Why Reconciliation?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants should imagine themselves having to explain to someone why we need reconciliation and find arguments in support of it. One person...
Who is Supposed to Reconcile with Whom/What?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers, felt-tip pens Exercise description Flipchart papers are laid out on the floor (enough of them so that a number of participants can write on them...
Who Am I? From Where Do I Draw the Strength to Be Who I Am?
Materials: Magazines, newspapers, collage paper, flipchart papers, crayons, felt- tip pens, glue, scissors, music Exercise description Instructions: Use the available materials to make a collage about “Who am I?...
Where I Live
Make a large “carpet” by connecting the flipchart papers with masking tape (so they don’t move around). It should be large enough so that the participants can gather round it...
Where I Come From
Everyone has a few minutes to think about the place they come from (however they understand it – city/country/region) and the things they like about it. Then, sitting in a...
Where Do My Fears Come From?
Materials: Paper, pencils, flipchart paper, sticky tape Exercise description Everyone works independently, thinking about “My fears” and “Where do they come from?” and noting down their thoughts. They have...
When My National Identity Affected My Life
Materials: Chairs Exercise description The hot seats method The person sitting in the hot seat in the middle discusses the topic: When my national identity affected my life.
When is War Justified?
Materials: Paper, pencils, flipchart paper Exercise description Everyone sits in a circle with a paper and pencil. They have a few minutes to note down their answer to the...
What Type of Man Do I Like? What Type of Woman Do I Like?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into four groups: two of just men and two of just women. One male and one female group (separately)...
What Tells Us That We Are (Not) Living in Peace? What Could Lead to a New War? 2
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Instead of splitting up into small groups, wall newspapers can be prepared collectively for each of the three topics. What tells us that...
What Tells Us That We Are (Not) Living in Peace? What Could Lead to a New War?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into three groups. Each group is tasked with preparing a wall newspaper about one of the following topics: What tells us that...
What Should We Remember as a Society?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into smaller groups. Step 1:Prepare a wall newspaper about “What do we remember (from the recent past) as a society?” Step 2:...
What Our Societies Deny
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into groups based on nationality. Their task is to discuss and prepare a presentation about What our society denies (in...
What is the Role of Women/Men in Society?
Materials: Post-its in two colours Exercise description Distribute the post-its so that women and men get different colours, e.g. green for women and yellow for men. The task is...
What Is It Like Being King/Queen?
Materials: Post-its, pencils, chair Exercise description Find a volunteer to be the king/queen of the group. They sit in a chair in the middle of the room while the...
What I Liked/What Bothered Me in Our Communication
Materials: Post-its, pencils, flipchart paper Exercise description Everyone is given a few post-its. More post-its are kept on hand in case someone needs them. The participants are tasked with...
What I (Don’t) Like in Communication with Others
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description On the wall or flipchart stand, put up a large paper with the title What I don’t like in communication with others. The...
What Do You See in the Drawing?
Materials: A copy of the drawing for each participant Exercise description Prepare one or more drawings with different images beforehand. Hand out copies of the drawing to the...
What Contributes to Peacebuilding?
Materials: A4 or A5 paper, felt-tip pens Exercise description The participants are given three pieces of paper and asked to write in large legible letters three things they recognise...
What Can We Do?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Work in four mixed groups of about five participants each. The task is to discuss what they could do to reduce discrimination against women and against...
What Can We Do to Take a Step towards Reconciliation?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Step 1. Split into groups based on home countries and prepare wall newspapers about: “What can we do to take a step towards...
What Can Others Do?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into four mixed small groups. The small groups discuss: “What would I like to hear from others and what would make it...
What Bothers Me About War Stories? What Is Missing?
Exercise description In small groups, the participants discuss what bothers them in war stories and what they think is missing. Discussions in the small groups are followed by a discussion...
What Bothers Me About Us Is…
Exercise description The participants split into same-gender pairs. The topic is “What bothers me about us women/men is...” First one person speaks (for about two minutes) and the other just...
What are the Greatest Challenges in Peacebuilding?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into small groups. Discuss and prepare a presentation about: “What are the greatest challenges in peacebuilding?” This is followed by presentations and...
