What's Happening in Conflict [10/11/16]

Posted by ADRhub.com- Werner Institute on October 11, 2016 in Featured News & Articles (Change)
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What's Happening in Conflict Resolution" is a weekly roundup of the all the ADR news, jobs, events and more. Check it out each week and view past versions [HERE].

Weekly Conversation

ADRHub is now hosting a topic for discussion and debate!

Given the number of schools incorporating restorative justice programs around the U.S., this week's topic asks

What are some creative ways to promote restorative justice practices in schools in our communities?

Click HERE to join the conversation!

Conflict Engagement and ADR in the News

Conflict resolution topic of Global Peace Foundation forum in Billings

By Susan Olp (10/08/16. Billings Gazette. Photo from Pixaboy).

In a time when divisiveness runs rampant in the United States, how can people with little common ground come together?

That was a question Alan Inman sought to answer during his keynote speech Saturday morning at the second annual Montana Global Peace Foundation Forum held at the Double Tree Inn.

About 50 people, many of them representing community organizations or agencies in Billings, gathered for the daylong event sponsored by the Northwest Regional Global Peace Foundation. Learn more about peace-building HERE.

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Spalding creates restorative justice program

By Ruby Thomas (10/06/16. The Record Newspaper)

When Dr. Tori Murden-McClure, president of Spalding University, took the school’s helm in 2010, she vowed to make a difference in an education system that, she said, can lead from school to incarceration.

Today the Catholic university, founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, is on a course to do just that, McClure said.

On Sept. 29, Spalding University announced the creation of a new academic program — the Center for Restorative Justice — that aims to lower the rate of youth incarceration in Kentucky. Restorative justice focuses on the rehabilitation of offenders through a process that offers the opportunity for reconciliation with victims and the community. Learn more about the program at Spalding HERE.

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Doing time and rebuilding lives

By Mike Watkins (10/10/16. Omaha World-Herald. Image from Pixabay)

More than 20 years ago, Douglas County Commissioner Mary Ann Borgeson was managing a medical technology company. Back then, public office never crossed her mind. She took the political plunge in 1994, at the encouragement of her husband, Bob, and has been working for the public good ever since.

As an elected official, Borgeson champions a variety of causes but one in particular stands out – the Veterans Housing Unit at the Douglas County Correctional Center in Omaha. It's the first rehabilitation program of its kind for inmates in Nebraska and one of about a dozen in county jails nationwide.

Open to all incarcerated male veterans who meet intake criteria, the military-structured unit is particularly laser-focused on helping those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mental health issues, and other life challenges. Click HERE to read about the difference this model makes in the lives of the veterans.

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Carl Anderson and Knights of Columbus to Receive Path to Peace Award

By PRNewswire/USNewswire (10/10/16. Photo from Pixaboy).

The 2016 Path to Peace Award will be presented to the Knights of Columbus and Supreme Knight Carl Anderson by Archbishop Bernardito Auza, apostolic nuncio and permanent observer of the Holy See to the UN, on Wednesday, Oct. 12, at Manhattan's The Pierre hotel.

The award is sponsored by the Path to Peace Foundation, which was founded 25 years ago to support the work of the Permanent Observer Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations. It will be conferred on Anderson and the Knights for the organization's life-saving work on behalf of Christians and other persecuted minorities in the Middle East and for "their humanitarian work throughout the world."

The Path to Peace Board of Directors "wanted to acknowledge the Knights' powerful leadership in seeking to help restore peace in the region ravaged by ISIS, assist the victims to get their lives back together and to create the necessary conditions for peace," said Archbishop Auza, who serves as president of the Path to Peace Foundation. Learn more about the Path to Peace Aware, and the work of Carl Anderson and Knights of Columbus HERE.

Good Reads: Blogs, Books, and More!

What displaced Colombians living abroad think about the peace efforts

By Jeff Pugh (Image from Pixabay)

The peace deal between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrilla group was rejected by less than a 0.5 percent margin in a referendum on Oct. 2.

This outcome shocked the world and defied the expectations of most external observers. The signed agreement to end the violence seemed all but complete, so its rejection by referendum makes the future of peace efforts uncertain.

The Colombian conflict has cost more than 220,000 lives over half a century, and has forced seven million people to flee their homes. Colombia is the leading source of refugees in Latin America and has the most internally displaced people in the world, surpassing Syria in 2015. Learn more about how displace Colombians feel about the peace efforts HERE.

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A Nobel for Colombian Peace Makers? Yes! (But to whom?)

By Catalina Vallejo and Diego Martin (10/06/16)

In its current state, the Colombian peace process not only deserves but could in fact highly benefit from the symbolic effects that go hand in hand with being awarded a Nobel Peace Prize.

Recently, in a tight vote, Colombians said ‘No’ to supporting the peace agreement between the government and the FARC-EP. While we, the authors of this text, agree on the benefits the Nobel would provide, we did not quite manage to agree upon whom the prize should actually be awarded to. Laughably enough we managed to repeat the results of last week’s plebiscite and have a divided take on the issue. Here, for the readers to make up their own minds, we highlight the reasons as to why we believe the Colombian peace process is worthy of a Nobel and try to explain the causes of our dissonance concerning the potential prize recipient. Click HERE to learn about how the Nobel Prize fits into the efforts toward peace in Colombia.

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