Lessons Learned since the Fall of the Wall
Partners for Democratic Change and the National Endowment for Democracy assessed what lessons from the former communist/socialist nations of Central and Eastern Europe have coherence and significance for those working in authoritarian states. What tactics, methodologies, and strategies of change used in the 1990’s have resilience and relevancy to change in the 2010 decade?
Panelists:
Nadia Diuk, Vice President, Programs – Africa, Latin America, and Eurasia, NED
Dr. Nadia Diuk serves as Vice President, Programs – Regions for the Africa, Latin America, and Eurasia regions at the National Endowment for Democracy, a private nonprofit organization funded by the U.S. Congress to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. Prior to her appointment as Vice President, she served as Senior Director for Europe and Eurasia at NED, working strategically to build a strong and effective program in the region. Prior to her appointment at the NED she taught Soviet Politics and Russian History at Oxford University; was a research associate at the Society for Central Asian Studies, England; and editor-in-chief of the London-based publication Soviet Nationality Survey. Her publications include two co-authored books The Hidden Nations: The People Challenge the Soviet Union (New York: William Morrow, 1990) and New Nations Rising: The Fall of the Soviets and the Challenge of Independence (John Wiley & Sons, 1993) and articles in the Washington Post, The Washington Times, Journal of Democracy, Orbis, The World and I, Azerbaijan International, and in the Russian Journal of Public Opinion. She has appeared on CNN International, National Empowerment TV, and Worldnet TV. Her radio interviews have included National Public Radio, BBC, Voice of America, and Radio Liberty. She has been interviewed by Russian radio and is a frequent commentator on Ukraine's Channel 5 TV. She has given testimony on Capitol Hill before the House International Relations Committee. Her latest research project, "The Next Generation of Young Leaders in Key Post-Soviet States" will soon be published as a book by Rowman & Littlefield. Dr. Diuk is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a member of the Advisory Board of the Kennan Institute of the Woodrow Wilson International Center. She gained a B.A (with honors) in History at the University of Sussex (United Kingdom). Her M.Phil in Russian and East European Studies and D. Phil. in Modern History were gained at St. Antony's College, University of Oxford.
Dušan Ondrušek, Director, Partners for Democratic Change-Slovakia
Dr. Dušan Ondrušek, PhD. is the Executive Director of Partners for Democratic Change Slovakia (Partners-Slovakia). As Executive Director, Dr. Ondrušek manages a staff of 13 trainers and program managers, and designs and implements training programs for government and civil society leaders in mediation, conflict management, and facilitation skills. He also works as a training consultant for various global organizations, including the U.N., the World Bank, and the International Research and Exchange Board, and organizes seminars on organizational development, conflict management, and alternative dispute resolution, among other topics. Dr. Ondrušek also lectures at Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia on cross-cultural communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution and is a widely published author. Previously he worked for the Comenius University Counseling Center and as an external consultant for the Slovak Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, and Family.
Raymond Shonholtz, J. D., President, Partners for Democratic Change
Mr. Shonholtz founded Partners for Democratic Change in 1989, establishing the first of Partners national Centers for Change and Conflict Management. In Fall 2008, Mr. Shonholtz served as a Public Policy Scholar at the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars in Washington, D.C., working on foreign assistance recommendations for the incoming Obama administration. In 1976, Mr. Shonholtz established and served as President of the Community Boards Program, one of the first community and school mediation initiatives that brought conflict resolution skills and processes into neighborhoods and schools throughout the U.S. and internationally. Mr. Shonholtz is educated as a lawyer and has an extensive background in legal practice, education, and policy. He serves on several boards of directors and editorial boards, and has written and lectured extensively on the subject of mediating systems, conflict resolution models, and the positive function of conflict in democratic society.
Moderator:
Gardner G. Peckham, Managing Director, BKSH & Associates
Mr. Peckham serves as Managing Director of BKSH & Associates, a leading worldwide government relations and lobbying firm. During the past thirty years, Mr. Peckham has worked extensively on foreign relations, national security, and trade policy and implementation. His experience in Congress and the Executive Branch has given him exceptional opportunities to participate in the inner workings of American government, politics, and international relations. Mr. Peckham served as Senior Policy Advisor to Newt Gingrich throughout his tenure as Speaker of the US House of Representatives. He was responsible for legislative, political, and communication strategies on foreign affairs, trade and national security issues. Mr. Peckham also held several other positions in the House of Representatives, working for the Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, Henry J. Hyde, and serving in several staff capacities for the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
