International Caux Conferences Report 2015 by CAUX-IofC

INTERNATIONAL CAUX CONFERENCES

REPORT 2015 www.caux.ch

Exploring the Human Factor in Global Change

THE CAUX – INITIATIVES OF CHANGE FOUNDATION (CAUX – IofC)

VISION The CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation’s vision is a just, peaceful and sustainable world in which people act from a sense of global interdependence and responsibility.

MISSION Established in 1946, the CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation organizes and coordinates international and local conferences, seminars and training in Switzerland, primarily in its Conference Centre, the Caux Palace, bringing together a true diversity of people.

CAUX – IofC provides a safe and privileged space to inspire, equip and connect individuals, groups and organizations from around the globe to engage effectively and innovatively in the promotion of trust, ethical leadership, sustainable living and human security. CAUX – IofC operates in line with its key approach of bringing global change through personal change and with its core values of absolute respect for human dignity, of truth, solidarity and care at every level of public or personal life. CAUX – IofC recommends silent reflection as a means to access creativity and inspiration.

CONTENTS What are the Caux Conferences?

Trust and Integrity in the Global Economy

Just Governance for Human Security

Caux Dialogue on Land and Security

International Peace-Builders’ Forum

Addressing Europe’s unfinished Business

Children as Actors Transforming Society

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Seeds of Inspiration

Impact Initiative Challenge

In parallel to the Conferences

N.B.: ‘Caux’ is often used as an abbreviation for the Caux Conference Centre and the community of volunteers, interns, staff and participants.

EDITORIAL

Just before the start of the 2015 International Caux Conferences, I was walking around the Caux Palace appreciating its beauty and unique history of nearly 70 years of engagement in peacebuilding, reconciliation, ethical leadership, human security and sustainability. While looking over Lake Geneva and the Swiss Alps it dawned on me that in just a few days and all summer long, hundreds would travel up the mountain to Caux to enjoy the serenity of the place, the sense of inspiration it offers and to connect with one another. I then imagined the impact of all these people going back home filled with new-found energy and inspiration that they would in turn transmit to others. All of them, working on personal changes in order to bring about change in their communities, to contribute to transformations in their countries and eventually to impact the world. And this year, I would be one of them. I was not disappointed: This summer was filled with enthusiastic participants envisioning feasible and simple solutions to themes of common interest while exchanging examples of best practice. As in previous years, lack of transparency in business and governments was of high interest. Recent international fraud cases (e.g. FIFA and Volkswagen) have shown once more the desperate need for leaders to commit themselves to high standard principles and ethics, in order to keep the trust of the customers and shareholders as well as of the society at large. Caux provided a safe space in which such delicate issues were examined, personal experi-

ences were shared and common actions were discussed. While migration has been a phenomenon all through human history, the influx of hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees in particular into European countries in the last few months has provoked intense debates and tensions at the political level. The Caux Conference Addressing Europe’s Unfinished Business emphasized on the need for solidarity and empathy by European countries to welcome the migrants and refugees often distressed and exhausted from a dangerous journey. Participants highlighted that Europe should not forget that it has been built on migration. Recognizing a need to provide a platform for exchange, the CAUX – IofC Foundation will get more involved starting next year by offering its longstanding experience in trust building to facilitate the dialogue between the various stakeholders around the topics of migration.

responsibility in civil society, the economy and in politics to build a greater future and to uncover new paths that might have never been walked on before. Only through the ability to change at a personal level, will we be able to play a significant role as we progress in the world.

Barbara Hintermann Secretary-General CAUX – IofC Foundation

A powerful moment of this year’s Caux Conferences was the commemoration of the atomic bomb dropping on Hiroshima in 1945. Today’s Mayor of Hiroshima, Mr Kazumi Matsui, sent a letter to Caux stressing the importance of Initiatives of Change, sharing the Japanese experience that dates back to the year 1950 and is still relevant in today’s Japanese society. My first journey to the Caux Conferences was an extraordinary and compelling experience. I am deeply convinced that Caux provides a unique and privileged space, for those who wish, to take on more CAUX REPORT 2015 3

INTERNATIONAL CAUX CONFERENCES

What are the International Caux Conferences? Every summer, the CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation hosts and coordinates international conferences to address selected topical world issues in line with its focus on trust building, ethical leadership, sustainable living and human security.The conferences are held in the Conference Centre, the Caux Palace, above Montreux in Switzerland, a short distance from Geneva.

ach conference is run by its own team mostly comprised of dedicated and engaged volunteers who develop and implement the conference’s programme. Some features of each of the conferences are common: each day starts with a time of silent reflection to process the experiences of the previous day and to gain fresh perspective. The stunning view from the Caux Palace of Lake Geneva and the surrounding mountains provides a wonderful backdrop. During the day,

participants are also invited to community groups to meet and share experiences with others. Lastly, everyone is invited to help volunteers. Indeed, during the conference season, from housekeeping and dining room service to technical management, the operational side of the centre is also mostly run by volunteers and young participants in the Caux Interns Leadership Programme (more on page 22) coming from all over the world. This diversity of age, background and culture is a core aspect of the Caux experience. Caux is about the unique atmosphere that is created when participants, volunteers and interns from a wide range of backgrounds and cultures: • Meet and get to know each other. • Find time to reflect on and act upon topical issues – personal and global. • Converse and engage with thought leaders and change makers from around the world. Over the years, Caux has gained a reputation for being a platform for intercultural and interreligious dialogue. It provides a safe space for everyone to share

Antoine Jaulmes, President of the CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation

their thoughts and experiences as well as to exchange best practices/tools, and to network. CAUX – IofC’s holistic approach brings the human being at the forefront, thus placing everyone on equal footing and breaking down silos. In short, Caux creates an environment to inspire, equip and connect individuals, groups and organizations to build a just, sustainable and peaceful world.

