COALITION FOR PEACE IN AFRICA (COPA) P.O. Box 61753
COALITION POUR LAPAIX EN AFRIQUE 00200 City Square
CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND PEACE BUILDING COURSE Nairobi, Kenya
5-16 May 2003 Tel: 254-2-577557/8
NAIROBI, KENYA Fax: 254-2-577557
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.copafrica.org

A Thematic Course designed for Peace Practitioners, Educators, Human Rights and Development Workers in Civil Society and ReligiousOrganizations in the Horn of Africa

COURSE PROSPECTUS
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INTRODUCTION

The conflict situation on the African continent is frightening and dismaying. The instability and the numerous civil wars in many African countries inflict terrible loss of life and social and economic damage to these countries as well as undermining cross border relations. Often enormous resources are diverted from development initiatives to maintain large armies and other security forces, while natural resources are systematically looted by fighting groups to finance these wars, causing irreversible damage to the economy of the country and reversing any development that may have occurred.

In addition, the governance systems in many African countries hinder rather than promote socio-economic and political development, further worsening the conflict situation in Africa. There is also increased insecurity even where we do not have open conflict due to infiltration of small arms, worsening state of poverty, unemployment, drug culture and general sense of hopelessness in society among other contributing factors.

Unfortunately, there also appears to be a growing sense of apathy to violent conflict in society, which seems to foster it. Hence, increasing levels of violence are evident now wherever one looks, in learning institutions and domestic violence to name just a few, possibly aggravated by inability to cope with deteriorating socio-economic and political situation in many countries.

A major contributor to many violent conflicts in Africa is linked to ethnicity and identity. While ethnic diversity in the reality in Africa, however, it is often used by leaders to divide communities in the quest for power, and to pit one community against the other often with grievious consequences. The Rwanda genocide, and the ongoing civil wars in the DRC Congo, Burundi, Somalia, South Sudan and Ivory Coast are mostly fueled by ethnic rivalry and struggle for power and dominance.

Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA) recognizes violent conflict as a major contributor to Africa's deplorable state of poverty and underdevelopment for it is extremely difficult to carry out meaningful development under situations of violent conflict and socio-political instability. Thus, COPA has developed programmes to build the capacity of Africans to deal with conflict in most constructive ways at different levels of society, so as to prevent and transform conflict in ways which promote positive change and enhance peaceful coexistence in society. The two-week course in Conflict Transformation and Peace building is an effort in this direction.

Purpose of the Course

The course has been designed to look at how ethnicity and identity impact conflict in Africa with special focus on the Horn of Africa situation, placing emphasis on culturally sensitive and sustainable responses to regional and community conflicts in Africa. Centered on the role of ethnicity/identity in fueling violent conflict in Africa, the two-week course in Conflict Transformation and Peace building is intended to:

§ Examine the role of identity and ethnicity in fueling conflicts in Africa.
§ Identify the origins and causes of new and ongoing conflicts in various parts of Africa and at different levels to assess their socio-economic and political impact on the continent and internationally
§ Support and strengthen skills for facilitating dialogue including communication and facilitation skills, negotiation, mediation and arbitration
§ Explore strategies for violence reduction and peace building.

Methodology

The course will apply various interactive training methods. Relevant videos in peace building will be used to stimulate discussions and to help participants reflect on their peace building processes. Participants will be expected to bring to the course case studies and examples of conflict transformation from their own experience and research. Throughout the course there is a strong focus on personal development and the need for individuals and organizations to form networks, coalitions and alliances in similar fields.

Course Tutors

COPA members with experience of living and working on the continent and internationally will develop processes in consultation with the group to fine-tune a course that needs the participant's needs. In addition, resource specialists in the field of conflict transformation, sustainable development, community mobilization, cultural dynamics and reconciliation will be invited to offer inputs and conduct sessions related to particular topics.

Course Fees: US$ 500 for Full Board Accommodation, Tuition and Materials

COURSE CONTENT

Understanding Conflict
· Characteristics, stages, early warning indicators
· Changing environments and political systems in Africa
· Causes of conflict
· African theories of conflict
· Conflict analysis
· Intervention Strategies

Perspectives of Ethnicity/Identity and Conflicts in Africa
· Understanding culture
· Justice and peace
· Identity and Politics
· Gender and Conflict
· Religion and conflict

Conflict Early Warning and Response Methodology

Peace and Conflict Impact Assessment

Case Studies on Identity and Conflict in the Horn region

COPA BACKGROUND

The Coalition for Peace in Africa (COPA) is a membership organization striving towards building the capacity of its members and providing support to existing service providers in Africa, so as to achieve sustainable peace in the continent. COPA is:

· A coalition of concerned individuals and organizations in peace and development on the African Continent.
· A growing resource of African wisdom and expertise able to respond effectively to the conflicts besetting different parts of Africa.
· An organization to connect people working for peace and development, human rights and related goals.
· An organization promoting peace and responding to conflict particularly in Anglophone, Lusophone and Francophone countries throughout Africa.
· An Africa Regional partner of ACTION for Conflict Transformation: an international network of individuals and organizations, built on shared values and committed to action for conflict trans formation challenges.

