Norway. Snow. Aurora boralis. Reindeer (it's delicious). War Museum. Conflicts. Needs. Non-violent communication. Simulation educational game. ... This is just a fraction of how my last week from 19th to 26th November 2018 could be described.
Together with my friend Pája, we went to represent the Czech Republic and our nonprofit organisation LUBLA at the international training of youth workers The Peacebuilders. It was held in a small cottage settlement near Ballangen. Sowe spent a week into the wilderness at the edge of the fjord by the ocean, with hills all around.
The journey was long and demanding. The most difficult part ten-minute trip was most likely to take us by ferry over the bay from the airport, where the passenger was inadvertently overwhelmed by the waves because of the great waves and the waving of the ship. We survived well, but it was definitely an experience stronger than a roller coaster. I do not know, how I deserved it, but I got the most beautiful chalet of all. With a social space larger than my current apartment and equipment as well much better. True, the bedroom was somewhat small for four people, and there was no room for storing things, but that's probably the standard in Norway. Haha.
The program started on the first day with some icebreakers and team-buiding activities. There were not many, but only twenty-five people from nine European countries (specifically from the Czech Republic, Estonia, Italy, Cyprus, Macedonia, Norway, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain), but it took us a while to remember all names, (togehter with where they are from, what they do and what, for example, I have common with them). This part, though, was not seem to be important. But it was. Extremely important. Because we worked with a lot of personal information and experience later in the week for which we needed to feel safe with others and to know that we were a compact group that could be used, if needed, to rely on.
In addition, we began to discuss the themes of the project and began to individually, collectively and with the help of trainers, bring together our understanding of the term of peace and non-violent education. So we have defined what peace means for us: "Peace is value, inner peace and understanding." And we also determined who we think is the peacebuilder with all his attitudes, knowledge and skills.
In the evening, there was a big fight about the title of a baron from Ballangen, where we were wrestling with couples in pairs to get us to Baron's place on the imaginary castle. But do not worry, it was not a fight for life and death. Some activities were physically demanding, yes, but it was a measure of strength and endurance rather than something else. For example, we competed in a strength of our arms, stood on one leg, holding breath, saying the longnest sound of “a”, drinking a glass of water before your enemy will do, etc. The winner became Francesco. Viva la baron!
The next day we plunged into the theory of human rights education. We have looked not only at what human rights are, but also about how they have arisen and what events or people have contributed to their present form. We have also touched on the integral values of human rights and their general understanding and acceptance. Do you realize, for example, that the Declaration of Human Rights was established only seventy years ago?
In the afternoon, we dealt with so-called Alternative dispute resolution. When, during a quiet discussion, we came to very interesting conclusions that conflict solutions can lead in a peaceful and violent way.
It's like cooking a pasta salad that you're trying to make potatoes. Sometimes it just does not work. But you still have to try to find out that it is not. And sometimes, something out of the ordinary will come out of it.
Conflicts divide people only if they remain unresolved.
After a while, will the company still have to start again from scratch before finally declare that "its brain" has died?·
If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with someone.
The knives can cut you. But it is not a good idea to stop selling them.
It is impossible to have a democracy without conflict.
Solving conflicts means focusing attention on the needs of the other.
In theory, there are four ways to resolve conflicts. Negotiation (two people), arbitration (external consultant), conciliation (two people with an external consultant - a combination of the previous two) and mediation (the third person mediates a conflict between the two parties without counseling or serving advice) ).
An important part of the equipment of the peacebuilder is also active listening. Everybody think they know, how to listen. But there is a certain difference between hearing and listening. On the one hand, it is good to be aware of the different kinds of questions we can ask to the other person. But it's not just about asking questions. It's about being there with the other at the moment, fully present, so he or she knows, and to be clear that the message would be fully accepted and understood. It is also about the posture of the body, the expression of the face and other nonverbal communication.
We also get to know the PIN model. It is a model of how to distort the situation according to the attitude of the speaker, his interests and his needs. Because it is not often seen, but some banal reactions can be deep emotions and vice versa. Position is our clear attitude. What we express externally. It usually has only one solution. Interest is the reason, why we do it. It can have more solutions. And the need is at the heart of the conflict. Our nature. Such needs may include evaluation, autonomy, affiliation (somewhere), status, or role.
In the middle of the program we took a study trip to the nearby town of Narvik. In the daylight, between 9:00 A.M. and 1:00 P.M., we had time to explore the town. Who wanted could play the CityBound mobile game to explore the city. In addition to the game, I went to see the harbor from nearby hill, I went to the cemetery (looks pretty much like ours) and the nearby park with a nice view to the city. Then we had a common lunch at the restaurant. For the first time, we could taste fresh fish. For a whole week in our camp, where Turks used to cook only the same kebab for us, it was a welcome change.
