Peacebuilding

My work and a personal passion: my CV is wayward and multi-layered (youth worker, orange-picker, writer, human rights investigator, mediator and volunteer refugee camp worker) – this is where I’ve ended up, I’m very glad to stay and see what evolves from this good place. For me Peacebuilding is simple and profound: exchanging stories with people you assume that you can’t or don’t want to understand is the key. So is distinguishing between conflict and violence, creating space where people can discuss and argue and start to resolve these differences: and listening, really listening to what people are saying and what they are too angry or afraid to express. I’ve led successful peacebuilding programmes in the Central African Republic, Mali and Senegal. There are important questions to ask ourselves about international peacebuilding, and peacekeeping: about our political agendas, and imposing ourselves on other communities in the name of humanitarian aid. Bring it on. Let’s dialogue