Beyond Conflict

“The armchair warriors sit back with their violence of the tongue that leads to the violence of the gun, or the assaults on the streets, or the tearing down of your own community and your businesses. And that can be prevented.” – Monica McWilliams On episode two of our new podcast mini-series, How Do We Get Through This?, we speak with two courageous individuals who lived through the Troubles in Northern Ireland and challenged their own communities to make peace. Like Americans today, our guests and their communities had to navigate living together in an atmosphere of deep mistrust. We can learn from their mistakes and their successes in rebuilding trust and constructive communication. Listen, like, and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. 📍 https://lnkd.in/gZvA5yzK

Thank you Dr. Eileen Borris for featuring our new podcast's first episode, How South Africa Avoided Civil War and Built a Democracy, in Political Forgiveness Monthly. Roelf and Mohammed's story of helping bring an end to Apartheid is a profound example of the humility and empathy necessary to bridge deep social and political divides. 📍 https://lnkd.in/ed44aaxh

"Visual art can be a side door into the most difficult conversations." Last week, we were pleased to host a symposium with SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and California College of the Arts on the crucial role that art and art institutions can play in fostering meaningful connection and social repair amidst political turmoil. Over two days, these interdisciplinary conversations traced the creative power of resistance and reconciliation that can flourish at the nexus of art, conflict management, and neuroscience. Many thanks to Gamynne Guillotte, Kathleen Maguire, Tricia Brand, Chris Bedford, David C. Howse, Monica McWilliams, José María Argueta, Bill Casebeer, Daisy Nam, Maria Jensen, Makeda Best, Lava Thomas, and Hank Willis Thomas for their support and participation in this event.

How do we navigate this moment of political uncertainty? How do we build and maintain relationships of respect and dignity anchored in democratic values and norms? On Monday, October 28th, at 6 PM ET, join us virtually for a discussion between Monica McWilliams, Donna Hicks, and Timothy Phillips about these pressing questions. 📍 Register here: https://lnkd.in/eC748pvE

It's not too late to sign up for tomorrow's event at the SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Join us on Thursday, October 24th, at 4 PM in the Phyllis Wattis Theater for an important conversation between Monica McWilliams, José María Argueta, and Lava Thomas about the role of art and arts institutions in fostering inclusivity and promoting social cohesion in this challenging political moment. 📍 https://lnkd.in/eEvDKAqQ

The United States currently faces deep social and political divisions and a rapidly approaching, consequential election. Overcoming toxic polarization and maintaining democratic integrity will require courageous, principled, and dedicated leadership. Where can the American people find such wisdom and experience at this time?  How Do We Get Through This?, a three-part podcast mini-series, showcases leaders who sat across bitter divides in South Africa and Northern Ireland, found a way to transcend their differences to end the brutal system of Apartheid, and built peace with their enemies after decades of violent conflict. The lessons they learned when all hope seemed lost—when war and continued violence seemed inevitable—will help Americans navigate this moment as we reach for a more inclusive and better-functioning democracy. 📍 Listen to the first episode here: https://lnkd.in/eYBXCRGa

In these final days before the presidential election, evidence of civic turbulence, social divisions, and threats to democracy continues to mount. In San Francisco on Thursday, October 24th, we are bringing together thought leaders from the arts, neuroscience, and diplomacy to discuss these contemporary challenges and learn more about strategies for overcoming seemingly insurmountable differences. This upcoming event, "Democracy and Unpacking the Causes of Exclusion," is being produced in collaboration with SFMOMA San Francisco Museum of Modern Art and California College of the Arts. It will feature global leaders Monica McWilliams and José María Argueta, who have navigated intense conflict and overcome deep divisions in the pursuit of peace. They will be joined by Bay Area artist Lava Thomas. In September 2024, the city of San Francisco unveiled Thomas’ Portrait of a Phenomenal Woman—a monument to Dr. Maya Angelou. It was Thomas' first public artwork and the first monument to honor a Black woman in San Francisco’s Civic Art Collection. Together, the speakers will offer perspective on the arts as a tool for expanding empathy for others and prompting repair across divergent communities. Register for the in-person event here: https://lnkd.in/eEvDKAqQ

This year’s #WorldMentalHealthDay arrives at a dark moment of rising violence in the MENA region where countless people are facing profound levels of physical danger, displacement, dehumanization, and collective loss. In particular, our thoughts are with our colleague Bilal Hindi, who is currently located in Lebanon. Here are his reflections on the growing crisis facing internally displaced people (IDPs) and the preexisting refugee community in the country: “Being here in Lebanon, I'm witnessing firsthand the toll this crisis is taking on individuals and families in the MENA region. The constant fear, the loss of loved ones, the struggle to simply survive—it leaves deep scars and long-lasting symptoms. It's crucial that we acknowledge the mental health impact of this conflict and provide support to those who need it most. But beyond that, we cannot stand idly by while this suffering continues. We need to actively pursue peace, call for a ceasefire, and work towards a lasting resolution that preserves future generations. Every day the conflict endures, more lives are shattered, and the psychological wounds deepen.” Research tells us that traumatic experiences like these can have significant effects, such as altering the brain's structure and function and leading to heightened emotional responses, fragmented memories, challenges in relationships, and difficulty regulating emotions. Psychologically, trauma can shatter core beliefs about oneself and the world, resulting in negative self-perceptions, deep distrust, and heightened senses of vulnerability and threat. This point in time serves as a critical reminder of the importance of incorporating mental health considerations into peacebuilding efforts, along with an opportunity to boost resources about the challenges faced by IDPs and ways to support them:                ▶ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR): https://lnkd.in/eDw6trRm ▶ United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA): https://lnkd.in/enfyk5SU ▶ International Rescue Committee (IRC): https://lnkd.in/gDs5zzb ▶ Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF): https://lnkd.in/ezcH49Kx

We are honored to have contributed to this initiative and look forward to this event!

It’s not too late to register for our upcoming webinar, Media Interventions in Peacebuilding! On Monday, September 30th, at 11 AM ET, Beyond Conflict’s staff and partners will host a discussion of our several successful media interventions around the world, the promising behavioral science behind them, and broader implications for the field. Join us for an interesting conversation about the power of interdisciplinary approaches to conflict management! 📍 https://lnkd.in/eHAX9ub5