The Peace Centre

The Peace Centre is a Not-for-Profit Organisation, registered in the Republic of Cyprus under the provisions of: "The Societies and Institutions Law - 57 of 1972. Registration number: 1200 dated 10th June, 1992. It is also a registered Charity under article 9(1) of the Income Tax Law.

The Peace Centre is the civil society organisation that introduced the Human Technologies for the development of a Peace Culture to Cyprus. Since the beginning of the bi-communal conflict in 1958, there has been an effort in the 70’s to start a dialogue between some academics but this failed to get off the ground.

In its 17-year history, the activity of the Peace Centre has gone through different phases. These can be conveniently separated as follows: 

1990-1993: The pioneering of the bi-communal Conflict Resolution workshops in Cyprus.

1994-1996: The collaboration with The Fulbright Commission and, later, with UNOPS and UNDP who, acknowledging the momentum being created, have kindly agreed to step in to facilitate the enormous task of bi-communal workshops, and manage the funds they have made available.

1997-2006:   The proliferation from the workshop activities of a number of Civil Society organisations and informal groups. The Centre offered support to these new groups   and engaged in Youth Camp projects, Workshops, and Research work.

2006-2007:  The current process of reorganisation of the Centre into a grass roots organisation.

We believe that the details of that pioneer work, under the very difficult circumstances of that time, should be made available for those who wish to probe into history. This is done for the following reasons:

• Τo demonstrate how persistence, methodology and hard work can make a few peoples' impossible vision a reality.
• To pay tribute to the few, who we choose not to name, who have sacrificed a lot in order to make their vision of peacebuilding work materialise.
• To describe how a few local idealists, operating in an extremely hostile local environment, and in collaboration with the world community of peace scholars,  the UN agencies and the American Embassy on the island, have initiated the peacebuilding activity of the Cypriot Civil Society, thus introducing to the island  the human technologies for the developing a Peace Culture.

Indicators of the success or failure of Peacebuilding work are not readily available. The complexity of such work is either underestimated, or success is defined by the results in the resolution of a particular conflict. Such expectations are a recipe for feelings of failure, despair, apathy, disempowerment and the belief that ‘I/we cannot do anything about it’.  Success in Peacebuilding work is a long-term process and should not be evaluated by whether the goal has been achieved or not, but instead, by the progress that has been made on the road towards peace.

We wish to invite our stakeholders, to reflect on how the Peacebuilding Civil Society was when we first started seventeen years ago. Then, compare the with today’s proliferation of Peace Groups; their collective skills and methodologies, and the wisdom that has been acquired. Add to this the legitimacy and acceptance that we have gained in our society and you will no doubt agree that we have come a long way.

The particular local social customs and the close family relations, make the attendance and participation of the general public in social change civil society activities very low. Given that human development and social change work demands long hours of physical attendance at the expense of family and other social events, there is a need to find alternative ways to facilitate public participation. Therefore, special effort will be given to taking the activities to the local communities and other places of social life.

Introduction

Participation in a Civil Society Organisation (CSO) indicates the desire and the will of the individual citizen to contribute in the process of Human Development and Social Change in ones particular group, country, or the larger world community. In our case, this process is designed to lead to a Peace Culture.

The Peace Centre is working towards the institutionalisation of a Peace Culture in our small island country, which has been devastated by the results of a prolonged ethnic conflict. We are motivated to act towards this direction, because we consider the state and the socio-political establishment is unwilling, and or unable, to instigate this social transformation process towards a Peace Culture. 
 
We invite all individuals who have a need to work for this cause, to bring to this Participatory Democratic Pool whatever skills; moral support; and or financial contribution they decide. Together, we will then engage in a process leading to the establishment of a vibrant and sustainable Peace Institution for today and the years to come.

The proposed modes of Democratic Participation:

The proposed alternative modes of Democratic Participation are designed to accommodate the varying skills, educational backround, experience  and time availability of whoever wishes to contribute to this Social Change process.

MEMBERS:

• Supportive Members:  Those individuals who, though they agree with the Vision, the Mission and the Philosophy of the Centre, they have no time to get actively involved. Their sheer number, however, constitute an important empowering indicator to those who make the time to actively participate.
• Active Members  Those individuals who decide to actively participate in the different processes and activities of the Centre. These members are normally motivated either by the need to go through their own process of Personal Development or, the will to help others go through that same process.
• Funding Members:  Those who feel strongly in favour of our objectives, but their other demands on their time do not allow them to actively participate. However, they have the capacity and the will to help with a small monthly financial contribution.

THE GOVERNING BODIES:

• The Executive Board: The administrative body which will carry out the day-to-day administration of the affairs of the Centre. This body will be assisted by full-time and part-time staff as well as volunteers.
• The Philosophy and Strategy Board (National Think Tank ): This is the Governing Body that has the responsibility to determine the Philosophy and the Strategy of the Centre. It is not elected by the General Assembly of the members but, instead, new members are invited to participate by the Body itself, in collaboration with the Executive Board. New members are ratified or rejected by the next General Assembly. This body has a further responsibility to audit that Good Governance and Absolute Transparency is present in all the affairs of the Centre. 

Effectiveness in the actions of the Centre towards the Development of a Peace Culture demand, an up-to-date expertise in the contemporary Scientific Methodologies being currently developed by the academic world. It further requires the wisdom of respected local personalities who can win the trust of the local and inernational community. For this reason, members of this Board have been selected from the following groups of the lCypriot society: 

 

• Local Academics: Those academics who, because of their academic specialisation, they can bring to the Centre their scholarly skills and the world’s wisdom on Human Development, together with the legitimacy of their presence. This Body could meet on a round table discussion twice a year in order to contribute to important policy decisions.
• Notable Personalities:  Notable personalities who have demonstrated an ethical and peace-building attitude in political, media, economic, cultural, and or any other expression of public affairs. The process of establishing a vibrant Peace Centre and securing its sustainability in the years to come, depends absolutely on the success or failure of this restructuring process.
• Professional Experts: Professional experts principally in Humanities and Social Sciences who, because of their education and local eperience, will bring to the Centre their skills and knowhow in helping society transcend from the Adversarial Culture to one of a Peace Culture.

The Constitution of the Peace Centre

(The following is a free translation of the first three articles from the original Greek legal document)

THE OVERALL OBJECTIVE

To engage in activities that will promote the ideal of peace in the world, with particular reference to Cyprus. To work for the following particular objectives, by introducing new concepts, ideas, communication skills, and right human attitudes and relations.

PARTICULAR OBJECTIVES 

1. To promote the respect of all cultures and civilisations. To support all efforts leading to the protecting of human rights and right human relations, locally and internationally.
2. To engage in an in depth study of the causes of conflict and the phenomenon of violence amongst humans.
3. To develop and implement conflict resolution and other human development methodologies  for the handling of group differences, starting from the responsibility of the individual citizen.
4. To sensitize the general public about the necessity of resolving conflict and achieving peace
5. To promote the ideals of mutual understanding, cooperation and peaceful coexistence of all people of the world, with emphasis on Cyprus.

MEANS:

The above objectives will be achieved by the following means:

1. The organisation of activities such as lectures, open discussions, workshops, film and video shows etc
2. The establishment of a Peace library equipped with the relevant printed and other educational aids.
3. The support and direct involvement in applied research in the areas of peace, disarmament, human rights, the environment, and alternative sources of energy.
4. The publication of educational material on peace and right human relations.
5. The organisation of conflict resolution conflict resolution workshops in Cyprus and the wider geographical area.
6. To collaborate with all the stakeholders in education for the promotion of the ideal of Peace and other ideals leading to Right Human Relations worldwide.
7. The organisation and/ or participation in civic action campaigns that are promoting the objectives of the Centre. 
8. The cooperation with local and international organisations that have the same or similar goals.