Wall Newspaper: Team Work 2
What Makes Teamwork Successful?
Wall Newspaper: Team Work
The answers to the following questions are written on two papers: What Makes Decision Making More Difficult? What Can Help?
Wall Newspaper: Conflicts
Wall Newspaper: Conflicts Arise Because of... Duration: 5–10 minutes Wall Newspaper: Types of Behaviour in Conflicts Duration: 5–10 minutes
Wall Newspaper
Wall newspapers function similarly to brainstorming, with the facilitator not only acting as a recorder, but moderating the process during which participants present writing suggestions and ask clarification questions, partially...
Voting on a Verdict
Materials: Two charts of voting outcomes (see annex), a lot of small notes of equal size to serve as ballots, two flipchart papers to record the voting results Exercise...
Violence Barometer
Exercise description Suggested statements for the barometer: If I felt under threat, I would use violence in such circumstances. Better violence than cowardice. A victim can be the perpetrator of...
Violence According to Galtung, Structural and Cultural Violence
Read more: Kobe jstor
Uncomfortable Chairs*
Exercise description All the participants receive a card with one of the following instructions: “Put all the chairs in a circle. You have 10 minutes to complete the task.” “Put...
Twenty Minutes of Blindness
Materials: Blindfolds for all participants (scarves, kerchiefs) Exercise description Slowly and clearly read the instructions: “The whole group will spend 20 minutes doing as they please. You can go...
Training Motivation
Going around in a circle, each person answers the questions: Why did you decide to attend this training? What attracted you and motivated you?
Tower
Materials: A few pairs of scissors and sticky tape, old newspapers or used flipchart paper Exercise description The participants split into groups of four or five people. All the groups...
Three Events that Affected My Engagement
A timeline is drawn on the board or flipchart representing three periods: before the war; during the war; after the war. For each of the three periods, each participant writes...
This Picture Speaks about Me
The collection of postcards and photographs is placed in the centre of the circle. Everyone has a few minutes to look through them and pick one that speaks about them...
Third Time*
Materials: A lot of newspapers, 10 rolls of sticky tape or masking tape, paper, pencils Exercise description Introductory directions: “Find a pair for this experiential exercise, which is challenging and...
Theoretical Summary: Principles of Nonviolent Communication
Materials: Flipchart Exercise description The trainer briefly introduces the principles of nonviolent communication and various techniques (I-speech, active listening, open-ended questions). After the presentation, a handout should be distributed...
The Media Image of the Past
Materials: Different daily newspapers and political magazines from the region, Flipchart paper, scissors, glue Exercise description Split into three groups. Each group gets a few different dailies and political...
The Heroes 2
Subject: Personal heroes. Participants work individually and write down who their heroes were during childhood and who they are now. . They split into small groups (made up of people...
The Heroes
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into small groups based on nationality: Albanians, Serbs, Croats, Bosniaks, Macedonians, etc. Each group should make a list of the...
Targets
Materials: A big paper with targets drawn on it, felt-tips or small stickers Exercise description Draw targets on the big pieces of paper beforehand (see image). Above each target...
Taboos
Materials: Flipchart paper, marker Exercise description The whole group works together to produce a wall newspaper about: “What taboos are present in our society about the violent past?” This...
Suggestions for the Next Training
Materials: Big paper, felt-tips Exercise description Write the words “less”, “more” or “the same” on three separate sheets of paper. Participants have the task of writing down on these...
Strengths and Weaknesses in Ways of Decision Making
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into four small groups. Each group is assigned one way of decision making: compromise, consensus, voting and “follow the leader”. The task is...
Squares, Dots
Materials: Coloured stickers of different colours (squares, dots, etc.) Exercise description Every participant gets a sticker on his/her forehead without seeing what the sticker is. For example, seven...
Social Groups, Power and Privilege
Materials: Large pieces of paper, felt-tips Exercise description Step 1. In plenary put together a wall newspaper on the topic of “Which social groups have more power in our...
Situations When I Had Power
Materials: Large piece of paper, markers Exercise description Divide into small groups. Topics for discussion: ͳ A situation when you had power and how you felt about it. ͳ...
Similarities and Differences 2*
Materials: Worksheets, pencils Exercise description The participants are given copies of the worksheet with the following questions: Three things I like Three things I don’t like ͳ Three things we...
