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Four Months Qualification Course to Kick Off on January 31
Warm Welcome to All Participants
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International Conference “Civil Conflict Transformation – Ambitions and Reality”
Location: Haus der Evangelischen Kirche | Bonn
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"It's a lot I am taking back"
Interview with course participants from Afghanistan and Ghana
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Trainer

Alexander Austin

Areas of expertise:
Peace and conflict dynamics in Afghanistan, India and Sri Lanka, the links between organized crime / trafficking and peace and conflict processes.

Background:

Alex has been working as an independent consultant in both the practical and theoretical sides of the field of peacebuilding and conflict transformation for thirteen years.

He has focused on the peace and conflict dynamics in the Afghanistan, India and Sri Lanka as well as organised crime and human trafficking and their inter-linkages to peace and conflict processes.

His leisure activities include a great delight in radio plays and audio books, cycling beyond what is sensible and reading to people, especially ghost stories where he takes pleasure in trying to spook his family, friends and colleagues. He is a fan of all types of humour but by choice listens frequently to black, dry and British humour. He lives in and loves the city of Berlin and is constantly off to explore derelict, industrial buildings.

Trainings:

Courses:

Beatrix Austin

Areas of expertise:

Conflict transformation, dialogue and reconciliation in the Western Balkans, promotion of peace in post-conflict regions and coming to terms with the past

 

Background:

Beatrix Austin (formerly Schmelzle) is a research assistant and coordinator and co-editor of the Berghof Handbook for Conflict Transformation. Her research interests are Conflict transformation, dialogue and reconciliation in the Western Balkans and the Middle East. She is also involved in the monitoring of civil-society peace activities in Bosnia-Herzegovina and is working on her doctoral thesis on peace building in post-conflict regions and coming to terms with the past.

Beatrix Austin has worked for many organizations, including Search for Common Ground, Seeds of Peace, Public Conversations Project (all USA) and International Alert (UK). She is one of the founding members of the Vienna Association for Conflict Management Partners and of the trainer team of the Vienna School of Negotiation (Austria). She is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School (Master in Public Administration, Harvard University, USA) and made a Diploma in Political Science at the Free University of Berlin.

 

Trainings:

Isabella Bauer

Resposibilities:

  • Design and supervision of the blended-learning qualification course: conflict transformation and peace work
E-Mail:   bauer<at>forumzfd.de

Trainings:

Courses:

David Becker

Areas of expertise:

Psychology, trauma and refugee work, dealing with the past, consulting

Background:

After having worked for many years with victims of political persecution in Latin America David Becker is now based at the International Academy for Innovative Education, Psychology and Economy (INA) at the Free University of Berlin, of which he is Vice President. In 2002 he was co-founder of the Office for Psychosocial Issues (OPSI) at the International Academy, through which he works as a consultant for international organisations in reference to psychosocial projects in regions of conflict and war, recently in particular in the Gaza Strip, Tajikistan and Colombia.

David Becker has published extensively on the issues of trauma, human rights, and dealing with the past. Additionally, since 2008 he is "Privatdozent" (German academic degree of professor) at the University of Hannover, Germany, where he teaches Social/Political Psychology.

Trainings:

Courses:

Hagen Berndt

Areas of expertise:

Civil conflict transformation, conflict analysis, religion and conflict, non-violent action, facilitation, mediation, consulting

Background:

Hagen Berndt studied Indology, Islamic Studies and Communication Science, with subsequent research visits in London and Sri Lanka. He was a radio journalist for Deutsche Welle and spent several years in India as a consultant for non-violent action and conflict transformation projects. Afterwards, he became first pedagogical director and then CEO of the Centre for Non-Violent Action KURVE Wustrow. 

At present, Hagen Berndt is a free-lance consultant and trainer for many organisations in Germany and abroad.

