INTERNATIONAL CAUX CONFERENCES 2011
Conference Report Caux 2011 108521_Caux_KB_11_E.indd 1
Re-greening land with old techniques 5 Young Muslim peacemakers 8 Linking theory and action
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The challenge of a sustainable future 16
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CONTENTs RubRIk
The International Caux Conferences are organized by CAUX-Initiatives of Change and Initiatives of Change International every year in Caux above Montreux, Switzerland. Since 1946, they have explored ways to transform society through changes in individuals and relationships. The 2011 programme consisted of a series of conferences and workshops, each covered in this report. More information, including videos and photos can be found at
Training
Editorial Linking the personal and the global
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Human Security Land degradation: ‘We are the desert-making species on earth’ Yacouba Savadogo: Re-greening land with old techniques A challenge to Islam after the Arab Spring The Swiss Foreign Ministry and the Caux Forum: A ‘complementary partnership’
www.caux.ch/2011
Creators of Peace: ‘Circles of peace’ to break down differences 12 Mary Ella Keblusek: ‘An opportunity to practise on myself’ 13
Caux Scholars Program 4 5 6 7
Multicultural World
Linking theory and action 20 years of the Caux Scholars Program
PeaceWomen across the globe Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold: ‘No women – No peace’
Young Muslim peacemakers 8 Diversity as an opportunity 9 Zahra Hassan: Working for reconciliation in the diaspora 10
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Business Ethics Göran Carstedt: The challenge of a sustainable future Jane Royston: ‘I had a dream’ to build a fair business; it turned out rather well!
Designed and printed by Brunner AG, Druck und Medien, CH-6010 Kriens, Switzerland Editors: Chris Breitenberg, Adriana Borra, Andrew Stallybrass, Philipp Thüler Photos: Abdullah Alwazeen, Maha Ashour, Jean Fichery Dukulizimana, Salim Kassam, Christoph Kaufmann, Raluca Carmen Ocean, Charlotte Sawyer, Kismet Waked, Kosima Weber, Liu Yaya
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About us The Caux Conferences and IofC: Get involved!
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Caux 2012 International Caux Conferences 2012
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EdITORIAL RubRIk
Linking the personal and the global Göran Carstedt, one of Europe’s most prominent business leaders, quoted Václav Havel: ‘It is as if something were crumbling, decaying and exhausting itself – while something else, still indistinct, were arising from the rubble.’ The Caux conferences aim to support that ‘rebirth’.
dustrialists, economists, environmentalists and concerned individuals to help create a just and equitable global economy.
With the equivalent of three Switzerlands of productive land being lost every year to soil erosion, initiatives addressing this global issue were showcased. Luc-Marie This year’s Caux agenda was very Gnacadja, the Executive Secretary relevant. Egyptians and Tunisians of the UN Convention to Combat brought the energy and excitement Desertification, called for a holistic of the Arab Spring, and in a two- approach. day special programme with European politicians, sought to support Caux’s special contribution lies in moves on the ground toward sus- its focus on the human dimension, tainable democracy. Ambassador Claude Wild, Head of the Political Affairs Division IV in As Norway and the rest of Europe the Swiss Federal Department of reeled from the tragic massacre by Foreign Affairs (DFA), explained. a right-wing extremist, 45 young ‘Caux has a very focused approach European Muslims gathered for a on personal experiences, individual training programme on peacemak- responsibility and “life skills”.’ This, ing and trustbuilding. he said, is complementary to the more structural approach of the Against the backdrop of the global DFA, which has been supporting financial crisis, the Trust and integrity the Caux Forum for Human Security in the global economy conference from its beginning in 2008, as well gathered 200 business people, in- as initiatives for reconciliation led
by Initiatives of Change (IofC) in Burundi. The Caux approach seeks to join the ‘personal’ and the ‘global’ in a two-way, creative flow. IofC believes that lasting transformation will always grow out of lives and relationships being transformed. It brings together people motivated by the longing to make compassion and justice real in the world. And by the never-ending search for an inner wisdom that can guide each human being in their human doing.
Edward Peters, Executive Vice-President Initiatives of Change International
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HuMAN sECuRITY
‘We are the desert-making species on earth’ The Caux Forum for Human Security examined the urgent challenge of erosion and soil degradation, which is destroying the equivalent of three Switzerlands of productive land every year.