International Caux Conferences 2015 Official Opening

Ambassador Anne Lugon-Moulin, Head of the Sub-Saharan Africa Division, Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

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On Sunday 28 June, the International Caux Conferences were officially opened by Antoine Jaulmes, President of the CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation, Ambassador Anne Lugon-Moulin, Head of the Sub-Saharan Africa Division, Swiss Federal Depart-

ment of Foreign Affairs, and Laurent Wehrli, Mayor of Montreux. Participants also had the opportunity to visit the Caux Palace and to learn more about the Conferences Season and Initiatives of Change’s global activity.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Caux Conferences – Summer 2015 1421 people 217

20  Participants  Volunteers  Interns  Scholars  Artists  Staff  Conf. Teams

9 38 144

1008 217 66 20 9 38 144 13 %

12 %

1008

8 % 2 %

100 nationalities  Europe  Asia  Africa  North and South America  Australia and New Zealand 783

65 % 12 % 13 % 8 % 2 %

65 %

Overall Age and Gender breakdown 350

 Amount

300 250 200 150 100 50

638

 male 638  female

783

0–5

6–17

18–25

26–35

36–45

46–55

56–65

66–80

80+

127

262

299

175

201

167

141

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TRUST AND INTEGRITY IN THE GLOBAL ECONOMY

Equipping Leadership for Economic Transformation 26 June – 1 July. The aim of this ninth annual conference was to encourage leaders to serve the common good and showcase stories and models of personal and economic transformation.The c onference adopted an integral approach, providing individuals with time and skills for inner exploration, capacity building, and creating synergies with each other to work for a common goal.

strong emphasis on corruption emerged at the opening, when Sunil Mathur, Chief Executive of Siemens Corporation in India and South Asia, told how the global company drilled down into its corporate culture following a major corruption scandal. The entire executive board had resigned. The thorough research into what went wrong, and the company’s subsequent transformation, led Siemens to become the world’s best company for corporate compliance, according to the Dow Jones sustainability index.

National chapters of TIGE are now emerging. Conversations were held about chapters being established in Australia, Denmark, Mexico, Netherlands, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and USA.

A model of perseverance

Emmanuel Mutisya, Project Assistant Professor Graduate Program in Sustainability Science, University of Tokyo

father, exposed corruption in her family’s flour milling business, the largest in Morocco.

Sunil Mathur, Chief Executive of Siemens Corporation in India and South Asia

Other inspirational stories included Kenyan entrepreneur Emmanuel Mutisya, whose refusal to pay bribes to corrupt police created a precedent which encouraged other Kenyans to refuse to submit to corrupt norms. Wendy Addison from South Africa courageously blew the whistle on corporate embezzlement by two directors at a leading health and fitness company where she was Group International Treasurer. Alia Benomar, with the support of her grand6 CAUX REPORT 2015

Wendy Addison, founder of Speak Out Speak Up, was the whistleblower during what is considered the biggest corporate disaster in South African history. Speaking out was not an easy choice for her. She said: ‘I was afraid. It felt very uncomfortable. I was faced with a dilemma between my loyalty to my colleagues, my work contract – and my social contract with society. I tried to evaluate the impact on society of me remaining silent, and that was the impetus for me to go through.’

In parallel, the Caux Round Table, an international network of experienced business leaders who work to strengthen private enterprise and public governance to improve the global community, held a meeting on the responsibility of business to create a sustainable global economy. Business School Lausanne and Leadership for Transformation delivered an action-oriented leadership training (Impact Leadership). Workshops were held on Inner Leadership; the Business of Peace; Values-based Leadership; and Purpose-based Leadership, led by Pedro Langre, Managing Director of Oxford Leadership in Mexico. Michael Smith, a core TIGE team member, launched his book Great Company which tells stories of conscience-based decision making from the TIGE conferences and elsewhere since the financial crash of 2008.

Wendy Addison, Founder of Speak Out, Speak Up, and Alia Benomar, Entrepreneur

From 2012 until today, she says, ‘it’s been a matter of rebuilding myself, initiating Speak Out, Speak Up (her support organization for whistleblowers), and then starting to be of service to others’. Looking back at those hard times, she said: ‘When we are in the most challenging parts of our lives, that is the time that we often find our true purpose and meaning in our lives. We never arrive, we constantly evolve.’ Emmanuel Jeger, executive coach and facilitator leading the workshop “Leading change in moving teams”

Her courage was at the expense of her job and her career. As she began to receive death threats, she fled to the UK with her 12-year-old son. The corrupt executives eventually landed jail terms. But deprived of an income and with no savings or pension, the messenger was left in the cold: ‘I was literally on the streets; it was deeply humiliating. I joined a tribe of beggars – I negotiated with them: I would write a good letter or a CV for them, and in return, they would give me a good spot to beg from. But even though I had been banished from the playground of life, I placed myself at the gates of hope every single day on my little cardboard sheet.’

height of her career. She eventually founded her own successful IT company, NatSoft, which incorporated her own ideals and values. For her, teamwork and dedication took top priority; profits became secondary. For any company that wants to be successful, Royston said, the focus should be on the long-term future.

Long term versus short term In the Business for Peace panel discussion, the focus was on governments and enterprises that have more and more opportunities to comply with Corporate Social Responsibility principles and practices. Guidelines on business and human rights have already been defined by multiple organizations, including the Caux Round Table. If it is the role of states to protect human rights, it is being established that enterprises should have a protective role to play as well. Jane Royston, Entrepreneur and Swiss Business Woman of the Year, shared her story and opinion about ethical business: ‘If it’s summed up in a couple of words, it’s trust and integrity.’ Unequal treatment of employees is why Royston quit a large IT firm at what seemed the

Jane Royston, Founder of NatSoft SA

TIGE participants visiting Tergon, a social enterprise producing Swiss Ergochairs CAUX REPORT 2015 7

JUST GOVERNANCE FOR HUMAN SECURITY

Building Trust for Ethical, Inclusive Governance 3–8 July. Michael Møller, Director General of the UN Office at Geneva, set the tone for the conference on Just Governance for Human Security: ‘There is a whole world of problems to address, and these can no longer be left to governments. It has to be collaborative. Each one of us has a responsibility to bring our expertise to the table.’

he 200 participants had come from 44 countries to discover how better to do just that. They told of initiatives which are providing clean water to Indian villages, building trust between

Greek and Turkish Cypriots, enabling women to contribute to Mali’s national affairs. Mr Møller tweeted his network, saying the conference ‘highlighted the enormous potential of civil society’. The Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs sponsored 25 leaders from Mali, Chad and Niger. Many are involved in conflict resolution in their countries. A workshop led by UN mediation experts attracted a large audience. They also took part in workshops on responses to violent extremism, where they were joined by Somali Members of Parliament, a senior official from Nigeria, and NGO leaders from Africa and the Middle East.

