Description

Recognizing the need for effective communication skills on negotiation among the stakeholders directly involved in the peace process, the Center for Development and Ethnic Studies in collaboration with the United States Institute of Peace Peace pioneered the Facilitation and Mediation Skills Workshop for Ethnic Armed Organizations, NCA-S Political Sector on November 27-29, 2016 at the MiCasa Hotel Yangon, Myanmar.

           Dr. Alison Milofsky in her introductory speech stressed, "To win a war is very different from winning a peace. It is to understand conflict and to solve conflict.” She further pointed out the crucial skills of facilitation that requires effective communication, dialogue, negotiation, mediation, arbitration and adjudication to retain smooth control of the process and not by force which only leads to less control of the process.

           Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, EAOs’ Vice Chairman of UPDJC, and General Secretary of Karen National Union exclaimed. “I have never attended a workshop like this, so grateful I am for the initiative of CDES and USIP. This is my first time to attend such and it gives me such a new thought to what I knew on winning a war but now it is on winning peace for our whole Myanmar people.” Another scholar to share his expertise on the essential concepts and skills in negotiation and facilitation for the three-day training is Dr. Mark Brimhall-Vargas.