Talking Peace...
Young people in the community are the force that shapes the future, but often it is hard for their voices to be heard. In traditional cultures the talking piece ensures every person has an equal place in the circle of conversation.
‘Talking Peace’ is a project designed to give voice to youth perspectives and experiences around issues of social exclusion, conflict, violence and harm, communication, respectful relationships, and peace. The project invites young people to have a say, though filmed and recorded interviews and discussions, and by contributing artwork and ideas generated by themselves.
Young people interviewed so far are calling for youth to be valued and listened to. They have expressed concerns for the wellbeing of their generation. They are visioning a world with better support for people suffering adversity, a fair justice system, kinder more connected communities, a healthy environment, and an education system that encourages young people to thrive.
‘Talking Peace’ holds an early intervention and prevention focus. The project aims to support well-being and positive identity formation in young people by empowering them to creative and respectful communication of their views and concerns.
Grounded in everyday experiences Talking Peace provides art based and dialogue processes enabling individuals to come together as co-creators (connecting), to reflect on themselves, their place in the world, current needs and issues within their own lives and communities (building) and to identify possibilities for change via skill development and participant led community action projects (transforming).
It is anticipated that the project will deepen engagement between youth and community generally, and it is hoped that it will result in further youth informed community action projects that will support the growth of communication and conflict resolution skills within our region.
Cygnet gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Sunshine Coast Council for the ‘Talking Peace’ project.
Community Dialogue...
‘The reality is today that we are all interdependent and have to coexist on this small planet. Therefore, the only intelligent way of resolving differences and clashes of interest, whether between individuals or nations, is through dialogue.’
His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama of Tibet
The development of dialogue skills within communities makes a valuable contribution to the capacity for conflict resolution and collective problem-solving. Effective dialogue deepens understanding and expands the consciousness. At its best, community dialogue harnesses the richness of a community’s resources to develop co-creative solutions to challenges that optimise the common good.
Community dialogue around peacebuilding also has an important contribution to make in raising public awareness about the benefits and legitimacy of peacebuilding practices. Collective impact around peacebuilding supports the growth of a culture of peace in our communities and globally.
Cygnet launched its first community dialogue on Peace Day 2018, with a ‘Peace Dialogues’ event, celebrating the 70th anniversary of the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights, exploring the theme of ‘The Right to Peace.’ The day stimulated lively discussion through a series of intimate table conversations exploring peace-related questions. A ‘Minute of Silence’ at 12.00 Noon formed part of a worldwide ‘Peace Wave,’ travelling across the global time zones.
A broad representation of the community attended, including a group of young peace ambassadors from the Ananda Marga River School. Poems on peace written by students of the Maleny Independent School were read throughout the day and were placed on display, as were metres of flags created by young people and other community members at the Maleny Youth Festival.
Each year Cygnet hosts a community conversation on the International Day of Peace. Please get in touch if you would like to be involved.
Young Peacebuilders
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