In the afternoon, we moved to the Narvik War Museum. An exciting and emotional exposition was waiting for us. Narvik was in the beginning of World War II, despite the fact Norway declared independence and impartiality, occupied by German soldiers. Within two months there were ruthless struggles in which many civilians died, and the lives of both German and Allied armies (the United Kingdom, France, Poland, etc.) were lost. The Germans managed to drive out of the harbor and hence from the iron ore stocks. But the Cold War was in the region until the end of the war, five years. The event is remembered by visitors to the museum on the first floor. On the second floor, below is a large collection of exhibits from this confrontation. Including soldiers' uniforms and their stories in the form of captured video recordings of their memories at that time. Of course, I saw many weapons, both manual and larger, from rocket launchers and grenade launchers, through the flame thrower to the tank, the naval mine, and the atomic bomb. And the third underground floor was artistically and experientially transformed into a realization that even nowadays, at this moment, somewhere in the world there is a war armed conflict. And how little we realize in our secure Europe. How little we try to understand and how little we are trying to solve. It was beautiful. Brutal, emotionally exhausting, but really brilliant. If you take a trip to the north of Norway, do not miss it. It's a unique experience. At the same time, the museum was also the organizer and the aegis of the whole project, which is my great thanks.
In order to be able to process the experiences, we then discussed some aspects of the exhibition in the so-called aquarium format.
Is putting of objects in a museums a way to build peace?
How far would you go to defend yourself?
What is the role of the media?
Do we always have to "do something" to resolve a conflict?
How can it be bombarded for peace?
The next day, we have been able to build on these experiences through the simulation educational game Mission Z. Humankind has populated a new planet and is just about how it will behave. But natural resources are only a limited amount and people are many and are getting more ...
Who gives us the right to handle the lives of others?
Will we always hear the voices of everyone?
When human beings become devided into "we" and "them"?
Where is the boundary between game and reality? Why are tin soldiers the favorite toys of all the little boys?
Do walls prevent from co-operation? Do walls in our minds do that?
As a training for youth workers, we also looked at how to bring such complex themes to others. We defined the difference between the trainer and the facilitator and tried some practical examples. We also learned about Kolb's cycle and personal zones, which are also closely related to education (especially in non-formal education). During the World Cafe activity, we were thinking about tips for trainers, such as the use of emotional intelligence or having not just plan B, but also C and D. Frequent mistakes include to be subjective (not objective), pushing the participants into the panic zone (from the comfort zone in which they are normally), ignorance or insufficient feedback. Good practices include the inclusion of all senses, the stimulation of critical thinking, the respect of individual needs, and the ongoing motivation of participants. We also learned and tried the debriefing method. Getting started with questions about emotions (How did you feel? What was it for you?), we continue with questions about the facts (What happened?), we follow up with questions about new knowledge (What did you learn from this experience, why did we do that) and end up with the questions about the future (How can you learn to apply in your life, in your community?).
And finally, we went into non-violent communication. It consists of four steps: observations, feelings, needs, request. Observation is made up of facts, not of evaluation or judgment. Feelings are evoked by facts, but they are not thoughts or concepts (I say). Needs are based on our feelings, but they are not strategies or preferences. It is important that interpersonal contact is based on participation (compassion), respect and understanding. It is therefore important to be aware of your own emotions. You are divided into thoughts, nonverbal expressions, body manifestations, and tendencies to action (want to do something in response). And it's good to keep in mind that taking emotions takes time. It is important to discover their layers gradually and to guard and pamper them because they are the keys to our behavior. Just by being aware of yourself until the last jump, it can become a full-fledged partner in dialogue with another.
Six days filled up with new knowledge and experience, new friends and situations that I will not forget. First, because I will use them in everyday personal and professional life. But also because many of them were unique and moved, and somewhere somehow they have changed me. When it comes to how you can change so much in such a short time. But believe that the work is individual and everyone needs a different time. And the program was so interactive and powerful that I wondered if it would have given us at least a tiny track on each of us. But of course they were not just theories and practical exercises, etc. We also enjoyed a lot of fun. Whether on an international dinner, when everybody could present their country and a meal, that they brought for others to taste. We also enjoyed the traditional norwegian christmas dinner, where we enjoyed smoked ribs with potato and sausage, and a dick and jam and some dried plums. We also learned at the last evening some new dances and social games. And we also enjoyed the true nordic winter, when during the one evening we sat outside the campfire, while the snow fell lightly around us. And not to forget about the best. Northern lights.
I am grateful to the Erasmus + program for providing these opportunities to active people as I am, as well as I feel grateful to the trainers Joakim, Sergio and Olga who have done this unique experience.
For everybody, who would like to have at least a test from what I have been through, I prepared a small online learning. It is not exactly a quiz. It is totally voluntary, and I will not tell anybody, what you have filled in. It is just for you.
Lada Matyášová
