Build & Resolve Mediation Services Cooperative Planning Inter-group Conciliation Coalition & Network Building

Inter-group conciliation is a process that fosters dialogue among diverse and often competing groups, and works to preserve and strengthen relationships for the future. A neutral third-party works with disputants or groups to reach a mutually acceptable settlement. As part of the process, conciliation initiatives often include activities to empower minority groups so that they may effectively advocate for their rights on an equal level with majority representatives. Inter-group conciliation has proven especially valuable in helping to resolve conflicts between minority and majority groups, and in designing creative ways the groups can manage disputes and work cooperatively together in the future.

Partners' work with ethnic and other minority groups focuses on building leadership skills, organizational viability, and community relationships necessary for them to thrive. Partners creates Ethnic Conciliation Commissions, which are community-based structures recognized by local statutes and composed of mediators representing the ethnic diversity of the community. The Commissions serve to manage and prevent disputes, by monitoring majority-minority relations, conducting educational outreach to local groups, mediating disputes relating to ethnic and minority issues, organizing forums on issues of minority concern, and facilitating inter-group dialogue. In addition, Partners provides trainings to minority leaders in organizational and conflict management skills; works with local government and police to improve cultural awareness, sensitivity and cooperation with minorities; and promotes tolerance among youth through school-based tolerance and peer mediation programs and summer camps for diverse groups.

Highlights of Partners' Inter-group Conciliation work include:

• In May 2003, Partners for Democratic Change (Partners), in partnership with Partners-Czech, Partners-Hungary, Partners-Slovakia and USAID, launched a four-year Roma Integration Program in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia valued at $2.8 million. For further information, please click here.
  

• Partners-Bulgaria is promoting interethnic and cross-sector cooperation through employment and educational initiatives in Lom, Vidin, and Kjustendil. Thus far, the Center has established Conciliation Commissions and Roma Leadership Institutes in the three cities.
  
  
• Partners-Czech conducted a series of skill-building workshops for 25 Roma leaders from five cities that resulted in the establishment of a Roma Advisor position at the City Hall in Kladno; a Romany Cultural Center in Most; agreement by the municipal government to support a nursery school in Rokycany; and agreement by the Pardubice city government to work cooperatively with Partners' ethnic conciliation commission.
  
  
• Partners-Hungary collaborated with the Hungarian Minority Office and the Ministry of Labor on a cross-sector program in Tatabanya that resulted in the creation of jobs for disadvantaged minorities (Romas) to renovate houses in a poor neighborhood. The process openly addressed long-standing biases against Romas, and was determined by the National Council of Public Employment to be the most successful public employment program in Hungary.
  
  
• In one outcome of Partners' Southeastern Europe Municipal Development Program, a Bosnian participant facilitated workshops with Serbs and Bosnian refugees, focusing on the reintegration of Bosnian returnees into local schools.
  
  
• Partners-Slovakia facilitated dialogue between groups of Skinheads and Anarchists with a history of violent attacks against each other. As a result of the delicate negotiations over perceived attitudes, threats, and common space, both groups agreed to end the violence between them. Since the agreement, there has been no violence, and the groups agreed to meet in the future if necessary.

In-depth Examples of Partners' Impact through Inter-group Conciliation: