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Winter 2013   Newsletter of The Caux Scholars Program 

Greetings! 

 

Caux ScholarsRecruiting for 2013 is intensifying!

We would like to highlight one outstanding candidate from Kenya for the 2013 class, who formed a peace secretariat after the post-elections violence 5 years ago.  With Kenyan elections coming in March, it is heartening to hear that CSP alumni Janet Jeruto (CSP 2012) and Ednah Kang'ee (CSP 2011) are also at work around the country.

Our network is awesome!  Please help us recruit for the 2013 class. This is a chance for someone you know to participate with those from around the world, like the young Kenyan peace advocates, who work for non-violent solutions.

Thanks to you all, we are beginning to build the Alum Scholarship Fund for this year. Helping to raise money for a local scholar can also happen through Rotary or other clubs.
 
This summer's Caux conference Healing History: Overcoming Racism, Seeking Equity and Building Community provides a great opportunity for those with experience in youth work, criminal justice and public health to participate. 

We are also launching a new pilot project to recruit scholars from US cities who can return to their communities to develop projects and internships as a way to apply their CSP learnings when they complete the program. Read more here

Remember: Applications are due by February 15th for those seeking to receive a scholarship.

We looking forward to introducing to you the CSP class of 2013.
 
Jitka, Kathy and Randy  

   

PS Here is a printer-friendly version of Cauxmuniqué with the complete stories for those who like to print and read.    

From the Academic Director:
Remembering nonviolently in a violent world
Dr. Carl Stauffer
Dr. Carl Stauffer
It was a solemn assembly. A handful of women had gathered at the home of Nelisiwe to support her as she opened the briefcase of her deceased son for the first time in 10 years.  Nelisiwe's son was one of many young activists who had given their lives in the struggle for liberation...

How can we "remember rightly in a violent world?" While there is a great deal of documented research and practice on the healing process for individuals who have experienced trauma, there is less clarity on how healing is achieved at a macro, collective level in societies that have experienced mass atrocities. Nelisiwe's example gives us some pointers to the pathway of corporate healing. At least three critical mechanisms needed to be in place in order for Nelisiwe to feel safe enough to embark on her process of healing memories...Read more here  

The next economic frontier of Asia  

 

Sai Thiha (CSP 2012) is finishing his BA in Economics at Berea College in Kentucky.  He writes about Burma/Myanmar and current reform:  
Buddhist nuns and monks provide Myanmar people with
spiritual leadership

With its rich natural resources, young labor force, and current political and economic reform, Burma/Myanmar could become the next economic frontier in Asia. After taking steps for democratization, states and other players on the world stage recognize Myanmar's reform process.  However, the conflict is still going on in northern part of Myanmar.   

 

As a Caux Scholar, I would like to urge stakeholders in the political dialogues to remember that conflict is a risk factor to capital inflow for our domestic investments, which will create new job opportunities for the poor.   

 

The Caux Scholars Program gave me the opportunity to meet with the Myanmar delegation. It would be great, if IofC continues to invite civil society leaders of Myanmar to join The Human Security Forum every year because we need to constantly endeavor to respond to the challenges of current political and economic reform... To read more

Violence breeds violence
 
Saira Bano Orakzai (CSP 2010), from Pakistan, recently completed her PhD at the University of New England in Australia. She sent this reflection on her return to Pakistan in December:
Saira Bano Orakzai
Saira Bano Orakzai (CSP 2010)

The conflict which erupted in Pakistan in wake of the war on terror has changed the society at all levels. Its impact on gender, sectarian, and ethnic relations needs an approach which disconnects the cycle of violence from a systemic level and brings it down to the local level in society.

A conflict which is based on  historical emotional baggage cannot be terminated through violent means. It needs equally sensitive approach. The ability of people to stand up despite extreme violence is the building block for peace building in the country. The need is to utilize this resource for effectively engaging people in the peace process for ending the violent chain reaction in Pakistan... Read more here
Defending the civilian population who suffers in conflict
 
Mohsen Solhdoost (CSP 2010), from Iran, is currently doing a Master's Degree in Australia. He is an International Rotary Peace Fellow. He writes:
Mohsen Solhdoost (CSP 2010)
Mohsen Solhdoost
(CSP 2010)

Power can be defined as the capacity and propensity to use force, but not only military force. Power can be defined in economic terms as a kind of coercive diplomacy where one state can enforce economic sanctions as a strategy to make another state change his behavior without resorting to military action. An example of this non-military confrontation is the case of power struggle between the U.S. and Iran, in which economic sanctions can be considered an alternative to military force.

Reviewing the economic sanctions on countries such as Libya, Iraq, North Korea, and Iran, we see that the victims of such sanctions, who have been already denied their first-generation human rights by their ruling power, were later denied their second-generation human rights by the sender of sanctions.
As a former Caux Scholar, I perfectly remember how we learned that 'healing the wounds of history' is instrumental in conflict transformation process... Read more here
Grapevine

CSP 1993: Christine Keiner will be presenting as part of the "Community Conversations: State of the Oyster" series sponsored by the Maryland Humanities Council's Civic Engagement initiative, at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum in St. Michaels, MD, on February 22 from 2-4 pm. More info. Steven Greisdorf is currently serving in his fifth year as the Assistant Head of School at The Harbor School in Bethesda, Maryland, a school for children ages 3-8. The school's mission - to develop the mind and the creative spirit - provides Steven with many opportunities to engage with a new generation of leaders and peacemakers. CSP 1995: Nithi Nesadurai and his wife Nimmi are attending IofC India's Making Democracy Real conference in Panchgani in early February. He wants to show her the Asian counterpart of Caux. He and Jeevan Amarasingham (CSP 2009), the first CSP-sponsored Caux Scholar, had coffee together in Colombo. Nithi is on the International Advisory Board meeting of the Archbishop Desmond Tutu Centre for War and Peace Studies. CSP 1996: George Brown is currently working in a refugee resettlement in Denver, CO. "As Education Director, with the Colorado African Organization, I help move immigrants and refugees toward greater self-sufficiency and US citizenship. I am also working on a book about refugees and trying to spend as much time as possible with my wife and two kids." Patrick McNamara,"All is well with work and family. I am teaching two courses this semester at the University of Nebraska at Omaha - Social Entrepreneurship; and, International Development and Sustainability - and continue my consulting practice doing conflict resolution, strategic planning and program development. I am also a participant in the 2013 Water Leaders Academy, studying water issues in order to build up my expertise in resolving water disputes, which was a main focus of my recent Fulbright in India. In personal news, our older daughter will celebrate her bat mitzvah in June!"  Sonali Samarasinghe gave a speech for MLK Day in Ithaca, NY (Read the text) CSP 1997: Tanya Anderson Woodward and her husband announce the good news that "Liya was born 6 weeks early but strong and healthy. She was our Thanksgiving Day surprise!!!" CSP 1999: Carl Hildebrand is Public Programs Manager for The Wolfsonian Design Museum at Florida International University (FIU). "Here we practice conflict transformation in swim suits on the beach!" Paula Gabriela Freitas "I am not sure if you know but I am now in Rio as the Corporate Social Responsibility Team Leader for the FIFA World Cup that will take place in Brazil in 2014." CSP 2000: Daniela DeBono finished her PhD in Brighton and now teaches in Malmo, Sweden. CSP 2001:  Sabina Zunic obtained her PhD diploma from the University of Sarajevo, Faculty of Political Science. The PhD is on the Local Governance in EU, EU transition countries and BiH (June 2012). CSP 2004: Pablo Alvarez and Elsa got married in September and are living in Merida, Yucatan.  Joseph Walla "We just launched one of my favorite features, HelloSign for Gmail. Looks like we got the #1 spot on Hacker News for it!" CSP 2005: Altaf Makhiawala will be completing two years with UNICEF India managing communications and external relations for UNICEF India and the IKEA Foundation partnership programs focusing on child protection and child survival issues in India. His contract ends at the beginning of March. He is currently looking for communication/advocacy opportunities and is looking forward to exploring where his next stint will take him. Alicia (Miller) Perez "I'm now living in Houston, Texas and working as a private immigration attorney. It's a great field and exciting considering we're on the brink of reform here in the U.S. I can always be contacted for immigration questions or consultations." CSP 2006: Firas Abi Ghanem, now known as Firas Yatbokh (Firas cooks) "What started out as a personal challenge to give up meat eventually led to a career change and a new passion in life."  Monday, Feb 4th, will be the official launching of Firas Yatbokh in Metro! Open Buffet, Great Music, and One Heaven of a Party! CSP 2011:  Ismaila Ceesay "I am currently serving with Americorps as a College Coach. I basically do all I can to motivate and help high school students go to college or follow some useful path like the military or trade school. This is a one year commitment and I hope to start law school in the fall, hopefully in DC!" Ednah Kang'ee held a training on the role of the media in conflict prevention in Kenya. Those in attendance included 30 media personnel, 15 members of the government, the district commissioner, national intelligence personnel, the head of police, women representatives and religious leaders, over 50 attendees."I will have concluded 7 trainings before the coming elections with various stakeholders in the country."  Natalie Rae Kimber "After deciding not to attend graduate school in NM, I recently re-located again--this time to NYC, where I've just started attending classes at Columbia. I am doing a post-baccalaureate in Classics, with the intention of it leading to a graduate program in either Classics or Medieval Studies. Firyal Mohammed works with low income individuals, mostly new immigrants and Aboriginal people, to assist in their building financial assets through a non-profit called Momentum. Amanda Zerhusen is in Morocco teaching English having volunteered for the Peace Corps. 
We hope you have enjoyed this issue of Cauxmuniqué. Please forward it to friends and share it with potential scholars and those interested in supporting the program. Visit our website  for more information and to download the 2013 application form.