Similarities and Differences
Exercise description The participants fill out the worksheet (15 minutes) with the following questions: Three things that I have in common with the rest of the group; Three things that...
Shame and Pride in the Narratives of My Society
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into small groups based on ethnicity. The task is to prepare wall newspapers about: “Shame in the Narratives of My Society” and “Pride...
Second Glance
Exercise description Step 1: View of the conflict from the perspective of group A – others speaking Place two chairs in front of the others and invite two people who...
Rotating Triplets of Peace Activism
Exercise description Type of exercise: Rotating Triplets Possible questions: How would you describe the work in your organisation to your neighbour (someone who knows nothing about it)? What is...
Reconciliation Has Arrived!
Materials: Multicoloured post-its, pencils, Flipchart paper Exercise description Everyone gets a few multicoloured post-its (have extra post-its on hand if needed). The task is to imagine that reconciliation has...
Reconciliation Fishbowl
Exercise description The fishbowl method is described in detail at the beginning of this section on p. 65. There are four chairs in the fishbowl. They are taken by...
Reconciliation Barometer
Exercise description Method barometar Suggestions of issues: Nation building is part of the reconciliation process. Recognising that an injustice has been committed and apologising are preconditions for reconciliation. Prosecuting war...
Reconciliation and Me
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Flipchart papers are laid out on the floor, each with one of the following questions: What is my biggest challenge in reconciliation? With...
Quick Situations (A version for war veterans)
Exercise description This exercise unfolds the same way as the Quick Situations exercise but this one is specifically tailored to groups of war veterans. You get a call from an...
Quick Situations
Exercise description Read out a scenario (that simply demands a response) and ask the question: “What do you do?” The participants share their ideas about possible reactions. The goal isn’t...
Questions I’m Not Supposed to Ask
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into groups according to the participants’ home countries. The task is to prepare a wall newspaper about “Questions I’m not supposed to...
Questions and Dilemmas I Am Trying to Solve
Flipchart papers are placed on the floor. The participants write their questions and/or dilemmas on them (relevant to the topic of the training). After ten minutes or so, someone from...
Pros and Cons
Materials: Large pieces of paper, markers Exercise description Division into small three groups. Step 1. Question: What would those who are against these kinds of meetings say to us? List...
Presidential Elections
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description The participants split into two groups: the “candidates” (five or six persons) and the “voters”. The candidates have two to three minutes to come...
Prejudice against Me and My Prejudice
Exercise description Divide the participants into small groups to discuss two topics. Prejudice against me: Each of the participants describes to their group an experience when someone treated them with...
Prejudice about Ethnic/National Groups
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Step One (prejudice about your own group): The participants split into groups according to ethnicity. Each group should write on the wall newspaper...
Plenary Presentations with Started Sentences
Everyone sits in a circle. The started sentences are displayed so everyone can see them. One by one, each person introduces themselves in plenary and completes the started sentences: ͳ...
Planning Work on Peacebuilding in the Local Community
Materials: A few copies of the handout, a large piece of paper, markers Exercise description Step 1. Three participants from different communities are given a task beforehand (a few days)...
Planet
Materials: Paper, pencils Exercise description Check that everyone has a paper and pencil and then slowly and clearly read the background story at least twice. Story: “A new planet has...
Places that are Important to Me (The Map)
A map of the former Yugoslavia, Europe or the world (it can be a geographic map, road map or just contours drawn on flipchart paper) is put up on the...
Peacebuilding Priorities in Different Countries
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split based on the countries they come from. Their task is to define the priorities of peacebuilding in their countries. They...
Peacebuilding and Me
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers, felt-tip pens Exercise description Everyone thinks about the following questions on their own: “Things that confuse and annoy me the most about peacebuilding. What don’t...
Past, Future
Materials: Paper, felt-tip pens Exercise description Task: Pair up. 1) Think of at least three to five important moments in your relationship to peacebuilding so far. Write each on...
Participants’ Expectations
Hand out the different coloured post-its. Give the participants a few minutes to write down their answers to the following questions: - What do I expect from this training? -...
