Centro Studi Difesa Civile (CSDC)

CDSC (Civilian Defence Research Center) is an Italian think-tank funded in 1988 to promote nonviolent and constructive conflict resolution in our societies. It has since contributed to the development of social research on peace and security issues in Italy in different forms. CSDC’s mission is the promotion of constructive conflict management to overcome intra and inter-state tensions. CDSC’s working method is inspired by Gandhi’s principle that a seed is equivalent to a tree.

Principal aims of CSDC are:

• to promote unarmed civilian defence (or nonviolent popular defence);
• to analyse the transition from armed to unarmed defence;
• to promote research on nonviolent conflict management;
• to develop historical research on examples of unarmed resistance.
• to strengthen co-operation at the national and international level amongst civil society organisations  and NGOs

The current fields of activities are: research (social research and policy oriented research), training (nonviolence, conflict transformation, peace education, etc.) and action in the field (especially in dialogue facilitation) and advocacy.

Some example of our activities:

• The Csdc offers several training frequently in partnership with independent experts and organisations. Files of training are: civilian management of international conflicts; Nonviolent management of participatory decision-making processes, nonviolent communication and mediation; inteculture and difference management, etc. The Csdc is partner of Universities’ Master Programs and Courses.

• Research Project on training and professional skills of Intecultural Mediatiors and Peace Operators:
  The Research Project is funded by seven regional governments (Provincia Autonoma di Bolzano, Regione
  Toscana, Regione Marche, Regione Piemonte, Regione Capania, Regione Sardegna, Regione Umbria) and implemented by a partnership of seven organisations (Csdc, Alexander Langer Foundation, Fields, Cirpac, University of Siena, University of Florence and University of Naples “L’Orientale”). Subject of the survey are the training courses and activites, the needed skills and competencies, the professional experiences and the field of work of these two social operators. The aim is to contribute to the definition of the professional profiles, normative context and work opportunities of the intercultural mediators and peace operators in Italy and abroad.
  For further information visit: http://www.pacedifesa.org/canale.asp?id=339

• Dialogues of Peace:

  In Tsalka Region (Georgia).
  The aim of the “Dialogues of Peace in Tsalka Region” Project is to carry out peace education activities in order to stimulate children from different ethnic community to interact, work and cooperate in groups and to achieve an improving atmosphere of understanding and confidence towards diversities.
  The intent is to contribute to increase community awareness on the importance of the education and culture of peace and dialogue as a positive tool in conflict prevention, confidence building and successful integration of ethnic minority communities into the social life and basic educational services.
  For more information visit: http://www.pacedifesa.org/canale.asp?id=361

  In Cyprus:
  Thanks to the support of the Provincia and the Municipality of Ferrara a group of volunteers have been involved in socio-cultural activities oriented to the promotion of the dialogue between the Greek-Cypriot and Turkish-Cypriot communities. The focus of the activities is the promotion of the local cultural heritage as means for the creation of opportunities of dialogue. All the activities are implemented with local partners. The main partner is the Cypriot association The Weaving Mill of Nicosia.
  For further information visit: http://www.pacedifesa.org/canale.asp?id=357

• Networking and Advocacy:
  The Csdc is partner of the European Network for Civil Peace Services (EN-CPS), and represent  the network in the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO). EPLO and EN.CPS are platform of peacebuilding NGOs active to raise the awareness of the European Union and National Institutions about the conflict transformation and peacebuilding activities and tools as means for nonviolent conflict resolution and crisis management. Csdc is member and founder of the Italian network for civil Peace Corps, the Italian Peace Research Institute and of the white helmets network.