Trainings:

Courses:

Alexandra Bielecke

Areas of expertise:

Communication and conflict management, mediation

Background:

Alexandra Bielecke has an extensive education in the fields of communication and conflict management and a college degree in the Master's program mediation at the European University Viadrina. Her main interests are in addition to mediation in support of change processes in organizational and team development as well as individual and group supervision. She teaches and lectures in the "training in communication psychology" of the "Schulz von Thun – Institute of Communication", in the master's program mediation at the European University Viadrina, in the advanced studies "way out of the conflict" in Hamburg, for the judiciary in Brandenburg and Berlin, the Centre for Mediation, as well as in business and social institutions.

Trainings:

Kai Brand-Jacobsen

Areas of expertise:

Systemic peacebuilding, organisational development, early warning and comprehensive prevention

Background:

Kai Frithjof Brand-Jacobsen is Director of the Department of Peace Operations of PATRIR. He is an international expert in systemic peacebuilding, international development and humanitarian aid, design and implementation of mediation and peace processes, early warning and comprehensive prevention, and post war recovery. He consults widely for governments, foreign ministries, and international and national organizations. He is a co-founder and Director of the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR). He works as an advisor to several governments and international and national agencies, including the All Party Parliamentary Working Group (APPG) on Conflict Issues of the British Parliament.

Trainings:

Steinar Bryn

Steinar Bryn's educational background is from the U.S. A Bachelor and a Master degree from University of Wisconsin and a Ph.D. in American Studies from University of Minnesota. He worked extensively on the cultural dialogue between the U.S. and Europe. The last 17 years Steinar has facilitated dialogue seminars for participants from the Western Balkans. the Middle East and within Norway. His strength is dialogue between people with different perceptions of reality. The dialogue work is followed up with concrete action to bridge human divide. The Nansen Dialogue is followed by integrated schooling, multi-ethnic local governments and reintegration of refugees in their home communities.

Karin Busch

Areas of expertise:

Advice on internationalization processes, supervision, intercultural communication, human resources development

Background:

For many years, Karin Busch operates in development cooperation in various countries for international institutions and organization. The focus of her long-term work abroad was initially the construction and organization of refugee camps. Later she worked as a project manager for the initiation and implementation of training activities in the areas of integrated rural development (focusing on water and health) in crisis and war zones. Since 1995 she has worked as a freelance consultant, supervisor and trainer. In 1999, she founded the company "Consulting for Intercultural Communication" in Bonn.

Roland Büth

Areas of expertise:

Geography, Anthropology, Sociology, mediation, working in intercultural teams

Background:

Roland Büth holds a Diploma in Geography, Anthropology and Sociology and completed a formation as a mediator (Friedensbildungswerk Cologne). He accompanied IDPs and human rights defenders with peace brigades international in Colombia and joined a disaster response operation after the earthquake in Haiti with Malteser International. Since June 2010, Roland works as Educational Consultant at the Academy for Conflict Transformation.

Trainings:

Steffen Emrich

Area of Expertise:

Project work, development aid work, coaching, NGO management, city and regional planning

Background:

Steffen Emrich is a skilled trainer in adult education, coach and consultant with an academic background as city and regional planner. Thus he can offer experience in NGO management, training, experience in lobbying and marketing as well as hands on experience as a development aid worker (mostly in the Balkans and East Africa). Steffen Emrich possesses over 10 years of work experience in Germany and abroad mostly in the fields of conflict prevention, the reintegration of child soldiers as well as youth work and political education.

After having worked for NGOs for several years, he has decided to work self employed as a freelance consultant with his company Procorde.net recently.

Trainings:

Courses:

Tilman Evers

Areas of expertise:

Civil conflict resolution, conflict transformation, security policy of the EU

Background:

Tilman Evers studied political science and sociology, earned his doctorate and habilitated; he worked as a private lecturer at Universities and in adult education.

Tilman Evers is a founding member and chairman of Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst e.V. He works internationally as a lecturer and consultant for conflict transformation and development cooperation related issues.

Trainings:

Gal Harmat

Trainings:

Courses:

Stefan Jansen

Areas of expertise:

Consultancy, non-violent conflict management, truth and reconciliation commissions, Human Rights

Background:

Stefan Jansen is a political scientist and co-founder of the consulting agency iber-consult. He has many years of working experience in development co-operation and as a consultant. He has worked for non-profit agencies as well as for private companies. Among his employers are the German Development Service (DED) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). 

Trainings:

Simone Lindorfer

Areas of expertise:

Trauma work, systemic family therapy

Background:

Simone Lindorfer (PhD) is theologian, psychologist, systemic family therapist, trauma therapist and international consultant for psychosocial trauma work. She has intense working experience (more than 10 years) especially in the Great Lakes Region as consultant for trauma work and as trauma therapist with survivors of torture and political oppression in Germany and Austria.

Trainings:

Eva Malisius

Eva Malisius specializes in supporting individuals and groups in dealing with conflicts constructively. This means to analyze and deconstruct conflicts along a set of criteria in order to release their positive energy. It becomes possible to generate momentum when situations and positions are stuck, to raise awareness for different perceptions and common interests. The goal is to use the energy of conflicts constructively to reach sustainable solutions.
At present Eva Malisius works as free-lance consultant, trainer, and mediator in a wide range of projects and organizations. She has previously co-founded and established an NGO conducting mediation projects in divided communities in the Western Balkans and advocating mediation as a tool in peace processes (CSSP). Her diverse background includes working for several international organizations and for public media. Eva Malisius completed her university studies and PhD degree in Freiburg (Germany), East Lansing MI, and Brussels, where in addition to conflict transformation she focused i.e. on European integration
and the implementation of universal norms and human rights.

Trainings:

Joachim Mangold

Areas of expertise:

Consulting and Mediation

Background:

Joachim Mangold is an ethnologist and adult educator. Since 1990 he has been training leaders in political youth and adult education. He is active as trainer in conflict management since 1999. He also worked from 2000-2004 as a coach in the 4-Montat qualification courses of the Academy. Subsequently, he was employed until 2009 as Educational Consultant in the Academy for Conflict Transformation. Today he is working as a freelance trainer, consultant and mediator.

Denis Matveev

Areas of expertise:

Peacebuilding, conflict resolution, conflict analysis, organizational development

Background:

Denis Matveev is an international consultant, trainer and facilitator in the fields of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. Denis has worked with NGOs, governments/authorities and intergovernmental organisations in Moldova-Transdniestria, Ukraine (Crimea), Georgia-Abkhazia, Armenia and Azerbaijan (incl. Nagorno-Karabakh), Romania, Sri Lanka and the UK. He is currently engaged as Adviser to Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), Project Director at the Peace Action, Training and Research Institute of Romania (PATRIR) and Consultant to Nonviolent Peaceforce. He holds an MA in Peace and Conflict Studies from the European Peace University (EPU) in Stadtschlaining, Austria and a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Melbourne. He has previously taught a Masters course at the EPU and now teaches a Masters course at the University of Basel.

Trainings:

Courses:

Ursula Merk

Areas of expertise

Systemic approaches to conflict transformation, conflict sensitive planning, monitoring and evaluation of projects, psychosocial dimensions in peace and development work, reconciliation processes and dealing with the past


Background

Usche Merk (degree in education and systemic counseling) has more than 20 years of experience in planning, coordinating and evaluating projects
in conflict and crisis regions (South Africa, Namibia, Mozambique, Simbabwe, Sierra Leone, Kurdistan (Northern Iraq and Turkey), Guatemala, Nicaragua).

From 2005-2008 she worked as a ZFD peace worker in South Africa (with the World Peace Service), where she developed a.o. together with project partners a handbook and curriculum on systemic peace and development work with communities affected
by conflict.

She was a member of the theory practice exchange on systemic approaches in conflict transformation of the Berghof Foundation, whose results have been published 2011.

Apart from her work as project coordinator and advisor for psychosocial work at medico international she is a freelance trainer for various workshops on peace and development issues, a lecturer in conflict
transformation at the University of Frankfurt and a coach for GIZ /ZFD peace workers.

Trainings:

Ruth Mischnick

Area of expertise:

Conflict Counselling, Human Rights Work, Mediation

Background:

Ruth worked in post-war and post-crisis areas of Indonesia as a consultant for mediation, civil society and trauma issues with the German Church Development Service. She had been a consultant for psychosocial networks after catastrophes and disasters (Molukku, Aceh, Soth-Sudan, Uganda, Columbia) with the European Union and the UN (UNHCR). She worked as a coach of teams of international organisations in Uganda, Columbia, Peru and the Netherlands. Furthermore she worked in different areas of conflict counselling and mediation on Java, in Yemen, Kenya, in Palestine and East-Timor.

