Peacetraining.org - ARCA Partners presentations

Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 12:28:50 +0200

The Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR) is an independent, non-governmental and non-profit organization, active in Romania and internationally since March 2001.
The main purpose of PATRIR is to promote peacebuilding, and constructive conflict transformation, and at the same time the prevention of all forms of violence -direct, structural, and cultural- in Romania, and internationally. As the first peace institute in the history of Romania, it has been involved in the development of resources for conflict transformation by peaceful means in Romania and, by invitation, through the peacebuilding processes in which it has taken part in Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Since 2001, PATRIR has become one of the leading international centers for adult training in the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation, post-war rebuilding, reconciliation and resolution.

University of Florence - Dipartimento di studi sociali (UNIFI)

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 11:24:05 +0200

It has been established in 1988 as an autonomous research body within the University of Florence, Faculty of Educational Sciences. The Department works in an interdisciplinary way, since it is made by sociologists, anthropologists, psychologists, historians.
Main areas of activity: Since the academic year 2001-2002 the Department organizes (together with the DISPO – Department of Political Sciences) the BA course "Operazioni di pace, gestione e mediazione dei conflitti" (Peace operations, conflict resolution and mediation). This is one of the two BA Courses established in Italy in the field of Peace and Conflict Transformation studies. Thus, the Department offers unique expertise in Italy in the fields of conflict resolution and transformation as well as mediation. A particular attention is devoted to the topic of Peace Education and training in Conflict Transformation, both at school level and at the level of vocational training / adult education. In the year 2004 the Department and the BA course staff have started a 1-year training course ("professionalization module") on societal mediation and victim-offender mediation, with 250 training hours coupled with 250 hours internship in local mediation programs.

Nova, Center for Social Innovation (NOVA)

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 12:20:29 +0200

Nova - Center for Social Innovation, promotes social innovation with popular participation and intercultural dialogue to help to generate alternative socioeconomic models to globalization, a culture of peace based on civil alternatives of defense and a more sustainable and participatory society.

It collaborates with organizations and institutions interested in starting projects that promote social innovation and provide participative tools and services that allow citizens to become actively involved in these processes, including dialogue between cultures wherever possible.

PeaceworkersUK (PWUK)

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 12:10:08 +0200

PeaceworkersUK (PWUK) is part of the Peacebuilding Issues Programme of International Alert (IA). Previously an independent NGO, PWUK become part of IA in 2006.
PWUK focuses on raising standards in the field of conflict prevention, crisis management and peacebuilding through an integrated programme of research, training, assessment and recruitment.

Institute for Applied Cultural Research (IFAK)

Sat, 14 Apr 2007 11:38:07 +0200

The Institute for Applied Cultural Research (IFAK) is a cultural association active since 1988. It was created by cultural and social scientists with the aim to connect science and cultural praxis, to develop political ideas in projects with groups from different fields of the society and to support the development of intercultural competencies.

Expertise and experience

IFAK was a founder of the Information Center for Development Policy in Göttingen. It coordinated the Working Association of the One World Networks in Germany and initiated the founding of Education 21 in Southern Lower Saxony, a network of the approx. 50 educational institutes in the region. IFAK is member of the supervisory board of the network. Since 2002, the IFAK has become active in research and praxis of intercultural communication in the frame of the program “Learning Culture Competency Development” of the Ministry for Education and Research. This 2 years project "Improving the Competencies of Migrants through Learning Consulting" offers, among other results, the development of a curricula for intercultural trainings.
Campaigning different issues of development politics is one major part of the everyday work. Since round about two years IFAK is focusing on peace issues too, emphasising the connection between peace and development and the necessity to take into account in which cultural context the conflict transformation takes place. IFAK was the coordinator of the public relations campaign for Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) in Germany. Within this project it organised public events, seminars, workshops, an exhibition and information tours to inform about NP and its work. Currently IFAK organised a day of Non-violence in Göttingen in the frame of an exhibition tour of the One World Networks.

Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia (PDCS)

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 12:06:37 +0100

PDCS stands for Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia.
PDCS is independent non-governmental nonprofit organization.
PDCS provides professional education and consultation-advisory services and issues publications.
PDCS is part of a network of similar institutions in 13 countries Partners for Democratic Change International.

The mission of PDCS is to help develop and promote culture of democracy, expand democratic approaches and mechanisms for dialogue and conflict prevention.

Federation for Social Defence (Bund für Soziale Verteidigung - BSV)

Wed, 17 Jan 2007 11:35:43 +0100

BSV is an independent non-governmental organisation based in Germany. It was founded in 1989 to develop concepts and projects of non-violence defence and peacebuilding. The federation unites people and organisations of different ideological, religious and political convictions and affiliations who consider non-violence the only answer to the threats and dangers human kind faces.

Centro Studi Difesa Civile (CSDC)

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 06:16:10 +0200

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:

BOCS Foundation

Fri, 20 Oct 2006 05:56:47 +0200

BOCS Foundation has been working on the Hungarian speaking areas (Hungary, and minorities in Romania, Serbia, Ukraine, Slovakia) since 1975 (registered in 1994). Its work is aimed at global education (first of all peace and environmental education), international development cooperation (help schooling of poor village girls in India since 1977), rights of future generations and conscientious objectors (some of us were in prison in the communist period of Hungary), sexual and reproductive health and rights, freedom of religions.

Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP)

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:04:31 +0200

Who are we?
Nonviolent Peaceforce is an unarmed peacekeeping force composed of paid trained civilians from all around the world. In partnership with local groups, NP members apply non-violent strategies to protect human rights, deter violence and help local peacemakers in their work.
Launched in 1999 at the Hague Appeal for Peace and born at the convening event in Surajkund, India in 2002, NP is a federation of 90 Member Organizations from around the world.

Austrian Study Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR)

Fri, 28 Jul 2006 20:57:29 +0200

The ASPR was founded in September 1982 as an independent, non-profit and non-partisan organisation. It aims to contribute to the promotion of peace and peaceful conflict transformation and to the dissemination of practical ideas for peace. In this sense, the ASPR was the founder of the European University Center for Peace Studies (EPU) and established a European Peace Museum in Schlaining Castle in the year 2001. In order to facilitate its activities, the ASPR set up an unique infrastructure including the Peace Library in a former synagogue, a Conference Center in Schlaining Castle, the Hotel Burg Schlaining, and Haus International, which is a student hostel. For these and other efforts the ASPR was awarded UN “Peace Messenger” status in 1987, and in 1995 the ASPR and the EPU were awarded the UNESCO “Prize for Peace Education”, and in 2002 the UNESCO UniTwin Award.

Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente

Sun, 28 May 2006 13:18:17 +0200

The "Mouvement pour une Alternative Non-violente" (MAN) was founded in 1974 and has as aims the promotion of theoretical reflection on nonviolence as well concrete nonviolent action from the local to the international level. MAN brings together nonviolent activists in France in 19 local groups. The MAN groups work on a variety of topics, such as Civil Peace Intervention (“ICP” in French), social conflicts in France, peace education, nuclear weapons, the armament economy, etc. The groups' initiatives and actions are coordinated by the national office, based in Paris. Besides the support to local groups, the MAN national office also coordinates the French “Comité ICP” for the promotion of Nonviolent Third Party Intervention both to a wider public and to political institutions. The "Comité ICP" includes among its members organisations that send volunteers on international civilian peacekeeping and peacebuilding missions. MAN/Comité ICP is the French member organisation Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) and actively participating in the European Network for Civil Peace Services (EN.CPS).

Norwegian Peace Association (Norges Fredslag)

Sun, 28 May 2006 13:00:54 +0200

The Norwegian Peace Association is Norway 's oldest peace organization. It was founded in 1885 by MP Wollert Konow. Among it's first members were renowned authors Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson and Arne Garborg. The organisation played a major role in the peaceful devolvement of the Union with Sweden in 1905, along with its Swedish sister organisation.
Today it is an Independent NGO with a roster of about 350 volunteers and no permanent staff. The NPA works for lasting world peace based on economic and social justice, freedom and personal responsibility, and for the development of a culture of peace where conflicts within and between countries are managed constructively and nonviolently. The NPA takes an active role in influencing Norwegian opinion and policy-makers by lobbying with partners for peace-friendly policies on the national and international arena. Some of the focal points in this activity are the cause and prevention of violent conflict, alternative solutions to war and, global disarmament.