NATIONAL PEACE ARCHITECTURE
CONFLICT TRANSFORMATION SKILLS
DEVELOPMENT COURSE FOR MANGOCHI
DISTRICT PEACE COMMITTEE
Conflict quote
• The more we run from conflict,
/ The more it masters us;
• / The more we try to avoid it,
/ The more it controls us;
• / The less we fear conflict,
• / The less it confuses us; /
• The less we deny our differences,
• / The less they divide us.
– David Augsburger
Conflict Transformation Skills Dvpt.
MAIN OBJECTIVE
 The purpose of the course is aimed at equipping
the Mangochi District Peace Committee members
with skills required in understanding conflict
transformation in order to strengthen their
capacities in mediation and reconciliation.
Cont’d. …
Specific Objectives
It is planned that by the end of this course
the participants should be able to:
Demonstrate an understanding of
community and its dynamics
Explain the meaning, nature and scope of
Conflict Transformation.
Cont’d. …
 Define key concepts: Peace, violence and conflict
an understanding of the different approaches of
conflict.
 Demonstrate how to monitor a conflict situation
 Explain the conflict handling mechanisms
 Outline the conflict transformation skills.
Unit 1: UNDERSTANDING ‘IDEAL’
COMMUNITY
Activity 1
• Is Mangochi an ‘Ideal’ Community?
Introduction
• In this unit we look at the meaning of community
and what we need to know about the
community. We consider the term community
and describe the foundations of a joyful
functional and effective community. Finally we
consider what M. Scott Peck lists as four essential
building blocks of a successful community.
Objectives
By the end of this unit you should be able to:
• Define community and understand its
dynamics
• Understand the foundations of a joyful
functional and effective community
• Define the role of community member in
District Peace Committee
• What do you understand by the term
‘community’?
1. What is Community?
• Community - a unified body of people with a
common characteristic and/or interest living
together within a larger society at a specified
location.
• While this definition gives the basis of what a
community is, it doesn’t describe the
foundations of a joyful functional and
effective community.
• Is Mangochi an ‘ideal’ Community
• Are you happy to be in Mangochi or
associated with Mangochi? WHY?
• What is the Mangochi that you would want
to see (envision, dream about)?
1.1 Foundations of a joyous
functional and effective community
• Inclusive - each member is recognized,
accepted, and embraced
• Responsive - the community meets individual
needs
• Contemplative - the group continually
examines and monitors progress
• Safe - each member feels secure and
protected
Visualizing a Community
• Positive
• Negative
1. What made your experience so enjoyable with
your community?
2. What help make it function so well?
3. What made it effective in meeting its purpose?
(e.g. a good soccer team, a classroom where
students learned, a hospital that healed people).
4. What does each of these words on the board
mean:
• Inclusive? Responsive? Contemplative? Safe?
• ‘Boti ili likamira timira tonse’ Bakili Muluzi.
Literally meaning “If this boat sinks because of
the conflict we face all of us will sink”.
• Mangochi belongs to all of us in a
collaborative effort we can make Mangochi a
safe haven – free from violence and negative
conflicts.
• We as members of DPC have a role to play
• There other people who are not in DPC but
have expertise, experiences, knowledge we
need to include theses people in our DPC
endeavors
• We need to work hand in hand with all
stakeholders:
chiefs,
police,
security
institutions, religious institutions, common
people, civil society, business people etc
• We as DPC we are working on trust to be
apolitical, with no hidden agenda, ill feelings
etc. to build an ‘ideal’ Mangochi that will help
to make Malawi indeed the ‘Warm Heart of
Africa’ one of the most peaceful countries in
Africa and to sustain this peace for the
sustained development of Malawi.
• Where there is no peace there cannot be
development.