CONTACT: Steve Olweean, 269-665-9393
Kalamazoo, Michigan USA
International Conference on 'Transforming Conflict” - July 21-24 in Amman, Jordan
- At a time of unprecedented transformation in the Middle East, a US and a Jordanian organization are partnering to hold a unique international conference in Jordan teaching effective skills in conflict resolution and cross-cultural communication that empower individuals in these societies to take a more proactive civic role in addressing reform issues facing their communities. Common Bond Institute (CBI), Youth Without Borders-Jordan, and International Humanistic Psychology Association are organizing the International Conference on “Transforming Conflict: Sharing Tools For Cross-Cultural Dialogue” in Amman, Jordan July 21-24, an initiative supported and endorsed by King Adbullah II of Jordan.
The 4 day program is dialogue oriented and highly interactive, providing state-of-the-
With over 75% of it’s population under the age of 35, the conference offers a unique opportunity to equip key individuals in Jordan and other countries in the region going through momentous transition with the kinds of abilities that can allow them to become direct contributors and future leaders in guiding this transition. “After most of a century with little in the way of active civic participation, there is both an intense wish to move forward in advancing democratic civil society, and a great need for more practical hands-on experience at the grassroots level with the necessary skills to effectively engage in this,” said Steve Olweean, Director of CBI, a Michigan based nongovernmental organization that holds international conflict resolution conferences and trainings around the world. “We feel this is a time that calls for stepping forward to offer the best skills available in support of this amazing wave of liberation and empowerment sweeping across the Middle East,”
Workshops on proven, collaborative methods like NonViolent Communication, Dialogue and Deliberation, Win-Win Negotiation, and Consensus Building are integrated with daily facilitated dialogue groups to incorporate and assimilate learning experiences and formulate sound, practical applications that can best contribute to the development and progress of each participant’
“These dialogue groups are really the engines of the conference that lead directly into exploring concrete, productive ways to put skills and principles into practice,” said Olweean. The conference is designed to build a strong, interactive learning community that encourages participants to learn from prepared material while also bringing their own perspectives and experience to the table. “We expect individuals will come out of this event with skills and important networking relationships to continue working together beyond the conference,”
Among planned outcomes is an agreement with the Jordanian Ministry of Education to compile a growing, comprehensive resource library of training programs and curriculum presented at these conferences to provide to Jordan’s formal educational system and ensure the benefit of many youth in their society readily having access to these skills now and in the future.
Although the TC Conference is international and will have participants from a number of countries outside the Middle East, most are gathering from countries within the region, including Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Palestine, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Live 2-way global links through Skype will simultaneously bring in remote groups gathered in other countries to further expand the real-time participation of the conference, and recorded proceedings will be posted on-line through CBI’s website.
The TC Conference is being established as an annual event in Jordan intended to progressively build local networks of trainers who can conduct more frequent trainings in their communities throughout the year. CBI has organized nearly 35 international conferences on conflict resolution and numerous training projects in over 22 years. This October it will launch another new international conference series in Israel on “Practical Models For Peace,” programmatically linked with the TC Conference in Jordan and aimed at promoting support and resources for the many organizations involved in peace and healing work between Palestinians and Israelis. In 2012 it plans to organize another professional conference in the Middle East addressing the effects of Transgenerational Trauma and Victim Identities.
Conference participation is open to all. Complete information about program and registration are available online at www.cbiworld.org, by Email at SOlweean@aol.com, or by telephone at 269-665-9393