Oral Evaluation of the Training
Exercise description In the plenary, sitting in a circle, people take turns giving their evaluation of the training. For directions, write out guiding questions. What did you receive from this...
Opening the Fist*
Exercise description Divide participants into pairs. Person A in the pair has a clenched fist and person B has the task of opening the other person’s fist. Then the roles...
Open Space
This exercise enables the participants to create the content of the workshop. During the previous day, tell the participants to think about a topic or issue they want to discuss,...
Open Nights
The Open Nights are conceived of as an additional opportunity for team work outside of the planned thematic part of the training. Open Nights have become a significant segment of...
One Word
Materials: Big paper, felt-tips Exercise description A large piece of paper is placed on the floor. Participants have to think of a single word that would describe the training...
One of My Needs
Exercise description Everyone stands in a circle and everyone has the opportunity to express one of the needs that they have in terms of the group.
News from the Future
Materials: “News from the Future” prepared in advance Exercise description Read out the following three pieces of “news from the future”: 1. The Association of BiH Army Veterans welcomed...
National Identity Questionnaire
Materials: Printout of the questionnaire for all the participants. Exercise description All participants are given a copy of the questionnaire. The trainer asks the participants to think back and...
National Identity and Other Identities
Materials: Papers with a circle drawn on them, felt-tip pens Exercise description Everyone gets a paper with a circle drawn on it. The task is to make an identity “pie-chart”....
My Three Identities
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Everyone writes down a few of their identities and then chooses three to read out loud. Then one person stands up and reads...
My Safe Space
Materials: Paper, coloured Paper, felt-tip pens, crayons, magazines, glue, scissors, etc. Exercise description Everyone works independently on a drawing or a collage about “My Safe Space”. The collages are...
My Path Up to Here
On a blank sheet of paper, everyone draws an arrow that illustrates the course of their life, “my path up to here”, and marks important events on this timeline. Time...
My Name Means
Each person in the circle says their name and what it means.
My Name
Each person in the circle says their name and tells a story about it: what it means, how it was given to them, who gave it to them etc.
My Foreign Friend
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers, felt-tip pens Exercise description Determine categories beforehand and write them out as titles on flipchart papers/wall newspapers. Examples of categories: my friend from another region, my...
My Definition of Peace
Materials: Different coloured paper, felt-tip pens Exercise description Everyone in the group writes their definition of peace on a different coloured piece of paper. Then a “colourful sea” of...
My Contribution to Reconciliation
Exercise description The task is for each participant to say what they see as their contribution to reconciliation, taking turns around the circle. Before they start, they should be given...
My Attitude to Conflict
Materials: Paper, felt-tip pens Exercise description Ask the participants to write down three associations about conflict, one per piece of paper. Then the papers are laid out on the floor...
Musical Chairs
Materials: Chairs, a music-playing device, flipchart paper, marker, multicoloured paper Exercise description A few days beforehand, the participants are split into four groups. The training team makes a list...
Multicoloured Eyes
Type of exercise: Multicoloured barometer Exercise description Materials: Coloured paper, papers with statements prepared beforehand A few sets of papers are prepared beforehand, each with a statement/sentence. The papers should...
Method Barometer
Prepare statements beforehand based on the topic. Determine two “poles” (end positions) in the room: for instance, one wall can stand for one pole (strong agreement with a statement) and...
Memorialisation: Monuments 2
Materials: Photographs of monuments, flipchart paper, marker Exercise description Step1. In smaller groups, start a discussion about the function of existing forms of memorialisation. Prepare a wall newspaper about: “What...
Memorialisation: Monuments
Materials: Photographs of monuments, flipchart paper, marker Exercise description Step1. Prepare wall newspapers in the plenary about: “What are monuments for? What is their purpose? Who do we make...
Mapping the Patriarchy and Militarism
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into two groups. One group is to map the patriarchy and the other is to map militarism in our societies. They should...
Magazine Analysis
Materials: Daily newspapers, weeklies, magazines Exercise description Split into three groups: one “female”, one “male” and one “mixed”. Work in groups. Instructions for the working groups: “Your task is...
Let Me Tell You a Picture
Materials: A picture with a lot of details Exercise description The participants split into three groups. A volunteer from each group leaves the room. The trainer shows the volunteers...