Courses:

Elke Müller

Areas of expertise:

Mediation, Supervision

Background:


Elke Mueller is a lawyer, mediator, and supervisor. The founder of the Constance School Mediation is mainly active in the areas of in-house and teammediation. She is a lecturer / trainer for the Zeppelin University (Friedrichshafen), the universities of Konstanz, Hanover and Frankfurt/Oder and the Federal Chamber of Tax, Rechtsanwaltskammer Celle and many other universities and institutions.

 

Augustin Nicolescou

Courses:

Michele Parente

Areas of expertise:

Peace education, conflict management, peacebuilding

Background:

Michele Parente is social worker and peace and conflict consultant. In his work as trainer he includes experience from work in refugee camps in Bosnia-Herzegovina and managing projects to promote peace and nonviolence. In addition, he was already active as a peace worker in Croatia from 1998-2001. In 2004-2008 he was a freelancer on "peace education and conflict management" in Aachen and the socio-educational family assistance, especially in an intercultural field and work with families with a migrant background.
Since 2008 he leads the peace project "living with differences" by Pax Christi in Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Trainings:

Lucy Perry

Profil:

Lucy Perry has studied Nonviolent Communication since 2002, and has worked as a Nonviolent Communication trainer since 2006. She is a graduate of the Bay Area Nonviolent Communication North American Leadership Program. Lucy is an associate trainer with the Sandhi Institute for Nonviolent Communication training in Colombo, Sri Lanka. She also provides consulting and support to many other projects and groups working for peace and understanding.

Ehrenämter, Mitgliedschaften:

volunteer with Nonviolent Peaceforce

Trainings:

Ulrike Ramlow

Areas of expertise:

Conflict management, mediation, project planning, team building and organisational development, impact analysis

Background:

Ulrike Ramlow studied political science in Berlin and Aix-en-Provence with the focal points being processes of democratisation in the Arab World, gender and adult education. From 1994 to 2003 she worked as trainer and consultant in different countries on the topics conflict transformation, participation, intercultural learning, human rights and gender. From 2003 to 2008 she headed a Civil Peace Service project of KURVE Wustrow in Ramallah, Palestine.

Currently Ulrike Ramlow works as a freelance trainer, facilitator, coach and consultant for different organisations.

Trainings:

Cordula Reimann

Dr. Cordula Reimann has worked for more than fifteen years as consultant, facilitator, trainer, researcher and lecturer in peacebuilding and conflict and peace studies. She has worked for different international and Swiss governmental agencies and non-governmental organisations like Crisis Management Initiative (CMI), amnesty international in London, the Institute for Multi-track Diplomacy (IMTD) in Washington, DC and the Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management in Berlin and for the last seven years for the Centre for Peacebuilding (KOFF) in Bern at the Swiss peace foundation swisspeace, where she was head of analysis and impact of peacebuilding. Cordula conducted field work in South Asia, sub-Saharan Africa and in the Middle East. With a doctorate in „Peace Studies“ from the University of Bradford, Cordula was senior lecturer at different European and Swiss universities and visiting professor at the University of Graz, Austria. Her main areas of expertise are conflict sensitivity, strategic conflict analysis, impact assessment, gender, conflict and conflict transformation. Cordula has widely published on gender, conflict and peacebuilding and conflict transformation theory. In July 2011, Cordula set up her own consultancy, coaching and training business called C-O-R-E.

Trainings:

Courses:

Norbert Ropers

Area of expertise:

dialogue facilitation, peace mediation, systemic approaches to conflict transformation

Background:

Norbert Ropers has been the founder of the Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management in 1993 and served as its director till 2004. From 2001 to 2008 he headed a comprehensive programme on conflict transformation and peacebuilding in Sri Lanka. Before that he worked on peace, security, development and global issues at the Institute for Development and Peace, the Royal Institute of International Affairs and the Peace Research Institute Frankfurt.