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t the request of Luc-Marie Gnacadja, Executive Secretary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification, the Forum dedicated one day of the week on how to turn this situation around. The result, in Gnacadja’s words, ‘more than fulfilled my expectations, and was fully in keeping with Caux’s tradition as an incubator of change’. ‘We are the desert-making species on earth,’ Gnacadja said. ‘We are the planet’s skin disease.’ The lands most vulnerable to erosion are under ‘water stress’ in ‘drylands’, and this third of the world’s land surface produces 44 % of the world’s food, he went on. Millions are being forced to move to more productive land, and this is a major cause of conflict. ‘So much depends on so little, and we are not really tackling the root causes,’ Gnacadja continued. Eight out of 10 conflicts in the world are in dryland areas. ‘We need to take action, but the good news is that people are taking action at a grassroots level. We need to support their efforts.’ He called for a greater focus on ‘the forgotten billion’, the poorest people in the world. Desertification and land degradation was closely related to the problems of food security and political stability, a complex mix that all went in to ‘human security’. Clare Short, who served as Secretary of State for International Development in the UK from 1997 to 2003, had herself seen at first hand the signs of degraded lands, drought and climate change in many parts of the world. All these signs lead up to a famine like that affecting 10 million people in the Horn of Africa today. ‘But there are answers, and they can rapidly reverse the mess we’re making. We must start to put things right,’ she concluded. Chris Reij, an expert in sustainable agriculture and Professor at the Centre for International Cooperation at the VU
University, Amsterdam, also underlined positive developments. He gave examples from the Sahel, the 3 million square kilometres south of the Sahara. This region is affected even more than others by a changing climate and ever increasing food prices. ‘But there is hope,’ he said. A good example was the re-greening of parts of Niger conducted by peasant farmers of the region. ‘In the past 20 years, 5 million hectares have been re-greened. This means food for 2.5 million people,’ said Reij. The challenge was now to implement similar methods in more regions. ‘We can improve the lives of millions of African farmers and shepherds,’ he concluded. The special day attracted a number of experts, grassroots activists and farmers – a mix that is part of the specificity of Caux. Clare Short concluded that people in the rich world can feel that something’s wrong. ‘The OECD rich countries see themselves as the high-point of human civilization and development, but at the same time, there are more and more problems of obesity, mental illness and addictions and, as societies, we’re in trouble,’ she said. Martin Frick, programme leader for climate diplomacy at the non-profit
Luc-Marie Gnacadja
organization, Third Generation Environmentalism E3G, said, ‘Caux offers us space for insight, a space that inspires and challenges us. Here I have realized that the most important players are those that we haven’t taken into account – the people at the bottom of the pyramid.’ Andrew Stallybrass
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Re-greening land with old techniques Yacouba Savadogo from Burkina Faso is a 65-year-old peasant farmer and the protagonist of the documentary film The man who stopped the desert. He has used traditional techniques to rehabilitate the soil and prevent desertification. He spoke at the Caux Forum after a screening of the film.
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hat motivated you to farming? I began to work as a farmer in 1979 while I was still young. My family and I suffered a lot from hunger. I told myself I needed to do something to help the situation. Compared to others we were lucky and not suffering much, but I knew that if I didn’t do something, sooner or later I would go bankrupt or starve. Something needed to be done at the grassroots. That’s why I left my trade work to work with the land as a farmer. Today I produce very well and all those who have imitated my methods also produce very well. I am fortunate; my family is no longer hungry. Not a day passes that a group of five or 10 people come to visit me, and ask how I grow my farm. This form of sharing and exchanging information allows us to learn from each other and encourages me to continue the work I do. Tell us about the techniques you have used? In my farming I use improved traditional techniques to cultivate the land. However, none of the success could have been accomplished if it weren’t for the exchanges I had with the other people in the region. I try my best to collect many seeds from trees so that I can plant them in my field. It is important to have different species, as they enhance the variety of plants and possibilities. I see how the earth responds to this, and the more varieties of trees there are the better it is for all the plants. As you have not been to school, how do you know you are on the right track? It is not necessary to go to school to know how to do it. It is about having a vision, knowing how to observe your development, making some changes where they are needed and continuing to farm.
Yacouba savadogo, ‘The man who stopped the desert’
Do you think that your work has had an impact on the relationships between people? Yes. The impact on social relations is dependent on how people live and support each other. For example if you work hard during the raining season, you will have enough grain to eat and even share. Most people who have adopted my techniques have an increased solidarity among their communities, because they all have enough to share with their neighbours. Before it would have been too difficult and too much of a strain to give food away. Now things have changed and this has helped relationships between people in the communities. Jean Fichery Dukulizimana
Caux Forum for Human Security The fourth Caux Forum for Human Security took place between 10 and 17 July 2011. Its goal was to create a learning environment focused on answering basic human needs, to build trust by giving attention to historical wounds, and to encourage collaboration between civil society, multilateral institutions and governments. Peter Maurer, Swiss Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs spoke at the opening. The Swiss government was proud to support the continuing efforts to promote intercultural dialogue, and ‘an innovative thinking in the field of human security,’ he said. Some 350 participants from all over the world – diplomats, scientists, NGO representatives and grassroots activists – discussed ways to advance human security.
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HuMAN sECuRITY
Tunisian journalist Lotfi Hajji
A challenge to Islam after the Arab spring Islam’s political position within Egypt and Tunisia after the Arab Spring was at the heart of a two-day special programme during the Caux Forum for Human Security. The 40 participants were able to speak openly and in confidence with one another.
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iplomats, activists, human rights specialists and journalists spoke of the challenges facing the Arab world after the revolution. Anissa Hassouna from Egypt spoke of the need to reconcile with those related to the old regime. Journalist Lotfi Hajji stressed the need to reform police and judicial systems, and spoke of democratization and the role of political parties. Abdelfattah Mourou, founder of the Tunisian Ennahda Party, said the challenge for the Arab people is the need to establish a democracy for all, not a democracy with actors and subjects. Mourou recalled, ‘Some think Tunisians are Islamists and enemies of freedom, but they have been violated, imprisoned, and forced into exile by autocratic regimes.’ Etienne Pinte, French Member of Parliament, said to the North Africans: ‘Your destiny is in your hands, you have to choose your constitution, to build your democracy and we are here to support you, not to impose on you.’ The speakers all stressed the hope for the Arab Muslims to build a true democracy.
‘They do not advocate repression or practise polygamy, and they do not require the application of Sharia law on the criminal law to advocate earlier centuries,’ said Mourou. ‘Democracy is practised, it is the result of the responsibility, if we force the Islamists to leave politics, they are forced to become marginalized,’ he said.
‘The will to build something new together’ Slim Bouaziz was elated as he packed his bags after a week full of meetings, exchanges and discussions. It was his first time in Europe and he hopes for a better future. The young Muslim student said, ‘We are now included, they (the people from the West) understand that the revolts have gone far beyond religious identity and that we (the people) want democracy. It’s the beginning of a new age.’
were very honest, with the North Africans being able to express their grievances to the West.’ For Chavanne, the fear of Islam could lead to the failure of these revolutions, but he hoped that the Tunisian Islamist party will show the world that a relationship between Islam, democracy and the rule of law is possible. ‘We were all surprised by the revolution in Tunisia which revealed a different picture of the Arab world. We trust them,’ he said. ‘These days had the merit of at least allowing us to start frank discussions in an atmosphere of trust, and with the will to build something new together.’ Jean Fichery Dukulizimana
Frédéric Chavanne, responsible for Africa and the Mediterranean for Initiatives of Change-France, said, ‘The conversations
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The Swiss Foreign Ministry and the Caux Forum: a ‘complementary partnership’ An interview with Ambassador Claude Wild, Head of Political Affairs Division IV in the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which has been supporting the Caux Forum for Human Security since its beginning in 2008. Why is the DFA supporting the Caux Forum for Human Security? The DFA has supported this Forum since 2008 for many reasons, mainly because the theme of the Caux Forum for Human Security is in conjunction with our mandate and we hope to continue operational collaboration between Initiatives of Change (IofC) and Political Affairs Division IV (PD IV) which began in 2005 in Burundi. This collaboration is important for the implementation of certain programme activities regarding the peace policy of PD IV in Africa (Great Lakes region, Western and Central Africa). Particularly in Burundi, IofC has supported peace efforts and dialogue between the rebel Palipehutu-FNL and the government since 2003 and currently continues to support democratic dialogue between the extra-parliamentary opposition and the government. This project has
been funded by PD IV since November 2005. In Western and Central Africa, PD IV has initiated and developed a partnership with IofC since 2007, most notably in the area of capacity building of African practitioners in the field of mediation and the issues of dealing with the past. How do Caux and IofC integrate into the vision of the Swiss foreign policy? Caux has a very focused approach on personal experiences, individual responsibility and ‘life skills’. This represents an interesting approach for the DFA, in the sense that our approach to human security tends to be more structural in programmes and geographically and thematically developed and focused in projects. Thus in partnership PD IV and Caux act in a complementary way to one another, particularly from the perspective of operational collaboration. What can Caux and IofC do better? What would you like to see more of in Caux? The link between political actors and the ‘social’ actors could be strengthened to allow more active follow-up of the meeting on the operational level in the various countries which the participants come from.
Claude Wild
What would you change in Caux if you could change anything? Why change an initiative that works well? The quality of exchanges in the Forums is clearly demonstrated. However, it would be useful and interesting – after the Forum 2012 which will be the last one of the five-year programme – to capitalize on the experiences and lessons learned during the various editions, and mobilize more politicians on these issues. Philipp Thüler
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dIvERsITY
Young Muslim peacemakers Forty five young Muslims from Austria, Bosnia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK gathered in the Caux conference centre for a training programme Learning to be a Peacemaker, 20 to 31 July. It was the second such programme in Caux, led by Imam Ajmal Masroor from Britain.
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jmal Masroor is very courageous. Seeing Britain at war in countries that their parents came from, young Muslims can feel uncertain about fully engaging with the society in which they have grown up. The reception of the majority community can also be equivocal, and the combination can lead to frustration and anger,’ says Peter Riddell, British joint coordinator of the programme. ‘The Muslim world is now part of the European world. Whereas a few decades ago, being European, on the whole, meant being white and Christian, now it means being of any colour and any religion. “Old” and “new” Europeans are on a journey of creating a new culture together. This can be a very creative enterprise if we understand each other’s journey and engage in it wholeheartedly.’ This is the importance, he believes, of a programme like this. The participants were young Muslims who came to learn from Masroor and from each other. Masroor’s goal was to
enhance their understanding of their own faith and how to live it out in the European context. The sessions were designed to equip participants to promote peace both within themselves and within the wider community. The programme consisted of four days of ‘internal dialogue’ studying Islamic approaches to peacemaking, followed by participation in the week-long conference on the theme of Learning to live in a multicultural world: diaspora and peacemaking in Europe.
Finding common ground Sabina Ali is a young professional in England. She said, ‘Coming to Caux really brings the ideals I’ve learned from religion to life. I can use my experiences from Caux and practise them in the corporate working environment back home.’ She continued: ‘I attribute my confidence as a Muslim woman to the things I learned
here.’ She explained that in her view, all religions share commonalities, and it is important to celebrate those commonalities while respecting the differences. Another participant, Suleyman Sakha, a dentist from the UK, said: ‘It’s not just an internal change that I’m seeking, but an external one as well.’ He explained that he hoped that this forum will give young, educated Muslims a chance to voice their opinions about what is going on in the world, so that there is a better understanding among people of different faiths and cultures. ‘You don’t have to be a Muslim to understand the beauty of Islam. We are trying to find common ground between people’s values and beliefs, to do what is best for all parties, without impinging on the human or civil rights of any group.’ Tanya Wood
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diversity as an opportunity Migration is a reality. But how do we cope with the cultural diversity that results? This was at the heart of a panel discussion on ‘The new “We”: Visions of an inclusive intercultural environment’ at the close of the conference Learning to live in a multicultural world.