Michael Møller, Director General of the UN Office at Geneva 8 CAUX REPORT 2015

Armenians and Turks came to search for how to overcome the hostility resulting from their brutal history. Ukrainians screened a film on the war in Eastern Ukraine, and this inspired a moving apology from eminent Russian historian Andrei Zubov. He joined Alexander

Zinchenko, Deputy Director of Ukraine’s Institute of National Memory, in a workshop on ‘dealing with the past’ which focused on tragic events in the history of both countries, and explored steps towards healing.

Co-Willing A network of Africans called Commitment of the Willing, or Co-Willing met during the conference. This network has come together to work for integrity in leadership. It comprises people active in skills-training, sustainable development and combating corruption. They came to share their experience and learn how to strengthen their own and each other’s initiatives. Among those who participated were Hans Herren, recipient of the World Food Prize; South African lawyer Paul Hoffman from Accountability Now, and Ekuru Aukot, who directed the Committee of Experts which developed the 2010 Kenyan Constitution.

Daphrose Barampama, President of Creators of Peace

‘We need a media that can make things differently. A media that celebrates good.’ Can the media not only tell the news but change the news? Can the way the news is told inspire its readers and viewers to fight corruption, protect the environment, resolve conflict? That is the challenge which Kenya’s Fountain Media Group Ltd has taken on.

Bedan Mbugua, CEO and Chief Editor at Foundain Media Group Ltd

Platforms such as Buzzfeed, that consciously focus on positive headlines, are becoming more popular. Audiences all over the world are looking for more positive news. CEO Bedan Mbugua and Chief Editor and Kenyan TV star Johnson Mwakazi talked about the importance of an alternative to today’s main broadcasters. They presented their approach during their workshop The media challenge: journalism, integrity and hope. The two men are adamant: there are many good stories in this world that are worth telling: ‘We need a media that can make things differently. A media that celebrates good.’ It’s clear to them that the problems of this world also need attention, but not without a potential solution: ‘even a bad solution is better than no solution at all’, says Mwakazi. This is how Fountain Media was born, with the aim of transforming the nation through creative community initiatives.

Musa Dagh History Project participant

One issue of widespread concern was the number of Kenyan men dying from drinking adulterated alcohol potions known as ‘illicit brew’. In Kiambu, some

women had started an organization – Mothers Against Drug Abuse – to combat this. Fountain Media took up their cause. Soon thousands of women were demonstrating, and enlisting others far beyond Kiambu. The Media Group also turned their attention to the struggle against corruption. How could they make an impact on the widespread bribery which is accepted in Kenyan business? Fountain Media offered publicity to businesses that would refuse to pay bribes. Some accepted the challenge, which made a good story for Fountain TV, and the publicity helped the businesses. Over 500 businesses have signed up so far.

Dealing with the past and present To mark the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, young people from Armenia, the Armenian diaspora, and Turkey came together to discuss their common past and how it affects them. The dialogues were predominately held in private as part of the Musa Dagh History Hike Project, led by Eugene SensenigDabbous, University of Notre Dame Lebanon. However, workshops were offered daily during which the general public was invited to learn more through documentary films, songs and various presentations. Fruitful, the dialogue resulted in profound discussions on truthtelling, forgiveness, acceptance, and how to overcome hatred, commencing a journey to deal with the past.

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CAUX DIALOGUE ON LAND AND SECURITY

Grounding Sustainable Development 10–14 July. The Dialogue explored the nexus between land restoration, food security, poverty alleviation, and conflict resolution. It focused on solutions to scale up initiatives that combine trust building with sustainable land management to help communities to escape the vicious cycle of land degradation and conflict, creating instead prosperous, peaceful livelihoods. It was five days of serious questioning filled with lively conversations, intelligent solutions, personal stories and introspective insights.

and vertical exchange between specialists, policymakers and civil society. On day two, participants dove into scalable solutions for sustainable land management; day three looked at trade within the globalised market context with an emphasis on water use; day four delved into the trust-building aspects, and finally the conclusion on day five was a call for action.

Michael Schluter, Chairman and CEO of the think tank Relational Research

rganized in partnership with Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace (ILLP), UN Convention to Combat Desertification) (UNCCD) and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Dialogue was attended by more than 100 trust-building and land restoration professionals, including farmers, campaigners, policy-makers, scientists, and business representatives. The dialogue adopted a traditional yet complex triple bottom line approach, with days focusing on the environment, economic and social aspects respectively, enabling a productive horizontal

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Speakers included Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti (Retd.), from the UK, who offered an overview of the latest trends in global security threats induced by climate change, and Dr. Michael Schluter, Chairman and CEO of the think tank Relational Research who presented a model of ‘Relational Thinking’. Renowned political scientist, Joseph Montville, Director of the programme on Healing Historical Memory at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University spoke on the uses of political psychology in dealing with relationship questions in land and security issues. He stated that ‘one of the great advantages for different groups who have a history of loss is that by working collaboratively on land, water, and food projects that have clear material benefits for all the people, including their children, they have a real incentive to succeed, psychologically, spiritually, and financially’.