At present, Norbert Ropers is director of the Berghof Foundation for Peace Support in Berlin (Germany).

Trainings:

Svenja Schmelcher

Areas of expertise:

Training and facilitation, coaching, mediation

Background:

Svenja Schmelcher is a social anthropologist and mediator. She has worked in the Philippines and in Sudan for the German Development Service (DED) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ). Furthermore, she has worked free-lance as trainer, coach and mediator and is experienced in academic research and teaching.

Svenja Schmelcher is a an Educational Consultant at the Academy for Conflict Transformation. She is the tutor for the 9-week Qualification Courses and conducts the seminar series "Friedensarbeit als Beruf" ("Peacework as a profession").

Trainings:

Roland Schüler

Areas of Expertise:

Intercultural Mediation

Background:

Roland Schüler studied Mathematics and Geography and has been working in the field of  peace education and peace work for more than 25 years. Since 1989 he is managing director of the "Friedensbildungswerk Köln e.V." where he is also in charge of the department of mediation.

He is a member of "Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung" (platform for civil conflict transformation) and active in the "Komitee für Demokratie und Grundrechte"(committee for democracy and basic rights).

Hansjörg Schwartz

Areas of expertise:

Business Mediation, shareholder disputes, business succession, heritage mediation, conflicts in professional sports, transaction management

Background:

 

Hans Joerg Schwartz is a mediator and trainer in Mediation (BM). He works e.g. for the Federal Ministry of Justice as a mediator in international family disputes. He is also working as a teacher and consultant for several universities and colleges, including the European University Viadrina and the Constance School for Mediation. He also regularly publishes articles on topics such as "mediation in the corporate succession" or "heritage mediation".

 

Sibylle Stamm

Areas of expertise:

Evaluation, conflict analysis and civilian peacebuilding

Background:

Sibylle Stamm is an independent consultant and trainer specializing in evaluation, conflict analysis, and conflict transformation. Based in the Middle East since 2004, she has provided evaluation and technical support services to a wide range of actors, including the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Lebanese Government, the UN, as well as international and local NGOs.

Sibylle is a member of the Swiss Expert Pool for Civilian Peacebuilding, and co-founder of DROPS Community Progress (www.drops.ch). Sibylle received her MA in Political Science from the University of Zurich and is currently pursuing a PhD as an external doctoral researcher at the Department of Peace Studies, University of Bradford (UK).

Trainings:

Markus Troja

Areas of expertise:

Business mediation, mediation in the public sector, communication, conflict management

Background:

Mark Troy is a political scientist, mediator and trainer in Mediation (BM). Besides the practical work as mediator and moderator for example in team conflicts, shareholder disputes in the areas of environment, construction and public planning, he has extensive experience as a trainer and coach for the mediation training of the german AnwaltAkademie (DAA) or the University of Oldenburg. He also has worked as a lecturer and trainer in communication and conflict management at numerous universities, organizations and corporations. He regularly publishes articles about conflict management in politics, economy and society.

 

Barbara Unger

Areas of expertise:

Systemic conflict transformation, Dealing with the past, consulting

Background:

Barbara Unger is a political scientist with a focus on development and gender issues. She is an alumna of the graduate programme of the German Development Institute (DIE). Her experiences abroad include field work for Peacebrigades International in Guatemala.

Barbara is deputy director of the Berghof Foundation for Peace Support. She counsels various NGOs in the field of conflict transformation, conducts research and trainings.

Trainings:

Cornelis A. Wiebering

Areas of expertise:

Intercultural communication, mediation, negotiation, organizational development, consultancy, project management, impact assessment

Background:

Cornelis Wiebering studied physics and philosophy, focussing on the social role of technique and science, later on further training and studies in mediation, organizational development and training methods. Among numerous other experiences in the field of conflict transformation, Cornelis Wiebering also was a Peace and Conflict Consultant for Forum Civil Peace Service.

At present, Cornelis Wiebering works as a consultant, trainer and coach for a variety of institutions in the fields of peacebuilding and development cooperation.

Trainings:

Courses: