Join World Peacebuilders in June 2008

Part 1 of the CONTACT 2007 movie

As I watched the movie about CONTACT 2007 made by Dil Bhusan and sent all the way from Nepal, I became a little nostalgic. I miss all the 72 participants -I have been in touch with each and every one of them from their first inquiry to their campus arrival. I was happy to see them come and sad to see them go. Fortunately, nowadays we are only one click away and we have plenty of photos that captured the beautiful moments together.

But let me not get carried away by nostalgia and concentrate on the 2008 Group of Peacebuilders. Applications for the CONTACT program came in from 35 countries. Rich backgrounds, inspiring stories, determined personalities.

CONTACT, the Conflict Transformation across Cultures Summer Peacebuilding Program will take place June 1-20. For 3 weeks students from 30 or more countries, ages from 20s-70’s, who work in development, education, human services, mental health, peace, religion, government, and many other professions, will be immersed in experiential learning, skill development, and community building.

Now in its 12th year, CONTACT is an acclaimed program led by renowned faculty from around the world. CONTACT participants build mutual understanding and authentic relationships across the differences of identity, experience, and perception that keep us divided. Students practice the art of peacemaking, refine their skills, and explore the rich challenges of reconciliation and forgiveness. The learning community becomes a laboratory where participants make shifts in their own attitudes and behavior as they create a culture of peace, compassion, and tolerance. The group engages in conflict analysis, develops interventions and strategies for actions in situations of protracted conflicts, and practices skills of dialogue, mediation, training, and other essential tools of peacebuilding.

For participants who would like to expand their theoretical knowledge and practice base beyond the CONTACT Summer Program, CONTACT also offers a one-year distance learning Certificate Program in Peacebuilding. This includes two online courses and a very meaningful midyear seminar of 10 days in Rwanda, where the group meets to learn directly about post-genocide healing and reconciliation.

Certificate students are then halfway to a MA degree, which they can complete on campus or through a new low residency program.For an application form and additional information, please visit our website or write to us, or call 802 258 3433.

Tags: Conflict Transformation, CONTACT, culture of peace, experiential learning, peacebuilding, Peacebuilding Program