“I am forever grateful to MBB for helping us to achieve our goal of peaceful elections in Sierra Leone. I gained so much insight about myself and others and practical skills on dialogue and conflict transformation that I am using in developing my organisation and community.” Ebu Daramy, Coordinator, United Social Youth Development Association

You may not have heard about the recent national elections in Sierra Leone. More than likely it was because they were free of violence. For a country still emerging from the devastation of a decade-long civil war, elections can mean either descending into another violent conflict or moving forward with a peaceful, democratic society.

In 2012, MBB project volunteers worked with local partners on the ground to build a national movement for unity and peace. It began in Freetown with university students concerned about violence over student elections. It then grew to a coalition of 40 grassroots organizations in 4 regions. They, in turn, engaged 250 stakeholders in a dialogue about Sierra Leone’s future. Bringing together youth, women, media, military, police, religious, tribal and political leaders, the dialogues coupled with conflict transformation training empowered the diverse participants to promote peaceful elections at a grassroots level.  [Read more…]

“When the program start, I happy. The reason why: I not used to go among women. I used to be ashamed. When women would get together, they would call me, and I would say no. But now, they make me feel free. I can talk with my friend-woman. If they’re wrong, I say what they are doing wrong. … I feel to myself: I am a woman. I can stand among public and talk.“ – Woman Program Participant, MBB Liberia Initiative

Since 2007, Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBB) has been volunteering in Liberia to support ex-combatants and war-affected women to come home to their communities. Our role is to help victims and perpetrators deal with their trauma, rebuild trust and relationships between themselves and with their communities, and have the skills necessary to provide for their families. [Read more…]

Israel is a place where people of diverse cultural, religious, ethnic, political and socio-economic backgrounds live segregated lives in close proximity, creating a tinder box of opposing narratives and extreme political tensions. Community Mediation Centers in cities with high Arab, immigrant and low income populations are working to build community across cultural boundaries. However, their innovations and successes are happening on a small scale and are still largely unrecognized.

The MBB Israel team is launching a new multi-tiered collaboration to nurture this promising community building work. The partnership includes academics, national level leaders of community mediation such as the Mosaica Conflict Resolution Center and the Jerusalem Intercultural Center, and local community mediation centers in towns across Israel. [Read more…]