Seminar on Åland’s demilitarization
On the Day of the demilitarisation, 30th of March, the Åland Islands Peace institute was arranging a seminar on Åland’s demilitarization – self evident or threatened? Is the demilitarization and neutralization of Åland affected by the security co-operation within Europe? The seminar was held in Swedish in Ålands Handelsläroverk at Östra Skolgatan Monday 30th of March 2009 at 6.00 p.m.
Knowledge on mediation gathered in Washington
Between 9th and 13th march 2009 the United States Institute of Peace organized the course “Mediating Violent Conflict” in Washington D.C. as part of its conflict management training programme. The course aimed at providing an overview of mediation in contemporary international and intrastate conflict, situating mediation in a larger peacemaking or international affairs context and at building competences for practicing mediation. Conflict management education and research into peace and conflict are among the core activities of the Åland Islands Peace Institute and hence the Institute’s participant Sarah Stephan did not miss this chance to learn more about mediation in sensitive inter- and intrastate conflict settings. Sarahs reflections on the course content are found here.
Reflections on borders and concilitation in Western Balkans
From the 24th of February to the 2nd of March, Wille Valve, Head of the Åland Mediation Office, participated in the EU-sponsored seminar ”Youth breaks the barriers! Mediation & reconciliation tools in European youth work activities” in Kljuc, Bosnia-Herzegovina. This is a mediator’s perspective on a volatile region, where borders matter more than ever.