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!
Continuing our holiday theme, we ask the following:
How can we manage our emotions during difficult conversations?
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Conflict Engagement and ADR in the News
Guterres sworn in as UN chief, promises change
Author not credited (12/12/16. The Straights Times. Photo from Pixaboy).
Antonio Guterres took the oath of office on Monday as the United Nations' ninth secretary-general, vowing to shake up the world body as it confronts global crises and uncertainty following the election of Donald Trump.During a solemn ceremony at the General Assembly, the former prime minister of Portugal placed a hand on the UN charter and took the oath office administered by the president of the General Assembly Peter Thomson.
The first former head of government at the UN helm, Guterres takes over from Ban Ki-moon on January 1 amid ongoing bloodshed in Syria and questions over the US role in the world under a Trump presidency.
"The organisation is the cornerstone of multilateralism, and has contributed to decades of relative peace, but the challenges are now surpassing our ability to respond," Guterres said in an address.
"UN must be ready to change," he added. Click HERE to learn more about Secretary-General Guterres plan for the UN.
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Traditional leaders resolve to set up committee for traditional justice as a vehicle for peace and reconciliation in South Sudan
Report by UNDP (12/08/16; Relief Web).
The Local Government Board (LGB) and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs (MoJCA) of the Republic of South Sudan organised the third Annual Rule of Law Forum for Traditional Leaders in Juba last week. The forum provided a platform for traditional leaders to have discussions on the potential of harnessing traditional justice mechanisms to address legacies of conflict in South Sudan and promote reconciliation and sustainable peace.
“The forum is important because it offers an opportunity for traditional leaders and judges to talk about harmonizing customary norms and statutory laws, and to encourage traditional leaders to discuss their role in conflict resolution and promoting peace and reconciliation among communities,” said Honourable Anei Mangong Anei, Member of the Local Government Board of South Sudan, at the opening of the forum.
Speaking on behalf of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Andrew Shuruma, Team Leader of the Democratic Governance and Stabilisation Unit, stressed that “this forum coincides with the ongoing observance of the international 16 Days of Activism against Gender-based Violence Campaign.” Read about the peace and reconciliation process in South Sudan HERE.
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School security chief focuses on relating to students
By Deidre Williams (12/13/16. The Buffalo News. Image from Pixabay)
Some know him as coach of the football team. Others see the school district security chief simply as Officer Young.
But many also call him mentor and friend.
"He’s a good motivator. He sees people for their potential. If you’re not living up to it, he reminds you and gets you back in there and gets you focused on what’s right," said senior Nigel Robinson.
"He wants to see all of us achieve," added classmate Kendrick Benson.
Those qualities caught the attention of Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda, who appointed Young chief of three specialized units last June: schools, housing and the Strike Force.
But the schools unit is where Young’s predisposition for mentoring children helps most.
Amid national talk about "community policing" and confrontations between cops and citizens – particularly young African-American males – Young’s rapport with students seems the embodiment of what’s seen as a way of preventing conflicts rather than dealing with their aftermath.
"He’s a perfect fit. His heart is always in it," Derenda said.
Standing in the hallway near the front of the cavernous school just before classes start, Young – a 1991 Bennett graduate – greets arriving students. Find out how Young's mentoring positively impacts students HERE.
Good Reads: Blogs, Books, and More!
How to avoid lawyers when neighbors disagree
By Mateusz Perkowski (12/12/16; The Daily Astorian. Image from Pixabay)
Neighbors in the rural West find plenty of things to disagree about.
Differing views on appropriate land uses are a common source of clashes, whether the conflicts pertain to straw-compressing facilities or the use of inflatable bouncy castles to entertain youthful visitors.
Trespass is another common source of friction, be it roaming cattle or floodwaters.
Even high-profile legal and legislative battles that impact farm policy and grab headlines often begin as simple disputes between neighbors. In some cases, conflicts reach the highest levels of the court system, setting important legal precedents for others but saddling both parties involved with massive legal bills.
Less visibly, disagreements can fester for years at the local level, with neighbors engaged in a prolonged battle that poisons their relationship. Click HERE to see how mediation can help neighbors resolve conflicts.
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Confronting slavery: turning Brown’s difficult past into future opportunities
By Martin Hall (12/12/16. Times Higher Education)
How should a university engage with the consequences of its own history? How can difficult and controversial pasts add to the quality and effectiveness of a university’s work in the present?
Ten years ago, Brown University published the Slavery and Justice report; reflections and recommendations following from revelations about its early benefactors’ involvement in the Rhode Island slave trade. Today, Brown is reprising these principles in considering how a university should respond to the deep and contentious divisions that have followed from the US elections.
In particular, Brown is looking to public history to open new perspectives on the past in order to intercede in the deeply divisive issues of the present.
The College of Rhode Island was founded in 1764. In the same year, Nicolas Brown and Company, prominent Providence merchants, financed a voyage to West Africa by the Sally, a 100-ton brigantine slave ship. Some 196 Africans were purchased, of whom at least 109 died on the home voyage from disease, starvation, suicide and through a failed insurrection. Learn about how Brown is reconciling its past with its present HERE.
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Review: 'Loving' by Brian Tallerico Click HERE to read the review.
Upcoming Events
Symposium – 50 Years of Loving: Seeking Justice Through Love and Relationships
March 23-24, 2017
The Werner Institute and the 2040 Initiative
at the Creighton University School of Law
invite you to a symposium exploring how the 1967 U.S. Supreme Court decision of Loving v. Virginia has influenced society institutionally, demographically and relationally. Participants will also develop strategies for moving from thought to action by building relationships across difference.
The Creighton Law Review seeks submissions exploring issues related to this landmark case. Please visit our call for submissions page.
In partnership with Kutak Rock LLP
Register for the symposium Here
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