Louise Baker from the UNCCD insisted on the upcoming implementation agenda, as land degradation neutrality is the objective of the international community represented at the climate negociations in Paris (COP 21). She said that we need to be more ambitious, we should not be afraid of technology and ‘everybody needs to take responsibility’. After the Conference, CAUX – IofC in partnership with World Vision International organized a follow-up event at the Geneva International Environment House on 15 July. The event allowed

Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti (Retd.), United Kingdom Climate and Energy Security Envoy, 2009–2013

Book Launch Ilan Chabay, Senior Fellow at the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies, Potsdam, presented the new book he co-edited entitled Land Restoration: Reclaiming Landscapes for a Sustainable Future. The book was born out of discussions from previous Caux Dialogue on Land and Security conferences, many contributors being former participants/speakers.

the 2015 CDLS conclusions to be shared with the broader Geneva environmental community and to continue the discussions and brainstorming on grounding sustainable development. During this event the Kenyan delegation made a commitment to host a Dialogue on Land and Security in Kenya in 2016.

Youth-Expert Dialogue To engage the future generation, the Caux Dialogue organized a conversation between 40 enthusiastic young environmental activists and three experts of the green movement Julia MartonLefèvre, former Director General, IUCN, Luc Gnacadja former Executive Secretary, UNCCD and Geoffrey Lean, environmental correspondent of London’s Daily Telegraph. It was a unique opportunity for an exchange between generations on knowledge and best

Kenyan Delegation

practices but also on personal values and convictions. In the face of climate change and conflict, the questions of leadership, attitude and decision-making were primary concerns of the evening’s fireside conversation.

Exclusive Preview

Joseph Montville, Director of the programme on Healing Historical memory at the School for Conflict Analysis and Resolution at George Mason University

On the 30th Anniversary of the Live Aid Concert in Ethiopia, Award-winning film director Mark Dodd (The Man who Stopped the Desert) and protagonist Tony Rinaudo from World Vision Australia presented the film Ethiopia Rising: Red Terror to Green revolution. It is the story of the incredibly successful land restoration that happened in Ethiopia, through the moving story of one man, Aba Hawi, who mobilized his community to save their village from extinction, going against famine, drought and war.

Louise Baker, Coordinator for External Relations and Policy, UNCCD CAUX REPORT 2015 11

INTERNATIONAL PEACE-BUILDERS’ FORUM

Non-Violent Conflict Transformation: Dignity, Participation and Inclusion 16–19 July. The 2015 International Peace-Builders’ Forum (IPF), organized in partnership with the Institute for Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding (ICP), gathered approximately 70 practitioners in the peace-building sector from all over the world and provided a platform for the exchange of best practices and experiences in non-violent conflict transformation.

‘Find your way from peace dreamer to peace practitioner.’

ey events of the forum included: a panel discussion about experiences implementing the principles of dignity, participation, and inclusion, led by Koenraad van Brabant of Interpeace, Ajsa Hadzibegovic of Civic Alliance, Catriona Gourlay of PeaceNexus, and Daphrose Ntarataze Barampama of Creators of Peace; a presentation by Abbas Aroua, Director of the Cordoba Foundation of Geneva, about Islam/Arab perspectives on non-violent conflict transformation; and a series of four workshops led by leaders in the peacebuilding field. Ajsa Hadzibegovic’s workshop examined the disempowering factors that prevent the participation of young people in peace-building activism. Simon Fisher, Expert in Conflict Resolution, Brookes University, led a workshop on how we see ourselves in our work in conflict. Jean Brown’s and Shoshana Faire’s workshop encouraged participants to look within to understand the stories that we are passing on to future generations. Tanja Mirabile, Co-Director of ICP, offered a workshop discussing the role of the moderator in effective dialogue for non-violent conflict transformation. Near the end of the forum, participants were given the opportunity to reflect on the insights they had gleaned and the ways in which they would apply them in their future work. Some participants stated that the forum has encouraged them to look at conflicts from new angles and implement new12 CAUX REPORT 2015

Peace begins at home

Koenraad van Brabant, Senior Peacebuilding Advisor, Interpeace

found tools in their work, including Force Field Analysis. Others, inspired by the three principles of dignity, inclusion, and participation, explained that they were motivated to include all stakeholders in conflict zones, even those who are the most difficult to reach. The support of having such a powerful network of like-minded people was an inspiring and empowering tool, and had participants leave Caux with a new found energy and inspiration.

The particular approach of IPF was to nurture the human being behind the peace-builder. Interactive sessions and workshop privileged group sharing and exercises rather than theoretical lectures. This allowed participants to look at their own practices. ‘How can you bring peace if you are yourself embedded in conflicts? How can I help others heal their wounds if I haven’t healed mine?’, concluded one participant. This forum was a good opportunity for participants to discover and live the IofC principle: ‘Be the change that you want to see in the world.’ Bringing this principle onto the organizational level, Catriona Gourlay from PeaceNexus engaged in a very important, yet often neglected question: as a

peacebuilding organization, do we live by the principles we promote? How do we deal with internal conflict? This can be very challenging, but it is also fundamental. ‘Beneficiaries see you as an example. You need to be a good example for your credibility to rise in a

Peace Circles This summer Peace Cirlces and a training of facilitators were offered in French and English by the IofC programme Creators of Peace. This programme, celebrating its 25th anniversary next summer, brings mostly women together to promote peace, starting with themselves. Nina, an 18-year-old Swiss, participated in a Peace Circle as well as the training. She shares her experience:

Catriona Gourlay, Executive Director, PeaceNexus Foundation

Abbas Aroua, Director of the Cordoba Foundation of Geneva

community. Donors also really appreciate it.’ Gourlay insisted on the fact that it does matter to an organization’s effectiveness whether you live by your principles. The organization might require some changes or even a complete reassessment, and change will be resisted, but although ‘you need to be flexible in

terms of agenda, you need to stick with the change process’. IPF was a good reminder that peace begins at home.

‘A Peace Circle brings 10 to 12 people together – every person sharing what they feel like sharing. For some it can be very difficult to share what they’ve had to go through. We speak about difficult and emotional subjects: exile, sexual abuse, murders … we each cry at a certain point. Personally, nothing really tragic happened in my life. What I had to say was a bit futile compared to others, but a life does not need to be tragic to be told and to be heard. Nobody is ever really Nina, Peace Circle Participant

at peace; we all have things to share. Being the youngest of the group, I mainly learned from others, I was touched by their personal stories. I really felt a strong mutual connection between all the participants. We all trust each other and we respect our confidentiality. It’s really a personal journey.’

