Transformative Conversations

The African continent faces a number of security and development challenges, including irregular migration, human trafficking, and violent extremism. African challenges are often framed as needing “African solutions”--that is, developing and deploying indigenous resources and leadership to advance transnational security and catalyze political, social, and economic liberation from the legacy of colonial rule and post-colonial systems. Facilitating south-south partnerships that transcend national borders requires building a new generation of African leadership that is ethical, community-oriented, and above all, transformational. Dr. Kofi Osei-Kusi is the president and founder of the Pan-African Leadership Institute, an executive education center with the aim of developing holistic, conscientious, and entrepreneurial leaders for Africa. In this month’s Transformative Conversation, Catalyzing Pan-African Youth Leadership for Transformative Peace, Dr. Osei-Kusi will discuss how education can be used to harness the inherent potential of Africa’s youth and cultivate leadership that fosters good governance, catalyzes economic innovation, and transforms the fabric of African communities. The conversation will further explore the gap between youth development policy frameworks and their implementation in Africa, the significance and operationalization of an African framework for effective leadership, and Dr. Osei-Kusi’s vision for how pan-African leadership will transform the future of the continent.

Civil society has increasingly been recognized as a key actor in peace processes at all levels, including official Track I negotiations, Track II negotiations designated for non-state actors, and grassroots peacebuilding efforts aimed at monitoring and building support for formal peace agreements. Research has consistently shown that the inclusion of civil society leads to more effective, representative, and sustainable peace agreements, and can contribute to a stronger social contract between state and society in post-conflict transitions. However, civil society continues to be excluded from meaningful participation and continues to face a number of challenges such as the internationalization of local conflicts, lack of horizontal cohesion, and power dynamics that favor international actors. October 2021's Transformative Conversation, The Critical Role of Civil Society in Peacebuilding, featuring Dr. Marie-Joëlle Zahar, will explore the role of civil society in 2 peace processes, including why civil society’s participation has been shown to be so effective, what is to be gained from their participation, and how to operationalize civil society’s meaningful inclusion. Dr. Zahar will further unpack how civil society is shaping current peace negotiations around the world -- including in contexts such as Syria, Yemen, and Mali -- and what is needed to open the door to more effective and meaningful participation.

In 2021, global levels of governmental restrictions on Freedom of Religious Belief are at an all-time high, and the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated tensions around the world and fueled discrimination and violence against religious minorities. Now more than ever, it is critical to understand how religious frameworks can be harnessed as a positive force for transformation to guarantee a more peaceful future. While religion can divide communities, it can also be harnessed as a force for positive transformation by advancing shared values of empathy, nonviolence, and human dignity. Religious actors have long played a role in both grassroots and official peacebuilding efforts, including by acting as mediators, setting the vision for transitional justice efforts, and mobilizing communities of faith to prevent and cease conflict. Yet, the field also faces many challenges, such as bridging intra-religious polarization, ensuring the inclusion of women and youth, and overcoming structural inequities within religious institutions themselves. In this vein, Transformative Peace is excited to be hosting its fourth Transformative Conversation with Rev. Dr. Fatimah S. Salleh and Ms. Omar Manal on Religious Approaches to Peacebuilding. The speakers will examine the state of religiously-motivated violence and discrimination in the world today, including the impact of COVID-19, the new tools being used by religious peacebuilders to transform conflict, and the potential for religious peacebuilding to contribute to lasting social and transitional justice.

Women play a critical role in reducing conflict, advancing stability, and building sustainable peace. Women’s meaningful participation in peace agreements has been shown to critically affect their sustainability, with 35% of agreements more likely to last beyond 15 years. Similarly, in cases where women played a critical role in the peace processes, the probability of reaching a final and sustainable agreement is much higher than when women were absent. However, women continue to face unique challenges, sidelined, underrepresented, and pushed into supporting roles. In this vein, Transformative Peace is excited to be hosting its third Transformative Conversation with a very dear colleague and friend Karin Ryan, Senior Advisor for Human Rights and Special Representative on Women and Girls at The Carter Center, for a discussion on women’s meaningful participation in peace processes and how we can advance a more inclusive agenda. Karin, welcome and so lovely to have you here.

Recorded Webinar - The demonizing of Muslims and Islam in France has attracted a global outcry. Join Dr. Houda Abadi in conversation with French Muslim activist and former CCIF Director Marwan Muhammad for a discussion on the rising tide of institutionalized Islamophobia in France and how we can play an active role in promoting equity and inclusive policies that push back against systemic hate and bigotry.

Join Dr. Houda Abadi and former South African Ambassador to the United States, Ebrahim Rasool, for a discussion on the lessons of apartheid - and on the processes of reconciliation and restorative justice. Recorded August 5th, 2020. About Transformative Conversations: Join civic leaders, policymakers, and community activists for Transformative Peace innovative series of conversations, seminars, and workshops. Led by our founder, Dr. Houda Abadi, this interactive program sparks provocative conversations around timely questions and timeless themes. Join us as we contemplate our moment in history, and together, let's navigate obstacles to peace and forge a path forward.