initiatives were  implemented, including through small grants
  • capacity building for civil society actors, focusing on transformational leadership for peace-building; cross-divide dialogue between youth
  • convening conflict-sensitive assistance capacity building and reflection process for international donor governments, international aid agencies and Syrian NGOs

We have worked with partners to introduce innovative technology-based solutions to support their work in conflict-affected areas. This has included the development and management of a Community Peacebuilding Training Portal with written and audio-visual material designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of a network of 60 track-three peacebuilders based in Syria and in refugee communities in Turkey and Jordan.

Leadership and governance video resources in support of peaceful change in Syria can be found in Arabic with English subtitles here

Video One: Leadership and Transformation

Video Two: Transformational Leadership

Video Three: Peace Capital

Video Four: Good Governance 1

Video Five: Good Governance 2

Conflict Sensitivity Considerations Relating to Local Governance Assistance in Libya

Posted on March 28, 2020 by - Uncategorized

PCi delivered a presentation on “Conflict Sensitivity Considerations, Relating to Local Governance Assistance in Libya”, at the EU Implementer’s forum (Libya) in Tunis in September 2019, minimising the ways such assistance could contribute to conflict while maximising opportunities to contribute to peace. The considerations represent issues faced practically by implementers and were identified through consultations and PCi’s broader peacebuilding and conflict sensitivity work in Libya. A brief report was produced and is intended to inform practical policy, programme design and implementation.

Download the report here

Armenia: Training manual to promote action plans for youth engagement in governance

Posted on January 30, 2019 by - Uncategorized

A training manual was produced as a component of the project ‘Progressing Youth Participation in Armenia on Governance and Peace’, which supports UNSCR 2250 on youth, peace and security. The manual has four modules which support users in:

  • increasing understanding of peace and peacebuilding together with the basics of conflict transformation
  • developing communication skills in support of non-violent dialogue
  • communicating approaches and tools related to decision making in line with UNSCR 2250 leading to the development of action plans for youth engagement in governance

Download the training manual in Armenian here

Youth participation in decision making and peacebuilding in Armenia

Posted on March 28, 2020 by - Uncategorized

PCi worked with YCCD (an Armenian NGO) to promote youth participation in decision making and peacebuilding in Armenia, supporting UN Security Resolution 2250 calling on governments to include youth participation in local, national and international institutions, in efforts to end conflict. A short film was produced to capture the project’s impact (available in Armenian with English subtitles).

PCi’s Second Annual Media Award Launched

Posted on September 20, 2022 by -

Press conference, a number of people gathered to watch the launch

In a first-time hybrid event, PCi publicly launched the 2nd annual Media Award for multi-ethnic coexistence in Kosovo and Serbia at a press conference which was simultaneously held in Belgrade and in Pristina. Members of the two juries (the award is awarded for media content in both Albanian and Serbian language) and some of last year’s Award winners spoke about the significance of the award.

A Jury member for Serbian language, Jelena Obućina, said that the Award is an excellent incentive for both journalists and media to pay more attention to stories about ordinary life and peaceful coexistence. Her Albanian language colleague, Violeta Oroshi, agreed from Pristina, adding an invitation to journalists to tell the positive stories which do exist, but rarely find their way into media space. 

Filip Švarm, the Editor in chief of the Belgrade weekly VREME, the media which won the first prize last year, said that “in a time which is burdened with dark news, it is so important to show life and cooperation between nations”. 

Ardiana Thaçi, the winner of 1st prize in audiovisual format in Albanian, said that “it is the duty of majority language media to report on the lives of minorities”, as she did in her award-winning piece.  

Through the Media Award, PCi aims to promote and reward media content from Kosovo and Serbia that explores themes related to the co-existence of communities, with the ultimate goal to contribute to the narrowing of the present divisive narratives.

The call for entries is open for stories published between January 1st and December the 31st 2022 and the first prize in both categories (audio/visual and written format) is € 2,000 Euro. For detailed information about how to apply, please click on the Terms of Reference below, available in English, Serbian, and Albanian languages.

To apply, please click on the following link: https://forms.gle/3XWBbGFMMJqBtiw47.

The application deadline is 31st December 2022

Press conference, a number of people gathered to watch the launch

PCi’s Media Award in Kosovo and Serbia: Call for applications is open

Posted on July 27, 2022 by -

Award Ceremony Media Award 2021 Serbia

Peaceful Change initiative is delighted to announce that for the second year running, we are inviting journalists, editors, media representatives, and others, to share with us their stories on multi-ethnic coexistence in Kosovo and Serbia. The original idea for the Award came as a result of a series of Media Consultation Dialogues which have brought together well over a hundred most relevant journalists, editors and media experts from both Kosovo and Serbia to discuss how to improve the media scene, especially when reporting about each other’s communities.

For the year 2022, PCi has doubled the first prize in both categories (audio/visual and written format) to € 2,000 Euro and looks forward to receiving even more entries this year. We have every reason to believe that this will become a traditional annual award.