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ADDRESSING EUROPE’S UNFINISHED BUSINESS

Creating a Common Understanding of Issues and Values 16–19 July. This conference was organized in the framework of a four-year project seeking to engage Europeans from all backgrounds in actions to develop a spirit of partnership and solidarity across the continent.

EUB 2015 was an opportunity for a diverse group of Europeans to reflect and share on current issues and European values: recurring conflicts, massive waves of migrations, shaky minority rights and dealing with the past. Groups met to discuss their concerns and hopes and make proposals for the future. This year, AEUB also launched its Young Ambassadors programme: 35 ambassadors aged 18 to 25 representing 24 countries. The ambassadors were passionate about representing their countries. Ample time was devoted to the vision and ideas of two of Europe’s founding fathers, Monnet and Schuman, with the visit to the Jean Monnet Foundation for Europe in Lausanne and a presentation by its Director, Gilles Grin, as well as

Aurora Martin, Faculty of Political Science, University of Bucharest, Senior Advisor within the Government of Romania, and Cathy Nobles, Founder and Director of the Reconciliation Walk Community

one by Jeff Fountain, Director of the Schuman Centre for European Studies. The opening plenary featured keynote speakers Ahmet Shala, Kosovo’s Ambassador to Japan and former Minister of Finance; Stephanie Hofmann, Associate Professor at the Graduate Institute in Geneva; Cathy Nobles, a peacebuilding activist; and Leoluca Orlando, the Mayor of Palermo via video link from Italy.

Gilles Grin, Director of the Jean Monnet Foundation 14 CAUX REPORT 2015

Christoph Spreng, IofC delegate to the Council of Europe, spoke about the 60th anniversary of the Bonn-Copenhagen Declarations and of the role played by personal change there. Margaret Smith,

from the faculty of International Peace and Conflict Resolution at American University in Washington DC, gave a very moving lecture, exploring theoretical questions of building a common European narrative and practical ways of transforming tensions through social change. On the final day, participants made commitments about what they would do to continue addressing Europe’s unfinished business in the coming year. Some expressed their intention to start initiatives, including publishing articles and having a more proactive role in bringing minority groups in Europe together. One particular project came out: a

Photo Exhibition: Within My Walls and Beyond Undine Groeger’s travelling photo exhibition, Within My Walls and Beyond, opened during the AEUB conference. It represents a personal journey towards understanding Germany’s past. It includes three generations that experienced the rise and fall of the Berlin Wall, and, in parallel, opens a window onto life in a place that can be reminiscent of former East Germany, Transnistria, a post-Soviet frozen conflict zone between Moldova and Ukraine. It will be exhibited at Caux Expo until 16 January 2016 and will engage visitors in a dialogue on walls that persist in people and in communities.

peace voyage across Europe in 2018. This project includes visiting places that have suffered or suffer from conflicts to share practical stories of trust-building and conflict resolution.

Meet the Young Ambassadors: a youth perspective on Europe

will definitely keep in touch to work on the ideas we had and to implement them. Caux has a very holistic approach. The things I learned here changed me personally and I will take these experiences to my professional level one day.’

For Lina, Young Ambassador from Albania, AEUB was a great occasion to discover what projects other young people are working on to build a better Europe. She said, ‘despite our diversity, we have common values. There is a need for collaboration between European countries and to promote greater social cohesion.’ For her, being a Young Ambassador gave her ‘the ability to debate in a positive and constructive manner with peers coming from traditionally conflictual areas’. She went back home with a strong desire to stay engaged by expanding Breaking Barriers, her organization fighting racial and religious stereotyping, and developing an online forum for articles and blogs addressing Europe’s challenges and hopes. For Bastian, Young Ambassador from Germany, participating to AEUB contributed to a better understanding of Germany’s identity. It was also an opportunity to discuss the challenges Europe is facing and to build a network of people of different ages and backgrounds to address these issues together and take initiatives. He concluded: ‘we

Mobility as an inalienable Right? The Mayor of Palermo, Leoluca Orlando, made a lasting impression on AEUB’s participants. This longstanding anti-mafia politician is now defending another cause of direct concern to all European countries: migrants. Orlando explained that according to him, mobility should be an inalienable right. It is our duty to welcome those who are fleeing for their lives, as ‘we do not choose where we are born, but we can choose where we want to live and die’. His powerful and drastic words strengthened AEUB’s wish for a more inclusive and empathetic Europe. Orlando had the International Human Mobility Charter of Palermo approved by the city council and is currently defending his ideas for a more humane and respectful Europe.

Bastian, Young Ambassador from Germany CAUX REPORT 2015 15

CHILDREN AS ACTORS FOR TRANSFORMING SOCIETY

Children and Adults, Partners for Change? 27 July – 2 August. The Children as Actors for Transforming Society (CATS) conference was organized in partnership with Initiatives of Change France, Eurochild, Universal Education Foundation and Child to Child. The main goal of CATS 2015 was to explore how children, young people and adults need to collaborate and partner together in order to ensure child participation is properly respected at all levels of society.

hroughout a very participative programme, everyone shared experiences, debated concepts and ideas, and exchanged knowledge on children’s participation in an environment that was at the same time fun, interactive, trustful and respectful. Influential keynote speakers inspired all the participants with their stories of fighting for children’s rights and children’s participation. From international institutions, CATS welcomed Kirsten Sandberg, former Chair of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child; Judith Diers, Chief Child Adolescents Development & Participation at UNICEF; Julie Ward, MEP strong advocate for children’s rights at the European Parliament; and broadcasted a special video recording by Dimitri Avramopoulos, European Commissioner responsible for Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship at the Directorate General for Education and Culture. 16 CAUX REPORT 2015

Also present as a keynote speaker was Nkem Orakwue, Founder of the Nigerian Children’s Parliament and Executive Director of TV programmes for children. During the week participants had the opportunity to feed into the General Comment on Adolescents, commissioned by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, through a workshop led by international consultants on children’s rights, Gerison Lansdown and Darren Bird. Meanwhile child rapporteurs from each workshop met over the week to prepare a presentation in front of the European Parliament about the key learnings from CATS 2015 and the importance of making children’s voices heard on policy issues. The conference became a real-life experience of children’s participation. A young person said: ‘The CATS Conference served as a reminder of how life

Kesz Valdez, winner of the International Children Peace Prize and c o-founder of Championing Community Children

should be in terms of team spirit and even collaboration between adults and children. This was experienced in ALL aspects and activities undertaken at CATS, through fun games, chores, community groups and Together Times.’

