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Liberia 2011

Project and Host

GCJ is partnering with Liberian NGOs to launch the Liberia Peacebuilder Initiative with a mission to build a community-based network to foster conflict resolution, reconciliation, and sustainable peace. We will form Peacebuilder Teams of three from communities in the NE Counties, each team to include elders, women and youth They will come together at a five day Summit to share and learn skills (traditional practices, Compassionate Listening, Restorative Justice, large group dialogue), exchange experiences, and co-create a peaceful future for all Liberians. Peacebuilders share the tools learned in their home communities, then return to deepen their relationships and share learnings with the other teams at a second Summit. Teams represent Liberia’s diversity to build understanding and trust across deep divides of age, ethnicity, class and gender. Read more about project and host here.

About Liberia

Civil war has left Liberia traumatized and devastated. Conflict easily erupts at fault lines such as weakened respect for elders, ethnic tensions, and integration of refugees and ex-combatants. There is a tremendous need for local leaders to experience and learn skills for inter-group trust, nonviolent conflict resolution, reconciliation and collaborative networking – the foundations of democracy, development and a sustainable peace. LPI builds capacity to manage tensions at the grassroots, beyond Monrovia, and takes a powerful step towards creating a healthy Liberian national identity. The need is urgent in the face of imminent Presidential elections and draw down of UN forces. Read more about Liberia here.

Current Status

GCJ was the grateful recipient of a matching grant from the now defunct Foundation for Global Communtiy as well as the estate of a longtime friend and supporter, Marily Saunders: through the generosity of our supporters (THANK YOU ONE AND ALL) we can now launch a scaled down version of the Liberia Peacebuilder Initiative this Spring, with $20,500. We are $6,500 shy of what is needed to complete plans for 2011, so please make a donation and help us complete our funding. We will base our efforts in Monrovia and develop a core group of 35 diverse Peacebuilders.
Our partner organization, Population Caring Organization (PCO), has been reviewing conditions in Liberia as well as building relationships with local groups. They are working on holding monthly events in order to increase awareness of the Peacebuilder Initiative. Click here to read PCO’s full report.

Liberia 2011

Project and Host

About Liberia

Current Status

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