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Following the recent post by @ArpiBekaryan I'm going to post about some grassroots conflict resolution projects I've seen. Though not without problems, they didn't fall into the cookie cutter trap of closed doors and usual suspects. One was Tekali... https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/zone/Armenia/As-tensions-mount-plans-for-an-Armenian-Azerbaijan-Peace-Building-Center-in-Georgia-89479
The ethnic Azeri village of Tekali was chosen for cross-border meetings. More importantly, rather than involve the 'elite' in the capitals, it's location in Georgia on the Armenia-Azerbaijan border allowed people from the regions of all three to attend. https://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Areas/Armenia/Armenia-Azerbaijan-peacebuilding-kicks-off-in-Tekali-91665
Not only that, but discussions were held in the 'real world,' and not a fancy spar resort or hotel in a major urban centre. No closed doors, no confined spaces. Real interaction between Armenians and Azerbaijanis with local ethnic Azeri families hosting.
http://www.conflict-voices.net/blog/2012/07/following-clashes-on-the-armenia-azerbaijan-border-the-tekali-process-continues/
http://www.conflict-voices.net/blog/2012/07/following-clashes-on-the-armenia-azerbaijan-border-the-tekali-process-continues/
Discussion wasn't just limited to resolution of the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Nagorno Karabakh. They also included issues of mutual concern. There was no 'politicisation' of conflict resolution too, something many NGOs fall prey to. Real people-to-people interaction.
Many large, often bloated NGOs didn't like this approach. Often, it seemed as they were focused on monopolising peace-building, just as governments do, and living off regular, large international funding that never benefited what their actual focus should have been – communities.
Talking of Georgi Vanyan, the main driver of the 'Tekali Process,' I totally forgot, and only just accidentally stumbled upon, something about him by @fatalin.
Photograph of Vanyan is one of mine too. Time flies...
Peace Activist Threatened in Armenia https://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2012/04/14/peace-activist-assaulted-armenia/
Photograph of Vanyan is one of mine too. Time flies...
Peace Activist Threatened in Armenia https://foreignpolicyblogs.com/2012/04/14/peace-activist-assaulted-armenia/
I also interviewed him in 2009:
Georgi Vanyan: Every family has the desire for peace https://www.frontlineclub.com/blogs/onnikkrikorian/2009/08/giorgi-vanyan-everyone-wants-peace.html
“Communication is not betrayal. It is a natural human need.”
Georgi Vanyan: Every family has the desire for peace https://www.frontlineclub.com/blogs/onnikkrikorian/2009/08/giorgi-vanyan-everyone-wants-peace.html
“Communication is not betrayal. It is a natural human need.”
Also a good write up from one of the Tekali meetings held in 2012 by http://Epress.am Editor-in-Chief Yura Manvelyan:
The Tekali Process: When the citizens of the South Caucasus get down to business http://caucasiancircle.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-tekali-process-when-citizens-of.html
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Karabakh
The Tekali Process: When the citizens of the South Caucasus get down to business http://caucasiancircle.blogspot.com/2012/07/the-tekali-process-when-citizens-of.html
#Armenia #Azerbaijan #Karabakh
Just discovered that Vanyan has been interviewed on the current fighting thanks to a comment from @fatalin. In Russian, but if you've been following the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict over Karabakh for some time, you'll understand the Google translation: http://southcaucasus.com/my-sami-tak-zahoteli.html?fbclid=IwAR0AuPqZ4uTdpACbmOIiXZCaRccI5em2-Zl9S7s3LoUS2r0VUufklF6Ej9k