Kesz Valdez One speaker struck the audience with his moving and inspirational story: Kesz Valdez, 2012 International Children’s Peace Prize winner at 13 and co-founder of Championing Community Children from the Philippines. He told how at a very young age he was forced by his father to scavenge at a dump in Cavite City, Philippines. To escape violence at home, he finally ran away, still scavenging to survive and enduring terrible conditions. A few years later, he was pushed by accident on a pile of burning tires and was rescued by a social worker who took him home and eventually adopted him. Kesz discovered what a decent and safe life, with food, good hygiene conditions and most of all love, meant. But he never forgot his less lucky friends, still in the streets. Convinced he could somehow help them in spite of his very young age, he took action. For his seventh birthday he shared slippers with street kids to protect their feet from cuts and wounds. He soon started his own organization – C3-Championning Community Children – to teach street kids hygiene, health basics and children’s rights, and to encourage them to participate in their community. C3 also provided them with hygiene kits and, when available, with slippers, toys, and school supplies.

Human Library The Main Hall transformed into a library. Yet instead of books made out of paper, people with personal stories to tell waited for the participants to arrive. The Human Library functioned the same way your typical library would function. The ‘readers’ could check out a book and after reading it, they would bring it back to the library. The only difference being that the ‘books’ were people, who would tell stories about various themes related to children’s rights and participation. Each reader could listen to three stories. After each story was told, a dialogue between ‘books’ and ‘readers’ opened, leaving space for exchange. This creative method permitted a strong connection between participants, which only the sharing of a personal story can allow.

Since 2006, C3 has helped over 10,500 children in 48 different communities, has taken care of more than 3,000 wounds, and distributed more than 4,000 toothbrushes.

generated heartfelt admiration and will hopefully inspire anyone to take action regardless of their age.

His 2012 award enabled the organization to grow thanks to international recognition and financial support. Kesz’ personal story and his determination to do whatever he could to help street children was honoured by a standing ovation. Remaining humble and action oriented as always, Kesz intends to study to become a social worker like his adoptive father, to keep defending and helping street children. His testimony

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SEEDS OF INSPIRATION

Sharing Inspiration that Shapes Lives 4–9 August. Seeds of Inspiration 2015 invited participants to embark on a personal journey whilst making powerful connections and being inspired by the history and legacy of Caux. Workshops, theatrical productions, meetings and group discussions opened minds to new possibilities.

wame Reed, a young actor and poet from a troubled estate in London, began to rethink his vision ‘of the man I want to be’. Hitomi Mitsutake, a Japanese teacher who described herself as ‘very introvert’, found ‘the joy of communicating with others’. Yasmine Kamel from London began ‘a journey of curiosity about who I am and who I really want to be’. British actor Steve Stickley was reminded of ‘the beauty of Islam’. Workshops ranged from Japanese woodcarving to learning about electricity, from dance to discussion of inclusiveness, from the spirituality of music to a silent walk. Evening programmes included Janet Stickley’s boisterous Nora’s Ark; Comedia Gillet’s puppet dramatisation of Don Quixote; Steve Stickley’s one man show, Race, about the 1936 Berlin Olympics; and June Boyce-Tillman’s tour de force, Lunacy or the pursuit of the

goddess. Intermission Youth Theatre (IYT) brought the conference to its feet with a series of sketches entitled Family Drama, reflecting on the challenges of family life in Britain’s cities today. Speakers included Lillian Cingo, former manager of South Africa’s Phelophepa Train, which takes health services to remote rural communities; and three Somalis from opposing clans. Mohamed Mumin had avoided Somalis for his first 18 years in Europe. Through IofC he was able to change, he said. ‘If you hate you are sick. To heal is to free yourself, to love, to forgive, to look positively.’

Hiroshima Day The third day of Seeds of Inspiration was under the theme Listening to Unheard Voices: Hiroshima Day. For the 70th anniversary of the bombing, the Mayor of Hiroshima addressed a letter

Mr Mitsuhisa Kato, from IofC Japan

to Initiatives of Change calling for peace and reminding the trust building role that the organization played for Japan after the war. Participants and organizers remembered the numerous victims of the nuclear bomb alongside a delegation from IofC

Intermission Youth Theatre (IYT) IYT began in the Spring of 2008 with a mission to work with young people at risk of offending, offenders or lacking in opportunities. Using Shakespeare’s plays as inspiration, they reimagine his works by interspersing his original language with street rhetoric, creating their own contemporary interpretations. This work enhances their

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dramatic creativity, increases their confidence and raises their ambitions. This year funds were raised to take the 2015 Youth Theatre members to Seeds of Inspiration. For many it was their first trip abroad. The Caux Palace was a far cry from inner-city London, where all too often they are greeted with the news

of yet another tragedy inflicted on their generation. The geographical distance gave them some perspective and their vibrant energy gave a great power to the Conference. Many friendships were formed and as they say at IYT: ‘when two worlds meet, great things happen’. Learn more: www.intermissionyouththeatre.co.uk

Japan. Mr Mitsuhisa Kato, from IofC Japan, read the letter from Kazumi Matsui, current Mayor of Hiroshima, in which he calls for a total nuclear disarmament as he sees nuclear weapons as ‘absolute evil’ and encourages ‘people from all over the world, [to] take the testimony to heart, and [to go] beyond differences of nationality, race, and religion’. In his letter, Mr Matsui also explains how in 1950 the then Mayors of Nagasaki and Hiroshima were deeply influenced by what they learnt during a visit to Caux as they were facing Japan’s reconstruction after the bombing: ‘If every person listens to the voice of his conscience, they can orient themselves in a positive direction, bringing about positive changes not only in the family, workplace, school, community and nation, but also in the relationship between both people and countries.’