The call for entries is open until December the 31st 2022 and the entries will be evaluated by a professional jury which will select the winning stories and media outlets, since the winners in both categories also win an award for the media where they were originally published.

For detailed information about how to apply, please click on the Terms of Reference below, available in English, Serbian and Albanian languages.

Stories published between the 1st of January 2022 and the 31st of December 2022 are eligible for the Media Award. To apply, please click on the following link: https://forms.gle/3XWBbGFMMJqBtiw47.

The application deadline is 31st December 2022

Award Ceremony Media Award 2021 Serbia

PCi expression of solidarity with Ukrainian peacebuilders

Posted on February 25, 2022 by -

We abhor the violation of peace and territorial integrity in Ukraine and the senseless destruction and loss of life brought by the unjustified military action being perpetrated by the Government of the Russian Federation. We appeal for an immediate cessation of attacks on Ukraine and for the protection of civilians. We are gravely concerned that the war will lead to long-term intractable conflict with great human and environmental costs and express our solidarity with peacebuilders and civil society actors across all parts of Ukraine who are working bravely to maintain the social fabric of their communities and upholding principles of shared humanity.

Since 2016 we have witnessed first-hand the courageous work of peacebuilders who have made heroic attempts to transcend the divides created since 2014 and their patient commitment to peace. The present military action works directly against the declared intent of the Russian leadership to establish brotherly relations with its neighbour and develop a vision for indivisible security in Europe.

The present military action is not only outside of international law, but we firmly believe that it is fundamentally against the interests of the Russian Federation, a permanent member of the United National Security Council with a particular responsibility for maintaining international peace and security and a prime stakeholder and beneficiary of the present system of international security.

We empathise with the calls of our friends and partners inside Ukraine for international assistance and coordinated action to end the violence and aid the people of Ukraine and urge international friends and allies to provide all diplomatic and humanitarian assistance.

Media Award in Kosovo and Serbia: Deadline for applications is extended

Posted on August 17, 2021 by -

Peaceful Change initiative is calling on journalists, editors, media representatives, and others, to share with us their stories on multi-ethnic coexistence in Kosovo and Serbia. The idea was initiated by the Media Consultation Dialogue, an integral part of PCi’s Balkan programme. 

With gratitude to all who have applied so far for the Media Award, PCi hereby announces an extension of the deadline for entries by three months. This means that stories published/broadcast between now and November 15th can also compete for the Award. The new deadline for submitting applications is now November 16th 2021. Stories going back to 15th August 2020 are also eligible. 

The reason for the deadline extension is to try and stimulate journalists to generate media content which explores the positive sides of multi-ethnic co-existence. All entries sent so far remain in contention, but we want to give journalists and editors additional time to pursue stories that qualify for recognition by PCi’s Media Award. Good luck to all who want to compete for the Award. 

For detailed information about how to apply, please click on the Terms of Reference below, available in English, Serbian and Albanian languages.

Stories published between 15 August 2020 and 15 November 2021 are eligible for the Media Award. To apply click on the following link: https://forms.gle/3XWBbGFMMJqBtiw47. The application deadline is 16 November 2021.

Media Award in Kosovo and Serbia: Call for applications is open

Posted on April 26, 2021 by -

Peaceful Change initiative is calling on journalists, editors, media representatives, and others, to share with us their stories on multi-ethnic coexistence in Kosovo and Serbia. The idea was initiated by the Media Consultation Dialogue, an integral part of PCi’s Balkan programme. 

The call for entries is open until mid-August 2021 and the entries will be evaluated by a professional jury who will select the winning stories and media outlets.

For detailed information about how to apply, please click on the Terms of Reference below, available in English, Serbian and Albanian languages.

Stories published between 15 August 2020 and 15 August 2021 are eligible for the Media Award. To apply click on the following link: https://forms.gle/3XWBbGFMMJqBtiw47. The application deadline is 16 August 2021.

Building a Lasting Peace in Bosnia

Posted on February 10, 2021 by -

Peaceful Change initiative’s Programme Lead on the Western Balkans Programme, Ian Bancroft, participated in the Foreign Policy Centre  Webinar  on “Building a lasting peace? Power sharing and sectarian identities in Bosnia” on 9 February 2021. The panel discussion was focused on the complex relationship between peace building, power sharing and sectarian identities in Bosnia; it also examined the real challenges of improving public trust and reforming institutions in ways that enhance and protect peacebuilding in Bosnia.

To listen, please click here

The panel

Dr Allison McCulloch, Associate Professor at Brandon University

Anne Kirstine Rønn, PhD student at Aarhus University and attached to SEPAD

Ian Bancroft, Writer, diplomat and Programme Manager at the Peaceful Change Initiative

Baroness Helic, Board Member of the International Criminal Court Trust Fund for Victims

Chair: Fleur Anderson MP, Vice Chair of APPG for Bosnia and Herzegovina