Let Me Introduce You
The participants split into pairs. Everyone tells their partner some information about themselves. The other person listens carefully and tries to commit this information to memory. They then switch roles....
Let Me Introduce Myself
Everyone takes a sheet of paper. They write their name in the middle. Then they write: in the upper left corner: how I feel at the moment in the upper...
Left and Right Hand Signatures
Exercise description Paper and pencils are distributed to the participants and they are asked to sign their name. Then they are supposed to use one word to describe how it...
Leadership Barometer
Exercise description The barometer method Go through three to five statements. Suggested statements for the barometer: A leader must be a figure of authority. Any complex task requires...
Large Barometer: What Is/Is Not Ethical?
Materials: Prepared papers with statements (see exercise description) The large barometer method Exercise description The poles of the barometer are “Is ethical” and “Is not ethical”. Some situations...
Large Barometer: What Does (Not) Contribute to Dealing with the Past?
Materials: Prepared papers with statements (see exercise description) Exercise description The large barometer method The poles for the barometer are: “Contributes to dealing with the past” and “Does not...
Large barometer: Peacebuilding
Materials: Prepared pieces of paper with statements (see exercise description) The large barometer method. The poles of the barometer are “Is peacebuilding” and “Is not peacebuilding”. Some statements and social...
Large Barometer
The Large Barometer uses a larger number of statements (20–40) – at least as many as there are participants and up to twice as many. It is important that the...
Labyrinth of reconciliation
Divided in groups of 5-6, participants receive 20-30 notions written on paper strips, that ought to be categorized whether they belong to the reconciliation process and if not, explain why...
Labyrinth
Materials: Blindfolds, chairs Exercise description Divide into small groups of six or seven people. In each group, one person wears a blindfold. Using chairs, the others make a small...
Justice, Forgiveness, Truth, Reconciliation*
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into four small groups: justice, forgiveness, truth, and reconciliation. The groups discuss and prepare a presentation about: “Why are you...
Journal
Materials: Notebook, pencil The journal is a notebook that is always in the workshop room. Participants and trainers can write their thoughts in the notebook, as well as messages that...
Jigsaw Puzzle*
Exercise description The participants split into groups of five (the remaining participants can be observers). Everyone stays in the same room, but the groups sit in separate circles. It would...
Insider/Outsider*
Exercise description The participants split into two groups of roughly the same size. One group should be asked to leave the room until they are invited back inside. The trainer...
Identity Barometer
Exercise description The barometer method Suggested statements for the barometer: I am a patriot. I have a better understanding with people of my religion. Conflicts are inevitable among people of...
Iceberg
Materials: Flipchart paper, felt-tip pens, markers Exercise description The trainer introduces the meaning of the term “iceberg”. The iceberg is a symbolic representation of what we show and what we...
I’m Sorry…
Materials: Chairs Exercise description The hot seats method The person sitting in the hot seat in the middle tells their story about “I’m sorry that...” which is related to...
I Will… / I Need…
Materials: Different coloured post-its, pencils Exercise description Distribute several post-its in various colours to participants. Participants should think about what they have gained from the training, what they have...
I Will Remember
Materials: Several large pieces of paper, felt-tip pens Exercise description Use several large flipchart papers to make a “path” long enough so that several people can approach it at...
I Compete When…
Materials: Flipchart paper, pens Exercise description Split into three groups. Each group is tasked with preparing a wall newspaper about one of the following topics: - I compete when... -...
How We’re Mutually Connected
Exercise description One person stands in the middle of the room and invites someone from the group to briefly explain what connects them. Both persons now remain in the middle...
How the war marked my life
Materials: Chairs The hot seats method Use the hot seats method. The task is to use the item they have selected and brought along to tell their story about...
How I See Peacebuilding
Exercise description Split into smaller groups. Questions for discussion and preparing a presentation: What is peacebuilding for me? Values we connect to peacebuilding. Reasons why peacebuilding is relevant/ needed in...
How Do I See the Next Five Years of My Life?
Materials: Paper, felt-tip pens, colouring pencils Exercise description Everyone should think for themselves about where they see themselves in the next five years and then make a graphic representation...