Another member of the Japanese Delegation, Nobuko Nakajima, moved the audience as she told the story of her former teacher in school, whose life had been saved by a tree which took the blast for her. Struggling to find her purpose in life, she one day walked by that tree and discovered a tiny sprout. ‘Surprised and moved by the power of the tree which was trying to live’ she found in the sprout the courage to start over. From then on she made it a mission to tell this story to her students, encouraging them to never lose hope. This very emotional session was ultimately directed towards the future, filled with the hope for a sustainable peace and for a resolve to never make the same mistake again.

Haiku Following the commemoration, everyone went to their community groups to exchange their own impressions and thoughts. One group decided to write Haiku Poems. Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry; it is considered the shortest in the world. This allowed participants to express their feelings in a very concise way. Here are two examples; Tell me why something horrible is needed to teach us the need for peace. Bo Giss, Sweden Thousand paper cranes reminds us of the pains, but a peace wish remains. Nik Dee Dahlstrom, Sweden

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IMPACT INITIATIVES CHALLENGE

Equipping, Inspiring and Connecting the Next Generation of Change Makers 10–15 August. The second Impact Initiative Challenge (IIC) conference brought together a group of young change makers living in Europe from diverse backgrounds and nationalities. The aim of the conference was to encourage participants to reflect on who they are and what their aspiration is, in order to help them develop their ideas and put them into practice.

he first days of the conference were dedicated to personal development with themes such as Being, Defining your Purpose, and Aspiration, preparing the second part directed towards action with themes like Commitment and The next step. The first day kicked off the inner journey with the question: Who am I? Speakers Mami Veza, coach in personal development, and Pierre-Antoine Barraillé, from the Praneo Foundation, shared their personal story of inner transformation. They invited everyone to go on their own inner journey through reflection, short meditation and storytelling. In the afternoons, participants could get more practical and learn new skills by attending daily one of these four workshops: ‘Growth and Personal Development for Entrepreneurs’, ‘Social Entrepreneurship’, ‘From Ideas to Reality: Visualize Your Story’ (Visual thinking), ‘Open space workshop’ (open to the participants’ specific questions). In these workshops, each responding to a different need, the young change makers got hands-on with questions such as mapping and pitching an idea or stepping out of your comfort zone to boost self-confidence. As we learned that resilience and courage are key for success, we put this into practice by climbing the mountain up to the Rochers de Naye, some in the evening, spending the night on the mountain, others the next morning. At the top, Tessa Wernink, co-founder of Fairphone, explored the theme of the day: ‘Aspiration: the art of setting goals and ambitions’, with the beautiful view of the Swiss Alps as her background. 20 CAUX REPORT 2015

IIC can be seen as the first step in taking action towards setting and achieving your goals. Two former IIC2014 participants proved this by presenting their project The Green Mosque, which is still growing. This year, the participants will also be supported after the programme in Caux. Through an online community, conference calls and real life meet-ups, participants will stay in touch in order to help each other in their projects for a more sustainable, peaceful and just world.

Expressing thoughts visually ‘Visual thinking’ may be an unfamiliar expression, but it is a valuable thinking and organizing tool. The workshop ‘Visualize your story: From ideas to reality’ taught participants how to use it, and showed them how it can help them in their professional and personal life. Visual thinking and visual facilitation consist in using pictures and drawings to organize our thoughts, to discover and clarify ideas. It combines deep listening,

simple drawing and facilitation methodology to visualize intricate processes and to help find a way in the complexity of thought. As Tamar Harel, the session facilitator, explained, what matters is not the quality of the drawing, but that it helps ‘to bring clarity to dense situations’. Too many people remove themselves from drawing, simply because they feel they are not good at it. But even poor drawing skills can be extremely useful within this framework.

After the first day participants managed to organize their thoughts and ideas through drawing. Thanks to practical tips, templates, an icon library and an analysis of their drawings, they were able to improve and see clearly how visual facilitation is a useful tool to process ideas into more concrete projects.

Practical support for social entrepreneurs To attend the workshop on Social Entrepreneurship, participants were asked to already have an entrepreneurial idea. All week long, this Track helped participants to define their projects to be able to defend them in front of an audience.

With the support of a professional coach, participants reflected on their projects, measuring their strengths and feasibility. They also discussed motivation and how passion – and not money – is the real key to success. To improve everyone’s project, the workshop focused on the use of a Business Model Canvas, a strategic management and entrepreneurial tool that allows you to describe, design, challenge and pivot your business model. It helps young entrepreneurs to define their project more precisely by asking the right questions such as: What is your product? Does your product answer the needs of your customer? At the end of

the conference, the young social entrepreneurs presented their projects to the other conference participants, defending their ideas and proving their worth. Among other projects, we can mention a blood donor app and a smoothie social enterprise. These projects are to be kicked off this year, with the support of the coaches. During this workshop, participants realized how important it is to have feedback on their project and how discussing ideas and even asking for help can solve many problems, open new perspectives and strengthen one’s motivation to actually start. For the first cause of failure is – after all – not to even try.

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RUNNING IN PARALLEL TO THE CONFERENCES

Caux Scholars 20 students from 16 different countries were selected for this four-week course on conflict transformation and peace-building. This annual programme teaches students to analyze conflicts, to understand the factors that create and sustain conflicts, and provide practical understanding of approaches to resolving conflicts.

hat makes the Caux Scholars Program (CSP) 2015 a lifelong experience that goes beyond an ordinary academic training? The answer is: its people. Whether speaking about participants or organizers, their common element is their inspiration and their full commitment to peacebuilding. Through different training sessions and workshops, it tackles universal issues such as peacebuilding and conflict transformation by challenging traditional patterns.