COPA was formed in 1995/96 when a group of concerned Africans met in Nairobi, Kenya to exchange their insights and experiences on the pressing issue facing Africans: prevention of the escalation of violent conflict in Africa. They were convinced that they needed to offer continual practical support to people and organizations faced with volatile and potentially violent conflict situations. The practitioners that came together in Nairobi found that there were no appropriate support networks for them to access and work together as peace practitioners, and hence COPA was created to act as a support and learning network.

Initial membership of the network came from different parts of Africa mainly "alumni" of the Working with Conflict Course offered by Responding to Conflict (RTC) in Birmingham, England. Later on membership expanded to include other individuals and organizations in Africa. A secretariat was set up in Johannesburg, South Africa, later moving to Nairobi, Kenya. In South Africa, COPA is housed by the ACTION Support Centre in Johannesburg.

Mission Statement

To see a sustainable culture of peace taking root in Africa in which divergent views and interests coexist in a manner that reinforces a common good; and on a continent that acknowledges and solves its problems, and contributes towards global solutions.

To achieve this, COPA is working to redress the conflict situation in Africa through engagement with conflict, transforming it in positive ways, and by cultivating African approaches that are informed by the lifestyles, traditions and cultures of the people living in Africa.

COPA Programme and Activities

§ Publishing regular news brief and occasional papers, case studies and articles so that people can share what they learn in their work
§ Organizing Conflict Transformation Courses and Learning Workshops with continent-wide participation
§ Hosting national, regional and Africa-wide consultations where people actively working with conflict in Africa can share experiences and at the same time raise the profile of conflict issues in Africa
§ Encouraging regional and international networks in conflict by connecting individuals and organizations with similar interests
§ Connecting people with skills and experience in different aspects of conflict to those who want to expand their capacity to address conflict
§ Recommending experienced and skilled consultants based in Africa whoa re able to assist in following areas of work: Facilitation* Training* Mediation * negotiation* Development and Conflict* Human rights* Peace Education* Active Non-violence* Rehabilitation* Trauma Counselling* Reconciliation* Building Coalitions* Lobbying* Monitoring & Evaluation* Participatory Rural Appraisal.

COPA Membership

COPA membership is open to any individual or organization that wishes to seek support or offer to other like-minded individuals and organizations in Africa. Please contact us for more information in this regard.

For further information on COPA, Membership and the Courses please contact:

COPA Coordinator
P.O. Box 61753
00200 City Square
Nairobi, Kenya
Telefax: Fax: 254-2-577557
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.copafrica.org

COALITION FOR PEACE IN AFRICA (COPA)
COALITION POUR LA PAIX EN AFRIQUE

CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION AND PEACE BUILDING COURSE

APPLICATION FORM

Course dates: 5th –16th May 2003
Venue: Nairobi, Kenya
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1. Your full name (as on official documents such as your passport, using BLOCK LETTERS and with the family name/last name underlined):

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Your formal title for correspondence (e.g. Miss/ Mrs./ Mr./ etc): _________________________

The name by which you wish to be known: _________________________________________

2. Date of Birth: ____________________________________________

3. Nationality:______________________________________________

4. Address for Correspondence: _________________________________________________________________________________

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5. Telephone No (including country/city code) _________________________ ___________________

Fax No: _________________________________________________________________

E- Mail Address: __________________________________________________________

6. Religion, if any: ___________________________________________________________

7. Please give any information about your health which you think is relevant, or may impact on your attendance of this course

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8. Do you have any special food requirements? _________________________________________________________________________________

9. How do you rate your own ability in spoken and written English, and in understanding others?(tick one)

Fluent______ Adequate _____ Weak_____

10. Name, address and telephone number of a person to be notified in case of an emergency: _________________________________________________________________________________

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Your relationship to this person: ______________________________________________________

11. Please give brief information about any formal education or professional training you have received since the age of eighteen

Dates Institution Subjects Qualifications

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12. Please give brief information about the work you have done in the past. (Do not include your present work).

Date Organization Nature of Organization Your role and work

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13. Please give information about the work you are doing now:

Date Started:___________________________________________________________________________

Organization:______________________________________________________________________

Nature of Organization:___________________________________________________________________

Your own position, role, tasks and duties in the organization_________________________________

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14. If you are involved in a private or voluntary capacity in issues relating to conflict, please give details:

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15. Please give the names and addresses of two people who are supporting your application and whom we may contact for letters or recommendation. (If you are working for an organization, one of these should be from the organization's Director or a senior member of staff).

a)_______________________________________________________________________________

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b)________________________________________________________________________________

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16. Please complete a personal statement (up to 500 words) covering all of the following areas, and attach this statement to this form. Without this statement we will be unable to consider your application.

a. Which parts of your present work give you the greatest satisfaction?
b. Which parts of your present work are causing you difficulty?
c. Which parts of the course prospectus particularly interest you, and why?
d. How do you expect the course to help you in your future work?
e. How do you intend to use the knowledge gained from the course?
f. Any other information about your interests, experience and hopes for the future?

17. Course Fees: US$ 500 (Which covers Full-board accommodation, Tuition and Materials)

I undertake that if I am accepted on the course, I will arrange for the payment of the full course and accommodation fees and all personal expenses, together with the cost of travelling to and from the course, and ensure that normal personal and family commitments are covered while I am away.

Signed:_______________________________________Date:___________________________________

Please return this form to:

COPA Coordinator
P.O. Box 61753
City Square 00200 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-2) 577557/8
Fax: (254-2) 577557
Email: [email protected]

Contact Person: Michael E. Muragu