Hotels
Exercise description Task: “You are in the role of participants in peacebuilding training. Your task is to decide where the next stage of the training will be held. The training...
Hot Seats
The chairs are arranged into a horseshoe. Three chairs are set apart as “hot seats” so that everyone sitting in the horseshoe can see them well (see illustration). The only...
Fulfilled and Unfulfilled Expectations
Materials: Big paper, felt-tips Exercise description This exercise can be done if at the beginning of the training the participants wrote down their expectations for the training. Draw a...
Four Colours, Drawing Exercise
Materials: 4 flipchart papers; felt-tip pens, colouring pencils or crayons; questionnaire printout for each participant Exercise description Split into small groups of four. The participants pick a colour (crayons, felt-tip...
Fishbowl: Agreement on Working Together
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Fishbowl Method Step 1 – Split into three groups. Each group prepares a proposal for an agreement on working together. Each group chooses two...
Fishbowl
The Fishbowlis a method for discussing a topic or making a decision. The participants sit in a circle with four to six chairs placed in the middle of the circle...
First Round
Materials: Chairs Exercise description The chairs are set up in two concentric circles, so that each chair in the inner circle faces a chair in the outer circle (see...
Finishing Sentences
Materials: Big paper, felt-tips Exercise description Big pieces of paper are everywhere on the ground and there is a sentence that has been started on each of them. Participants...
Family Narratives
Exercise description Everyone has ten minutes to think about and note down an outline of narratives they heard in their family about the Second World War and the wars...
Exploring Expectations: Tree of Expectations
Distribute the post-its. Give the participants a few minutes to write down their answers to the following questions: ͳ What would I like to see happen in this training? (on...
Exploring Expectations: Travel Bag
The participants draw a travel bag on the paper. They divide it into two equal parts. In one part they list What I brought to this training and in the...
Expectations From Peace Activists
Materials: Paper, pencils Exercise description This exercise may be carried out together with the exercise Criteria for Activists (“Dub” Island), or independently from it. Version 1: A piece of paper...
Exercise with Tasks*
Materials: Prepared envelopes with tasks, Paper, pencils, Flipchart paper, markers, other Exercise description The participants are given envelopes containing descriptions of tasks. The tasks are different and there is...
Exercise with Tasks (2)
Materials: Prepared envelopes with tasks, Paper, pencils, Flipchart paper, markers, other Exercise description There are 18 tasks in the workroom, one for each participant. The participants should find their...
Enemy images 2
Split into three smaller groups: The participants discuss: Who are the enemies in our societies, who are the “others”? What are images of the enemy used for? Who constructs these...
Enemy images
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into groups according to the participant’s home country/region. Step 1. The participants are instructed to list the groups their environment presented as enemies...
Elephant Walk
Materials: Blindfolds, tables, chairs, textiles, other props Exercise description Before the workshop, ask participants to bring something to the workshop that they can use as a blindfold (a scarf,...
Drawing on Your Neighbour’s Back
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Everyone stands in a circle and turns sideways so that they are looking at the back of the person next to them. One...
Drawing by Instruction
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Everyone gets a sheet of paper and pencil. The trainer gives instructions for drawing geometric shapes that will make up a concrete drawing....
Drawing Battle
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Everyone splits up into pairs of person A and person B. The participants are asked not to talk during the exercise. All the A...
Documentary from the Series on Simulated Dialogue
Materials: Equipment to show and watch the film Exercise description The documentary series Simulated Dialogue* establishes indirect dialogue between people from the Balkans. Each of the films deals with the...
Developing Ideas About Peace/Nonviolent Activism 2
Exercise description Divide the participants into smaller groups. Participants develop the idea and plan how to implement peace activities using a catalogue of questions as a basis. Then they present...
Developing Ideas About Peace/Nonviolent Activism
Materials: A few copies of the questionnaire, a large piece of paper, markers Exercise description Divide the participants into smaller groups. Each group should talk through ideas for peace...
Denial, Justification, Truth Seeking
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into three smaller groups, each of which is to work on a wall newspaper addressing one of the following types...
Definitions of Conflict
Materials: Paper/card, multiple sheets for each participant Exercise description The participants take one or more cards and legibly write out their answer to the question: “What is conflict?” They write...