The CSP puts the individual at the center of the peacebuilding process and the participants coming from conflict areas are the perfect incarnation of this statement. The 2015 programme brought together at the same table ‘friends’ and ‘foes’ whose countries of origin have passed through conflicts one against the other. So, what made it possible to fill in the gap due to mistrust? How was it possible to build bridges of friendship between ‘enemies’? The an-

AIESEC Scholarships

very year, the Foundation offers five scholarships to students in Switzerland members of AIESEC, the largest student-run organization in the world, for which it also regularly provides

Rebecca Jiménez, beneficiary of one of the 2015 scholarships for AIESEC members in Switzerland

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workshops. The scholarships cover the conference registration fee and room and board for students to participate in some of the conferences. This year, one of the five winners, Rebecca Jiménez, a student of English, Geography and Ethnology from Zurich, attended IPF. We asked her about what she will take home from Caux: ‘I learned a lot about the processes of peace-building. I got a better understanding of the problems concerning peace and many new experiences. Caux is like a world on its own. Not only is the scenery stunning but also, as I see it, Caux is about connecting with like-minded people, about networking and about creating an environment in which new things can be created through exchange and support.’

swer lies in the common humanity that is discovered and in the personal transformation that the programme induces. The 2015 scholars had ample opportunities to learn from each other and to discover more about global issues firsthand. They were also co-organizers of the Just Governance for Human Security conference, which enabled them to exchange with experts in peacebuilding and good governance and to broaden their network.

Interns Leadership Programme

ane participated in the Interns Leadership Programme, a yearly programme providing young people from 18 to 30 with a five-week programme developing their leadership skills through workshops, volunteering and community service. The programme is a strong pillar of CAUX – IofC’s principle of experiential learning. Jane agreed to tell us a bit more about the programme and her experience: ‘The internship is based on three pillars: workshops, work shifts, and silent reflections. This year, we are 30 young people coming from many different countries. In the beginning, we were always talking about how life in our home country is. For instance, I learned many new things about Lebanon; I even learned a little bit of Arabic.

Volunteers of the Caux Conferences

The workshops are about opening up to your inner self, and to the others. I feel much more open-minded, with a deep understanding of cultural differences. I think it changed a lot in my perception of people. I used to put people in a

drawer – and this internship taught me how to open up and give everyone a chance. I will definitely come back to Caux to volunteer after my internship!’

Caux Artists Five young artists were selected to be part of the four-week Caux Artists Program that this year focused on vocal training: Lisa Yasko, Ukraine; Shakti Pherwani, India; Anna Bychkova, Ukraine; Mer Ayang, South Sudan and Alexandra Nabokina, Ukraine.They were supported by faculty members Kathy Gardner (USA), Grace Carter (UK) and also the Director of the Program Bev Appleton (USA).

lready experienced in different singing styles – opera, musical comedy, jazz, classical or pop – the artists came to learn techniques to enhance their professionalism. Some of them also worked on their personal creations. The Program’s daily schedule was divided into Studio sessions (one-on-one), ensemble rehearsals, and evening performances. Each artist had daily allotted times either to participate in conference

activities; to network with conference attendees; to work music/material on their own, to rest or to attend the Montreux Jazz Festival just down the mountain. The artists performed for the Caux Dialogue on Land and Security and the IofC Global Assembly as well as four additional performances. For example, Lisa sang Don’t cry for me Argentina, which she dedicated to her country, Ukraine, and Mer performed her own compositions speaking of the fatigue of the Sudanese people living the conflict.

This summer 217 volunteers came to Caux to help run the centre during the conferences. One of them is Bukiwe Maseko, from South Africa. She has headed the Housekeeping Department for the past six years. ‘Coming to Caux is an achievement in my life journey, because it fulfils my passion of caring for people, of having more understanding for the world, different cultures and religions, and the political standards of other countries. I’m not here for any financial profit, but for the fulfillment that fills my spirit, my soul, and my heart. Every year I am gaining more and more. I learn from the people here, especially the young interns. I make friendships that I keep for a lifetime. Also, you have the spirit of the house. This place is so warm and welcoming. You have time to listen to one another and to experience the spirit of real teamwork. Above all, you get that fulfillment of caring for people. Because that is what the world needs. We need to care for one another. And here you get the chance to do so.’ Big thanks to Bukiwe and all the 2015 volunteers!

The faculty also had their stage night as they performed the musical The Apple Tree — a funny modern parody of Adam and Eve. The public was delighted with the performances, offering creative and dynamic entertainment to the conferences or hard volunteer work. The next Caux Artists Program is planned for 2017. CAUX REPORT 2015 23

International Caux Conferences 2016 Exploring the human factor in global change 29 June – 3 July Caux Dialogue on Land and Security (CDLS) 5 – 10 July Trust and Integrity in the Global Community (TIGE) 12 – 17 July Just Governance for Human Security 19 – 23 July Addressing Europe’s Unfinished Business (AEUB) – and – International Peacebuilders’ Forum

Stay updated on our 70th anniversary events and on the next conferences:

26 July – 1 August Children as Actors for Transforming Society (CATS)

Visit our website: www.caux.ch For more information, e-mail us at: info@caux.ch

4 – 10 August Living Peace: Celebrating 25 Years of Creators of Peace 12 – 17 August Seeds of Inspiration

Initiatives of Change (IofC) is a world-wide movement of people of d iverse cultures and backgrounds, who are committed to the transformation of society through changes in human motives and behaviour, starting with their own. CAUX – Initiatives of Change: Conference Centre Rue du Panorama 2 1824 Caux, Switzerland P +41 (0)21 962 91 11 F +41 (0)21 962 93 55

Geneva Office Rue de Varembé 1 1202 Geneva, Switzerland P +41 (0)22 749 16 20 Luzern Office Luzernerstrasse 94 6010 Kriens, Switzerland P +41 (0)41 310 12 61

Publisher: CAUX – Initiatives of Change Foundation Editors: Stéphanie Buri, Elodie Malbois Proofreaders: Stéphanie Buri, Andrew Lancaster, Elodie Malbois Texts and photos: Stéphanie Buri, Elodie Malbois, Céline Hintermeister, Sabrina Lüthi, Maïlys Fourcade, Andreina Ravani, Conference Teams, Cecilia Segar, Mbindyo Kimanthi, Undine Groeger Design and Print: Brunner AG, Druck und Medien, 6010 Kriens, Switzerland, November 2015