Thank you!
In This Issue
From the Academic Director
The next economic frontier of Asia
Violence breeds violence
Defending the civilian population who suffers in conflict
Grapevine
Consider a Gift to The Caux Scholars Program
   
Funds are needed each year to provide scholarship help for those with need. No gift is too large or too small. 

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Caux Conferences 2013
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June 29-July 3
Just governance
Exploring the personal qualities needed for effective governance and structures which promote integrity and cooperation

July 3-7
Healing history   
Overcoming racism, seeking equity, building community 

July 7-11  
Dialogue on land and security
Share experience and build partnerships in restoring land, lives and peace.

July 13-19
Trust and integrity in the global economy  
Toward economic justice and environmental stability

July 24-30 
Children as actors in transforming society
The role of children and youth as active citizens

August 1-6 
Learning to live in a multicultural world 
Imagining and co-creating a desired future in Europe through intergenerational and intercultural dialogue

August 7-12 
Seeds of inspiration
People sharing the inspiration that shaped their lives

More information available soon on the Caux website 
 
More news from Caux Scholars...

Rashad Bukhari (CSP 2007): 
Azi Hussein and I established a new organization called the Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) in Islamabad to engage religious communities, particularly religious schools in Pakistan, for building capacity in conflict resolution and peace building skills. I left Search for Common Ground and joined Azi in Feb 2012. (I'm continuing to be SFCG Pakistan editor as a consultant.)  

At PEF, our projects include the development of a textbook for Madrasa students on concepts and practices of peace and justice in Islam. A committee of religious scholars and curriculum experts are developing the book and I'm coordinating and overseeing the process. Another exiting project  is to provide community leadership and media outreach training to mosque leaders in Pakistan.  We are also doing some interfaith work with Muslim, Christian, Hindu and Sikh faith leaders.  

It's very exciting and encouraging when graduates of our programs go out and start similar projects to help resolve conflicts at the community level. Against the backdrop of Pakistan's uncertain, unstable, and volatile situation, it is of some solace to be with those creating islands of peace in a war zone.

Christine Keiner (CSP 1993)
I just wanted to share an awesome quote about a new essay of mine which draws on my conflict resolution training!  My article, which came out in the January issue of the journal Environmental History, is called "How Scientific Does Marine Environmental History Need to Be?" and it is part of a forum designed to promote the subfield of marine environmental history. 

The editors of the forum wrote the following in their introduction, which means so much to me: "Ten years ago, debates raged about how the sciences and humanities should blend, centering on how much faith marine environmental historians should place in modern scientific methods and how much faith scientists should place in historical data....It is perhaps not too grand a statement to compare Christine Keiner's essay with other works that have helped scholars resolve heated interpretive rifts, and in doing so, freed researchers to forge ahead with their work...  Keiner notes, 'The stakes are too high to allow the inevitable misunderstandings that mark all interdisciplinary efforts to stand.  In this era no discipline is an island.' "

Robtel Pailey (CSP 2003)

My latest creative project is a children's book I authored about corruption in Liberia, titled GBAGBA. It was recently released by niche publisher One Moore Book, a company that produces culturally sensitive children's literature for countries with low literacy rates.

 

The Liberian Ministry of Education is interested in incorporating the book into the elementary school curriculum, and I will be officially launching the book in Monrovia, Liberia's capital, next month. My goal is to get GBAGBA in the hands of every 8 to 10-year-old in Liberia, so that we can begin a national conversation with children about integrity and accountability.

 

Please share the book with your networks, donate copies of the book to Liberian schoolchildren, and/or purchasing your very own copy, available on Amazon and the One Moore Book.

  

Marcia Lee (CSP 2009)  

Cap Corps is a program that combines work for justice and intentional, faith-based, community living. We are a program of the Capuchin Franciscans. The domestic volunteers serve for one year and international for a year and a half. Volunteers must be at least 21 and have a college degree or equivalent experience.

Positions include work in: food justice, immigration, hunger, literacy, education, healthcare, farming, community development and more. Learn from veteran organizers, activists, and educators about how to be the change you want to see in the world. Share community with others interested in building intentional, social justice and faith focused communities.  

Work opportunities in: Detroit, Milwaukee, Chicago (domestic) and Nicaragua, Peru, and Panama (international).  For the international placements, you need to have a level of Spanish with which you are able to hold a meeting or teach a class in Spanish.  

 

For more information visit the website. Contact Shelly Roder at sroder@thecapuchins.org until Feb. 15 and Marcia Lee at mlee@thecapuchins.org after that. Find us on Facebook    

A Program of  
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Initiatives of Change focuses on the link between personal and global change and seeks to inspire, equip, and engage individuals as trustbuilders. 

It starts with listening and responding to the still small voice within, applying values of integrity to everyday living, and taking risks to bridge divides.

 For more information  
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