Caux Democracy Forum

About the Workstream

Healthy democracy relies on robust relationships, yet lingering wounds from the past often obstruct progress, affecting multiple aspects of life. This workstream delves into the imperative of healing broken relationships and fostering forgiveness and restitution.

New energy, vision and calling can emerge from each step taken to repair a relationship. Trust can grow again, and with it the cooperation needed to answer the challenges we face from the personal to the global.

We will hear from outstanding peacemakers and explore the approaches, skills and tools needed to heal the wounds of the past – and the present.

Target Audience

This workstream is particularly relevant for anyone active in conflict resolution and peacebuilding as well as students and their faculties focused on conflict resolution, peacebuilding and international relations.

Objectives of this Workstream

Through the IofC experiential approaches of storytelling, sharing and reflection, this workstream is designed to inspire, equip, and connect participants: inspiring them through interactions with outstanding peacemakers, equipping them with knowledge shared by both speakers and participants, and fostering connections through the exchange of experiences and approaches among peers.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Engage with grass-roots peacemakers and learn from their approaches, skills and tools.
• Reflect on personal experiences of healing past and recent wounds.
• Reflect on present needs for healing in and around them.
• Expand understanding of ‘forgiveness’ and ‘restitution’ and their critical importance.
• Reflect on why healing relationships is fundamental to a healthy democratic life at all levels.

Provisional Workstream Programme

Each afternoon there will be 2 x 75-minute workshops. In the first session, presenters will share their experiences and the initiatives for reconciliation that they have taken in a wide variety of contexts, followed by questions and answers.

In the second session, participants will have the opportunity to discuss in small groups their take-aways from the first session, present their own peacemaking initiatives, reflect on next steps, and share their learnings with the whole group.

The presenters will be present for consultation throughout the whole Forum.

Please note that these workstreams are still subject to change. Stay tuned for the detailed programme coming soon.

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WORKSTREAM COORDINATORS

Peter Riddell (UK) is Convenor of Initiatives of Change UK’s Agenda for Reconciliation programme which supports refugees who wish to contribute to rebuilding their countries of origin. He has spent several decades with IofC organizing trustbuilding programmes between people of different faiths based on shared moral and spiritual values, in particular with people who have suffered due to Britain’s imperial legacy. He is a founder member of several organizations including British-Arab Exchanges and the Balfour Project.

Amina Dikedi-Ajakaiye (Nigeria/UK) has been actively involved in the work of the Initiatives of Change (IofC) since 1982. Originally a teacher, Amina decided to change her profession and run a fashion business in Lagos. While involved in her profession, Amina remained involved with IofC volunteer work. In 2000, as a member of the IofC International Coordination Group, Amina and others ran international pan-African ethical leadership programmes across Africa. In 2013, Amina was contracted as Project Leader to support the South Sudan Initiative for Peace and National Reconciliation. From 1994 to 2013 Amina served as International Coordinator to the Creators of Peace (CoP).  She has been a Board member of IofC Nigeria since 2012 and a member of the IofC African Coordination Group (ACG) 2007 – 2010. She has worked with the Agenda for Reconciliation programme for over 10 years, served as convenor of the ACG and was President of Creators of Peace International. Through her work and her caring approach, Amina has earned the respect, trust and friendship of a large network of individuals throughout Africa and many countries beyond, from Presidents, and politicians, senior civil servants, traditional leaders, educators, business people and ordinary citizens.

A workstream hosted by Initiatives of Change and the UN Human Rights Office

About the Workstream

This workstream will focus on how we can enable our economies to flourish and create just, inclusive societies. Democracy is untenable amidst abject poverty, and it is easily undermined amidst extremes of rich and poor.

As well as productivity and financial sustainability, our economic frameworks need to prioritize human rights, social justice and sustainable development within our countries and in our dealings with others. Progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals will enable democracy to grow in countries where at present it is weak or non-existent.

Initiatives of Change and the UN Human Rights Office are devoted to this progress. Initiatives of Change focuses on the integrity and cooperation in government, business, industry and agriculture which enables a thriving economy. The Human Rights Office works for laws which ensure that the wealth generated is equitably distributed. Each approach complements the other.

This workstream will hear from people of expertise and experience who are grappling with these challenges. Topics covered will include:

Strengthening developing economies

Democracy flourishes on a just and equitable economic base. This session will examine how people in wealthy nations can strengthen economies in the developing world, and confront exploitation in both.

FARAI MAGUWU, Executive Director, Centre for Natural Resource Governance, Zimbabwe.
Farai Maguwu founded the Centre to improve governance of natural resources in Zimbabwe. He has done extensive research and documentation on human rights abuses and illicit trade in diamonds. In 2011 Human Rights Watch honoured him with the Alison Des Forges Award for Extraordinary Activism.

MARK GOYDER, Founder Director of Tomorrow’s Company, a London-based think-tank focusing on rediscovering the human purposes of business.

Defeating corruption

Corruption undermines democracy. This session will hear of initiatives which have proved effective against corrupt practices. It will explore how these approaches and others could be applied to confront current corruption.