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ibyesh Anand, Associate Professor in the Department of Politics and International Relations at the University of Westminster in London, stressed that Europe not only has problems, but is a problem: ‘It is a problem because European values are perceived as universal (human rights, democracy …) while at the same time they are seen as uniquely European.’ According to Anand, this is dangerous because democracy is an ideal for which people have to struggle constantly – and Europe may even have things to learn from other continents. True democracy is not a tyranny of numbers, he continued, but should protect the rights of minorities. The Swiss ban on minarets following a referendum was for him an example that even in a democracy which is used to dealing with minorities, discrimination can happen. One has to understand that everybody is a part of a minority: ‘There are no majorities but a multitude of minorities.’ This understanding would ultimately lead to more humility. And humility instead of pride in one’s identity would offer a way to a new ‘We’ and a European society which not only tolerates cultural diversity but embraces it and enriches itself with it. Oliver Freeman, former co-Chair of the Swiss Conference of Integration Commissioners and currently serving as an expert for the Intercultural Cities Programme of the Council of Europe, stated that migration and cultural diversity caused uncertainties. It was easy and dangerous at the same time for politicians to turn these uncertainties into fear and to benefit from this fear.
Creating something new Freeman explained different strategies to cope with migration and difference: Assimilation (a + b = a) leads to a complete integration of group ‘b’ into the existing society ‘a’; Multiculturalism (a + b = a + b) leads to a peaceful coexistence of group ‘b’ and the existing society ‘a’. A third
Oliver Freeman, an expert for the Intercultural Cities Programme of the Council of Europe
way, Trans- or Inter-culturalism (a + b = c) is the one which is supported by the Council of Europe and leads to something new. The existing society ‘a’ embraces group ‘b’ and thus creates something new, society ‘c’. Freeman said: ‘We should not see society as a mechanical engine which ceases to function when a foreign object falls into it. We should rather see it as an ecosystem, which adapts to new situations and enriches itself with foreign elements.’ The ‘c’, added Freeman, could also be replaced by an ‘h’ for Humanity.
guages are spoken, where there are mosques, churches and cultures from all over the world, it was indispensable for everybody to be ready to create the ‘new We’. To reach this change and to create the ‘new We’, is a task for all of us, he said: ‘We have to get over the “I”. Instead of “I think, therefore I am” (Cogito, ergo sum), it should be “You are, therefore I am”.’ Philipp Thüler
‘You are, therefore I am’ Humanity as the most important connecting element was also at the centre of John Battle’s conclusion. Battle, a former member of the British parliament and government minister, noted that in his neighbourhood in Leeds, in which 21 lanCAUX REPORT 2011 9
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dIvERsITY
Zahra Hassan: facilitating dialogue in the diaspora
Working for reconciliation in the diaspora Zahra Hassan was born in Somalia and now lives in England. At the conference Learning to live in a multicultural world: diaspora and peacemaking in Europe, she spoke on the role of diaspora women.
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an you tell us about the organizations you are involved in? The three organizations have similarities. They are trying to reach people in the community to bring them together. ‘Women of the Horn Association’, for example, is an organization that helps the grassroots level, especially women or single parents from East Africa (Somalia, Ethiopia, Djibouti, etc.) who live in the UK. We are trying to bring all the community together and to help the wider community indeed. The ‘Somali community for dialogue and democracy’ and Initiatives of Change (IofC) have also the same aims and objectives: to try to build trust between the communities. Somalia is still in a civil war. We still have a lot of problems and although we are not facing clan issues in the diaspora, we are facing the issues linked to ‘living in a multicultural world’ which are barriers of language, barriers of understanding, barriers of knowing what are your rights, etc. We need to address them. How are you involved in these organizations? If I take an example, in IofC I work closely with the Agenda for Reconciliation pro-
gramme where we gather to talk about reconciliation and forgiveness, trustbuilding between ourselves. You have to understand what forgiveness is, for example, or what reconciliation is. The reason why we joined Agenda for Reconciliation is because we felt that we hate each other as a Somali community and we are still feeling this. So we are trying to forgive and create the platform where people can come and reconcile what went wrong and forgive each other and create an atmosphere where we could dialogue. I myself facilitate dialogues and, most of the time, I bring a group of women together and we discuss issues in our lives, what went wrong, and we focus on what we would like to achieve. Peace is not something that you can ignore, we need it and there is a path that you have to go along. What motivates you? I want to be a role model because I am a mother and a trainer. My aim is to show our diaspora people that if we work together we can build a better community. If the diaspora becomes a good diaspora
then we can support our people suffering in the Horn of Africa. My strength comes also from my religion, which tells us to help people who are in need. Are you making some positive steps in terms of forgiveness? I try to use my religion and that gives me peace. Allah says that ‘if you can’t forgive my humankind, I can’t forgive you’. So we need to forgive whoever hates us, that is the way I have been raised. In terms of the community, we discuss the issues we need to talk about. Recently for example we talked about the difference between the younger and older generations and where we need facilitation. We are living in diaspora and we are facing a number of problems. That is why we started these workshops in order to bring together the two generations. Do you personally feel that you need to forgive someone? The word forgiveness is a very deep word. And it is hard to be forgiven and to forgive. Sometimes when I am facilitating I say that ‘sorry’ is not a difficult word because it is only five letters. But saying this
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word from the heart is a different thing. Personally, I always ask for forgiveness. We are all human beings and something unacceptable can always happen to you. So this is always my way of doing things. I always sit down with the person and see that we need to forgive. Because there is always something to ask forgiveness for and something to forgive. Would you like to give an example? When we had a dialogue facilitation, there was a story that touched everybody. A woman had had the training, after we gave the participants their certificates, she went home and she was moved by what she received from the people in the workshop. That night, at home, she heard a quarrel coming from the top floor where she was living. She went and listened and there was a verbal fight between a husband and a wife who were next door. When she knocked, the wife opened the door and she asked them what was happening and then the couple replied at the same time. She told them that she had gone through a six-day course of dialogue facilitation and the most important words that she learned were ‘openness’ and ‘lis-
tening’. When another person speaks, nobody interrupts. She asked them to sit down and have a coffee and listen to one another. In less than 15 minutes, the problem was solved. Listening is very important and can play a big role in dialogue facilitation. Jean Fichery Dukulizimana
Diaspora and peacemaking The conference Learning to live in a multicultural world: Diaspora and peacemaking in Europe was held between 26 and 31 July. It was the third session of this conference cycle which builds on the rich experience of Initiatives of Change in the fields of relationship transformation, dialogue facilitation and trustbuilding, with particular emphasis on diaspora communities’ contribution to peacemaking. The session was opened by Anne Catherine Ménétrey-Savary, a former Swiss mem-
ber of parliament. In her speech she condemned the xenophobic and Islamophobic trends rooted in the lack of trust between migrant communities and the citizens of host countries. ‘The rise of nationalist movements has marked the transformation of Europe into a fortress against the threat of invasion by migrants from the South,’ she said. The aim of the conference was to create a common vision of an inclusive intercultural environment and search for ways of realizing it.
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TRAINING
Circles of peace to break down differences Two training courses organized by Creators of Peace, an Initiatives of Change programme, were part of the conference Transform yourself – Transform the world around you. Thirty-five women of all ages, religions and backgrounds met to learn about peacebuilding.
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he training offered a chance to get to know the ‘peace circle’, one of the basic methods of Creators of Peace. One group took part in such a peace circle while the other group, consisting of women who had previously taken part in a peace circle, learnt how to facilitate one. In a peace circle, each woman is asked to share her personal story with others. Jean Brown, who developed the method, explained. ‘Women have a special need to talk, to let their heart speak and this is part of the process of liberation and healing.’ She went on, ‘After sharing their story, some of the women shed tears. They come from difficult situations and for many of them, a peace circle is the first opportunity to share their life story.’ Esther Zando was a first-time participant in the training and was delighted that the
workshop helped the women to work on themselves. ‘I wanted to contribute towards peace, but I found that I myself need to heal my own wounds before I can find inner peace. The environment created here in Caux is friendly and human and that is really what impacted me,’ she said. As a young woman from Ivory Coast, where there was recently a devastating conflict, she said she would return to Abidjan to help break the barriers that divide the population. ‘Even some families are split in two. Neighbours don’t trust each other anymore. We must break down these walls by coming together using the peace circles to get people to free themselves and learn that differences don’t have to divide us. I have taken the first step. The second will be to work within my family, with my friends and colleagues from my neighbourhood,’ she said.
Zando is not alone. According to Jean Brown, many women return home with the goal to build better relationships within their families. ‘This is the beginning of healing. First within families, because many women want to improve their relationships with their husbands and children, which will have a big impact at the community level, and why not on the national level as well?’
facilitating Peace Circles’, another on ‘International service and mature leadership’, drawing on the legacy of the former UN Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld, one on mediation and ‘conflict coaching’, and one on ‘responding to conflict constructively’. Additional to the training courses, there were plenary meetings with
keynote speakers such as Cornelio Sommaruga, former President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the Swiss goldsmith and pioneer in fair trade jewellery, Jörg Eggimann.
Creators of Peace is an Initiatives of Change programme designed by women and was launched at a Caux conference in 1991. Currently the programme includes peacemakers from five continents and is active in over 30 countries. Jean Fichery Dukulizimana
Transform yourself The Transform yourself – Transform the world around you conference took place between 3 and 8 July 2011. About 100 participants from all corners of the world participated in seven different training courses to learn more about different issues. There was a course on ‘Creators of Peace – experiencing and
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An opportunity to practise on myself ‘My computer died. My rent is going up. My relationships are in turmoil. How can I be a “peacemaker” when I can’t even find peace in my own life?’ Mary Ella Keblusek, an American living in Canada, describes her first experience of Caux and of peace circles. I came to Caux this year – my first visit to this magical place – full of anticipation. I had heard that the Creators of Peace Circles were a great tool for creating mutual understanding and respect among those in conflict. This was my chance to bring these methods back to Canada and apply them to bring peace. However, what I experienced was far more profound than I imagined possible. I learned that peace really does (really!) begin with me: with my ability to maintain my own inner peace, to listen deeply to others, and to be a compassionate and honest presence in all that I do. The concept that ‘personal transformation leads to global transformation’ seems straightforward enough. But as a newcomer to Initiatives of Change (IofC), I had difficulty fully embodying the essential principles and wisdom that so attracted me to this organization.
This week, that changed. The first half of the course was devoted to experiencing a peace circle amongst ourselves (11 participants, four facilitators). Using progressive steps called ‘gathering points’, we were guided to look at what builds peace and what destroys peace, in ourselves and others. We practised reflection, inner listening, and forgiveness. We listened to each other’s personal stories, opening our hearts in compassion and love. We found inspiration in the stories of women across the globe who overcame conflict and injustice using these principles of peace.
‘My greatest contribution to world peace is maintaining my own inner peace’
Mary Ella keblusek
pand peace, and the realization that my greatest contribution to world peace is maintaining my own inner peace.
The second half of the course brought training in how to facilitate our own peace circles, using a process carefully crafted to invite transformation. Structure and guidance were provided, as well as encouragement to bring our own personalities and perspectives to the process.
The surprise? Seeing that my broken computer was actually a gift – an opportunity to practise on myself the tools learned in my peace circle experience … to recognize that life is the art of handling our everyday worries while still finding and following the greater purpose for our lives.
I leave Caux with a deep friendship with women from across the globe, the confidence to use peace circles to find and ex-
Now, renewed and inspired, I can return home, ready to spread peace circles as my own ‘initiative of change’.
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CAux sCHOLARs
Tom duncan (right) renewing our inspiration and faith in humanity
Linking theory and action Tom Duncan, an environmental management consultant and activist from Australia, was a Caux Scholar in 2009. Since then he has been involved with the organizing team of the Caux Forum for Human Security.
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ow did you get involved? I have been working in the field of environment since 2000. I worked in China in 2004 with an Australian agency programme on water security and agriculture. I could see that despite the best intentions it often comes down to the human factors at work. I felt the Caux Scholars Program could give me some more skills in this area and that I could apply these more advanced skills in my work. What do you remember about being a Caux Scholar? It was absolutely amazing. The faculty had a lot of experience, and I met so many interesting people. This was quite magical, because one Caux Scholar would meet an amazing person and would invite him to come and have dinner with fellow scholars. I think that is one of the best things about the program. It is likely that the more this program happens, the more people get in touch. If problems arise, as people get to know each other from different countries, races and religions, you have a chance to help prevent conflicts from happening. What did you gain? Personally, some misconceptions or as-
sumptions that I had about the world and about me got challenged. I had to confront some of these assumptions for myself. I could meet someone and talk to them and ask them questions. I felt so much better informed and any uncorrected assumptions can be corrected that way.
better for the world and be part of the solution, this is a great thing for you. As a Caux Scholar, you get to see the theory of peacebuilding and conflict transformation and in the Caux Forum you see it in action. You can’t get that in any university. It is unique and that is what makes the Caux Scholars Program work.
It also has been a wonderful experience for the work I do in environment and aid development. It is really inspiring to meet all these people who are out there working in the field and to hear their experiences.
Adriana Borra
In 2009 I joined the Caux Forum for Human Security environment and economy team. It is a way to keep my passion for helping people strong. So it is not just a professional thing. It is also through keeping my inspiration fresh and meeting people who are constantly renewing their inspiration and faith in humanity that we can find some solutions to some of the biggest questions we face. What would you say to someone who is thinking about participating in the program? If you don’t know about these ideas of conflict transformation and conflict prevention, and you want to do something
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CAux ExPO
20 years of the Caux Scholars Program Since it began in 1991, over 300 students from 86 countries have participated in the Caux Scholars Program, which takes place each year in July in Caux. Through class sessions, interaction with their fellow students and participation in the Caux conferences, they learn how to initiate personal change in order to initiate a global change for peace. The program offers students conflict analysis tools and resolution skills. They focus on the moral and spiritual dimensions of peacebuilding and on the relationship between individual transformation and change in the world. ‘As we mark the 20th anniversary of the Caux Scholars Program, we are extremely proud of the way our graduates are making a difference in the world. They are linking up in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, starting NGOs in Afghanistan, Gaza and Kosovo, and serving with the UN in Sri Lanka, Darfur, Serbia, and Rwanda. They are also serving with their governments, leading businesses and NGOs, and teaching in universities and schools,’ says Kathy Aquilina, coordinator of the program. Find out more at www.cauxscholars.org.
‘No women – No peace’ On 12 July, the Swiss human rights activist and feminist Ruth-Gaby Vermot-Mangold presented the No Women – No Peace temporary exhibition which was open to the public during the whole summer in the Caux conference centre.
Two of the 1,000 women peacemakers: No women – No Peace
T
he former Swiss member of parliament and of the Council of Europe said, ‘It is no secret: the world of armaments, of proliferation, or war budgets is a world of men.’ Women are not better than men, she conceded, ‘they often support war and destruction, rally behind the war heroes and ignore the consequences’. But it was mainly women who then took on the ‘responsibility to rebuild destroyed societies and care for traumatized people. Women are patch-workers – working to patch things – in about 160 existing conflict zones.’ They don’t have budgets of millions, peace budgets don’t exist, even though the reconstruction and peacebuilding takes longer and costs more, she argued.
‘Peace work never ends’ As President of the NGO ‘PeaceWomen Across the Globe’, and through her work with the Council of Europe in many conflict regions, Vermot-Mangold had met many courageous women doing peace work in extremely dangerous surroundings. They obtained food and medicine,
looked for missing persons, cared for orphans and condemned and documented murder, rape, abductions, and to clear landmines. They take to the streets and organize vigils and round tables. She concluded, ‘We are convinced that they should not return again to anonymity. This is our common responsibility. Peace work never ends, it starts again and again.’ It was with this in mind that she and others had launched the idea that 1,000 women peacemakers should be nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2005. It was an unsuccessful bid, but it had led to a continuing and developing world network of women – and more than 1,000 exhibitions like the one in Caux. A number of the women in the exhibition are linked with the Caux centre and IofC. Andrew Stallybrass
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The challenge of a sustainable future Göran Carstedt is the Chairman of The Natural Step International, an organization which promotes sustainable development, particularly encouraging the corporate sector to take a lead. For him, creating a sustainable future is the leadership challenge of our time. He gave a Caux Lecture at the Trust and integrity in the global economy conference.
A
re you an idealist? Yes. In the sense that I believe very much in ideas. I’m very much driven by guiding ideas. And of course I am also an idealist in the sense that I am very passionate about these ideas I believe in, and I like to share with others because I think leadership is very much about gathering and inviting people around some guiding ideas. During your presentation here at Caux you talked about sustainable development. How did you get involved with this idea? It was a very long journey. I come from the northern part of Sweden and we are very close to nature there. Sweden as a country has always been engaged in this for different reasons. In 1972 there was the first UN conference on the Human Environment in Stockholm. There is a reason for that. And of course I am also part of the generation who was at university in the late sixties and the early seventies, the beginning of this environmental consciousness. I started with Volvo because the CEO at the time showed an engagement in this question. It was very courageous for a CEO at that time to come out and say that we are part of these bigger problems. Then I heard about The Natural Step for the first time, about 20 years ago, and I was introduced to their way of thinking, of understanding the green cell and the photosynthesis, the ecosystems. Things that we cannot negotiate with. And once you understand that you are not the same person afterwards. Or at least I am not. You told us how you worked with IKEA and then, one day, you decided to quit. Could you explain this decision a bit further? I have always been very interested in understanding the context, the bigger picture. When you have that interest and
you open your eyes, I had the feeling that IKEA could do without me, but my life is too short not to be out there, opening myself for new and interesting other things. I quote Václav Havel (1994): ‘It is as if something were crumbling, decaying and exhausting itself – while something else, still indistinct, were arising from the rubble.’ I am very curious about what it is that is exhausting itself and what it is that is trying to be born. That curiosity made me leave the corporate world. Do you consider that you’re part of this new thing that is going to be born? Is everyone part of it? How can we imagine this? I think that’s a very good question, who is part of what? I guess all of us are somehow part of both the old and the new. But of course, if you are in an oil company today you are more part of the old because you have a balance sheet, and you have to defend this old way of thinking. And at the same time you can say that if you sit here in Caux in a group like this you can easily be in the new thing, because you have nothing really to protect. That’s the continuum. But I think that if you go to the next level, both of us are probably part of both, and I think it is also a struggle within us. But the way I did it, leaving the corporate world and starting to work with non-governmental organizations, I am part of the group trying to bring in the new. But isn’t it possible that at the same time you still want to keep some old things? Yes, very much. And that’s exactly where I tell everyone to be careful. Because I don’t like the people who say that we have to change everything and that everything has to be renewed. That’s very dangerous. The challenge of finding what to conserve may be more important than what to change. Conserving things in this flow of change and development seems to be vital.
Göran Carstedt: gathering people around some guiding ideas
Trust and integrity The conference Trust and integrity in the global economy took place between 2 and 8 August 2011. It explored ways to help create a just and equitable global economy, against the backdrop of the economic crisis in Greece and its impact on the EU economies and the US debt ceiling debacle. The conference was attended by over 200 participants, including business people, industrialists, economists, environmentalists, academics, students and concerned individuals. The participants joined four different work streams according to their interest. One stream discussed issues of business ethics, two dealt with leadership questions, while the fourth centred on sustainability and food security.
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Where do you get your inspiration from? Very much from the outside. It comes from reading, music or theatre and of course my broad network of friends. I never watch TV except for the news sometimes or some sports. I don’t read fiction or science-fiction books and I don’t watch movies like that. Because you see for me life is a thriller. It’s so exciting and everything is there. I read newspapers from all around the world, but I also read the local newspapers to get to feel what local people care about. I am very open minded. I also try to work with young people, because that’s also a way to bring in a younger perspective. This collaboration is important in both ways. That’s also why I am happy to see so many young people here in Caux. How did you react when you were invited to this conference? How do you feel about being here? The invitation came from Michael Smith (a member of the organizing team of the conference). He had heard me in England at a presentation I did there and he said that this would be much appreciated here. That’s why I am here. Initiatives of Change is a pretty interesting institution. What I liked very much is that it started so early, just after the Second World War, with the idea of reconciling Germany and France. That is a very real issue and we
Paul Moore (right), the former head of group regulatory risk at Halifax bank of scotland, HbOs, internationally known as ‘the HbOs whistle-blower’ said ‘a far-reaching reform agenda of the financial system needed to be backed by an “Arab spring” of public opinion’. He talks with Alain berset, a member of the Council of states (the swiss Federal upper house). ‘The only people who are not paying any price in all of this are those who caused these crises,’ berset said.
know it can only come by bringing people together in conversation. That is true today and it was true then. We need to open up for this type of honest dialogue where we listen to each other. We need to give space to each other. We have to have a world where all can be feeling that they’re seen, heard and respected. That is
a good initiative. And of course the agenda you have here is very relevant. There are some fabulous people turning up in these places. Christoph Kaufmann
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I had a dream: to build a fair business – it turned out rather well! Can businesses thrive by doing the right thing? Swiss businesswoman Jane Royston, who led a workshop on business ethics at the conference Trust and integrity in the global economy gives an emphatic ‘yes’.
J
ane Royston remembers vividly the moment when her business career took a dramatic turn. It followed a party in Paris in September 1986. She was 28 years old and head of IT in France for the US chemicals multinational DuPont. She had been with the company for six years. The party was being thrown by DuPont’s European chief, who congratulated the staff for record growth and record profits. In order to achieve such continuing success in the following year, he remarked casually that 20 per cent of the global workforce were going to be sacked. Others at the party hardly demurred, recalls Royston. She felt incensed. She went home and that night had a vivid dream about setting up a company that worked on the basis of fairness. ‘I woke up and said to myself, “I can’t stay in DuPont anymore”.’ That day she resigned.
Inclusive decision-making She returned to her parent’s home in Geneva. There she set up her own IT company, NatSoft SA, to provide IT solutions for big companies in Switzerland and elsewhere. It would be a fair company with consensual or inclusive decision-making.
the decision making that made NatSoft different,’ Royston says. ‘It was also that we kept our word with everyone, and never took advantage of anyone.’ Royston asserts that ‘it makes good business sense to do the right thing: by treating employees right, you save money because you have a much lower employee turnover, which is one of the plagues of the IT industry; by taking decisions consensually, you get immediate buy-in and save time persuading people to reluctantly do what you say; by being on time and on budget each time, you save money on marketing and client acquisition because of all the repeat business you get.’
sits on the boards of seven companies and foundations, including being the chair of PRO which employs 200 handicapped people in Geneva. Michael Smith
Nonetheless, after her husband left her she sold the company in 1996 to Cambridge Technology Partners in Boston. She had two pre-school children and couldn’t look after them and the company. ‘I had to make a choice and chose the children.’ After a while of doing only pro-bono work, she started teaching at several Swiss universities, set up a National Entrepreneurship Centre in Lausanne, and today
Jane Royston
In March 1987 she took a phone call from a Social Security department of the Swiss government. They asked if her company could update their entire IT systems. ‘Yes, we can,’ she replied immediately. Following that initial contract other clients followed: Roche, Nestlé, Dow, private banks, the World Health Organization, and even Vietnamese boat people under the auspices of the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. The company grew to be the largest IT provider in French-speaking Switzerland, with 120 employees representing 27 nationalities, and a turnover of CHF 15 million. Fifty per cent of profits went to the employees in bonuses. ‘It was not only 18 CAUX REPORT 2011
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CAux ANd IOFC
do you want to have a part? The Caux Conferences are only possible thanks to many volunteers who are working in the kitchen, preparing beds for the participants, taking care of technical services, welcoming people at the reception and much more. In 2011, some 60 young people from all over the world participated in the Caux Interns Programme and contributed to the running of the house while each conference planning team had a number of assistants. Nineteen artists also took part in the Caux Artists Programme led by a team of professional artists and provided musical entertainment for the conference participants, in the evenings and in the conference sessions. Eight young people interested in photography and filming participated in the Caux Creatifs media training and produced video clips about
the conferences, which are available at www.caux.ch/2011 and many photographs some of which appear in this conference report. Numerous volunteers, some of whom have been coming to Caux regularly for several years and even decades, helped in the running of the house. Do you want to be part of this community in 2012? There are several ways of getting involved. Go to www.caux. ch/2012 to find out more. We look forward to meeting you!
About the Caux Conferences and IofC The International Caux Conferences, that have been taking place in Caux every year since 1946, are organized by CAUX-Initiatives of Change and Initiatives of Change International. Initiatives of Change International (IofC) is a world-wide movement of people of diverse cultures and backgrounds, who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives, starting with their own. It is active in 60 countries and formally incorporated in 39 countries. IofC International focuses on the vital link between personal change and global change, and aims to inspire, support and equip people to play their part in building a better society. For over 60 years it has based its approach to change on four key ideas: seek inspiration, start with oneself, listen to others and take focused action. From there, the work of IofC International has grown into initiatives ranging from peace-building dialogues and leadership training of young professionals to international conferences, clean election campaigns and more. Current initiatives are aimed at strengthening the moral and
spiritual foundations of society by • bringing healing and reconciliation where there is conflict; • building bridges of trust between different communities and countries; • embedding ethics, justice and transparency in the global economy; • empowering leadership to act with integrity, serve unselfishly and be effective agents of change. IofC International has Special Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the UN (ECOSOC) and Participatory Status at the Council of Europe. CAUX-Initiatives of Change is a charitable Swiss foundation, working to promote peace, prevent conflicts, build trust and encourage intercultural dialogue and ethical conduct in business. It is a member of IofC International.
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CAux 2012 International Caux Conferences 2012 1– 6 July Learning to live in a multicultural world Diasporas as sociopolitical actors 8 –15 July The fifth annual Caux Forum for Human Security Caux as a resource for the world’s peacemakers 17– 23 July Trust and integrity in the global economy Creating an integral economy through transformational change
25 – 31 July Exploring the vital link between personal and global change The essence of Initiatives of Change 2 – 8 August The dynamics of being a change-maker Training by Initiatives of Change See our website for more information: www.caux.ch On www.caux.ch you can also subscribe to our newsletter and find the links to our facebook page and our twitter account to get regular updates.
Contact CAUX-Initiatives of Change PO Box 3909 CH-6002 Lucerne E-mail: info@caux.ch Web: www.caux.ch Tel +41 41 310 12 61 Fax +41 41 311 22 14 Initiatives of Change International 1, rue de Varembé, PO Box 3 CH-1211 Geneva 20 E-mail: iofc-international@iofc.org Web: www.iofc.org Tel +41 22 749 16 20 Fax +41 22 733 02 67
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