About Conflict and Peace Building
Conflict is a natural part of our everyday lives and is inevitable. Unfortunately without the skills to transform and deal with conflict constructively we see many destructive effects such as violence, inability to communicate effectively, lack of cooperation, mental health issues (stress, low self esteem, unclear perceptions) and an inability to trust.
Multicultural Village takes into account the unique conflict context and needs of the different people we work with. The Village gives its particpants multiple opportunities to learn/build/practice skills and acquire knowledge needed to deal with their conflicts constructively and to actively DO peace which they can use to enhance their everyday lives.
Summer 2010 BENIN WEST AFRICA
Planning ahead for Summer 2010. We hope to do a three week program similar to our other programs with the Joint Community Action portion to be held in Benin. In Week 2 we have partnered with a small parish in Calavi, Benin called St. Bakhita to work with Fr. Augustine Houessinon to help him develop his community and assisst with giving the youth in his community a safe place to gather for learning and worship. One of the highlights of the visit will be a tour to "The Gates of No return" the place where slaves were captured and placed on slave ships for the TransAtlantic voyage. This Slavery Tour can help to teach the skills of empathy and serve to address tensions with Racial and Ethnic identity among the Villagers.
My Trip To Benin
This is additional information and not in the blog.
More to come when I travel to Benin in April 2009.