Developing a media of integrity

Democracy depends on media which tells the truth. Journalists and others who are devoted to developing a media of integrity will outline the challenges, and will discuss how media consumers can help.

Making the most of immigration

Conflict, poverty and climate change are forcing millions to flee their countries. This session will discuss how they can be enabled to contribute to their host countries, and learn skills which can help their homelands thrive when they are able to return.

Dr Muna Ismail is the Programme manager of IofC UK's Refugees as Re-Builders. Refugees as Rebuilders is a British capacity-building training programme, accredited by UK training authorities, which provides innovative learning opportunities for settled refugees. 

Defending democracies under attack

Some nations are under attack with the aim of destroying their existence as democracies. We will hear from people in this situation who are working to maintain a functioning society and economy. The workstream will explore how to support them.

 

Plenary: People-centred economics

This plenary will hear from people developing economic ventures which contribute to creating a planet on which everyone can have a decent life while keeping within ecological limits. It will offer all a chance to understand the challenge and start to discover how they can contribute too.

Speakers

Appointed United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights effective February 2020, Nada Al-Nashif has over 30 years of experience within the United Nations as an economist and development practitioner. Previously, Ms. Al-Nashif served as Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences at UNESCO (Paris), as Assistant Director-General & Regional Director of the International Labour Organization's Regional Office for Arab States (Beirut) and at the United Nations Development Programme in various headquarters (New York) and field assignments. She holds a B.A. in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from Balliol, Oxford University and a Master's in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School, Harvard University.

Please note that these workstreams are still subject to change. Stay tuned for the detailed programme coming soon.

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WORKSTREAM COORDINATOR

John Bond is the Secretary of Initiatives of Change International. He lives in Oxford, England, and has worked with Initiatives of Change in over 30 countries. For five years he coordinated the Caux Forum for Human Security. Previously he was the Secretary of Australia’s National Sorry Day Committee, which enlisted a million Australians in initiatives to overcome the harm done to Aboriginal Australians by cruel and misguided past policies. For this he was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia. He is also a writer. His most-recent book, a biography of Professor Jerzy Zubrzycki, known as 'the father of Australian multiculturalism', has been published in English and Polish.

About the Workstream

The social tensions in our societies have their root causes in violations of human rights, discrimination and poverty. These factors have repeatedly been the focus of the Conference of INGOs at the Council of Europe, where Initiatives of Change holds Participatory Status. These challenging situations can be addressed by dialogue, which enables all parties to collaborate in finding mutually acceptable solutions, and to share responsibility for their implementation.

This workstream draws on the INGO Dialogue Methodology.  This enables all stakeholders to respond to a blocked or polarized situation that requires sustained and carefully thought-through approaches.

It builds social cohesion, good democratic governance and a human rights-based approach to diversity issues.

Target Audience

This workstream invites changemakers wishing to bring constructive change in a challenging situation that they care about and wanting an enabling experience leading to action.
 

Objectives of this Workstream

This workstream is designed to enable each participant to leave with a guide to action according to their own sense of need and commitment, enriched by three afternoons of learning from each other based on the matrix, “Identify your own course of action”. 

Workstream Programme

Each afternoon there will be two 90-minute workshops following the INGO Dialogue Methodology. Participants will engage in thematic presentations, small group conversations, personal reflection and story-telling, culminating in a summary sharing session.

The structure of the afternoon workshops comprises three key components aligned to the cross-cutting issues:

• Exploring Cornerstones and Values for progress while avoiding double standards;
• Unpacking the methodology of INGO Dialogues, harmonizing the inner and outer development;
• Identifying your own course of action, recognizing that words and deeds matter.

The INGO Dialogue Toolkit booklet will be available upon arrival at the Caux Democracy Forum for those who register for this workstream.  Each of its eight elements ends with a set of Action Points, to be used in the situation when and where dialogues are being initiated. It also provides dialogue initiators with a variety of useful references and links.

Please note that these workstreams are still subject to change. Stay tuned for the detailed programme coming soon.

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WORKSTREAM COORDINATORS

Christoph Spreng, Switzerland, has been representing Initiatives of Change at the Council of Europe since 2006 and in his role has been entrusted a large variety of specific assignments. He was Vice-President of CINGO until April 2024 and was asked to continue his work at CINGO as Advisor to the Standing Comittee. Christoph is also the coordinator of the INGO Dialogue Toolkit Hub. In June 2017 he was appointed INGO Special Advisor for Human Rights and Business and has been representing CINGO at the CoE North-South Centre since 2018.

At the occasion of 75th anniversary of the Council of Europe, Christoph Spreng has helped his colleagues to organise this 10th edition of World NGO Day as their contribution as representatives from and in Europe to a global event that wants to treasure the civic space and show its potential at a time when this space is so challenged.

Dr. theol. Laurie Johnston is a Professor of Social Ethics at Emmanuel College in Boston, Mass. She is also Executive Vice-President of the St. Egidio Foundation for Dialogue and Peace, USA.