Definition of Violence
Materials: Paper and pencils Exercise description Split into pairs or threes. Each pair or group of three is to come up with their definition of violence. The definitions are...
Decision Making Model
Exercise description Split into two groups. In both groups one to two people have the role of observers of the decision- making process (volunteers). The groups are given the task...
Dealing with the Past in My Society
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into groups based on the countries they come from. Their task is to prepare a presentation on the state of...
Dealing with the Past Fishbowl
Exercise description The fishbowl method is described in detail at the beginning of this section on p. 65. There are four chairs in the fishbowl: three are taken up...
Dealing with the Past Barometer
Exercise description Barometer method Suggestions of issues: There is no such thing as collective responsibility. It would be best for international tribunals to prosecute war crimes. We must not...
Cutting Paper
Materials: Large paper and scissors Exercise description Call for volunteers who want to participate in the exercise, a total of seven people. Their task is to first think...
Culture of Memory Before and After the 1990s
Materials: Flipchart paper, marker Exercise description Plenary discussion about characteristics of the culture of memory before the 1990s and after the wars. One member of the training team writes...
Creating a Certificate
Materials: Coloured paper, pencils, small pieces of paper with the names of everyone written on them, “hat” Exercise description Write the names of everyone present beforehand on small pieces...
Cooperation Agreement
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Participants give suggestions for terms of the Cooperation Agreement. Someone from the training team writes these down so everyone can see them. If...
Conflict Barometer
Exercise description The barometer method Suggested statements for the barometer: Every conflict is bad. Conflict is the same as violence. You should show your emotions in a conflict. The victim...
Conflict and Modelling Clay
Materials: Modelling clay Exercise description The participants use modelling clay and plasticine to make a sculpture about conflict. An exhibition of sculptures is set up where everyone presents their work....
Come and Go
Exercise description Participants are divided into two groups – group A and group B. The groups line up to face each other with a few metres between the lines so...
Collective Narratives About the 1990s Wars
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into smaller groups based on the countries they come from. Their task is to make a wall newspaper with the...
Choosing the King/Queen of the Group
Materials: Post-its, pencils, chair Exercise description Instructions: You have unlimited time to pick one of you to be the king/queen of the group, but without talking. Evaluation Suggested...
Change!
Exercise description If it is a large group, divide it into two smaller groups. The group stands in a circle. One person is the “initiator”. The initiator steps into the...
Chair Statues About Power
Materials: 6–7 chairs Exercise description Exercise description Instructions: The task is to use six or seven chairs to construct a statue that symbolises power. After the first person constructs...
Chair Statues About “The Power of Nonviolence”
Materials: 6–7 chairs Exercise description Exercise description Instructions: The task is to use six or seven chairs to construct a statue that symbolises the power of nonviolence. After the...
Centipede*
Materials: Chairs or other items to serve as obstacles Exercise description The participants split into two groups. Each group forms a “centipede”: They stand in a column, eyes closed, with...
Brainstorming
The task is to list them on the board of the association on a certain topic. Associations are recorded without comment and discussion, and the facilitator may request a brief...
Box
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description The participants split into men and women. Each group gets a flipchart paper with a rectangle drawn in the middle symbolising the “box”...
Blind Following*
Materials: Blindfolds (scarves, kerchiefs, etc.) Exercise description Before the workshop, ask participants to bring something to the workshop that they can use as a blindfold (a scarf, kerchief, T-shirt,...
Better Understanding
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Split into four groups. Group discussions about: “What contributes to better understanding and constructive dialogue? Which modes of communication shut down dialogue and...
Auction
Materials: “Paintings”, “Points” Exercise description The participants split into three groups. Each group is given the task of buying as many paintings at the auction as they can. The bidding...
Associations: Prejudice and Discrimination
Materials: Post-its, Flipchart paper, pencils Exercise description For this exercise, you need to prepare a dozen terms denoting different social groups. For example: religious persons, soldiers, feminists, fundamentalists, female...
Assigning Identity
Exercise description Everyone writes down five of their identity markers on a piece of paper so others can’t see. Then the participants split into three groups. Each group is given...
Analysing Behaviour in Conflict Using a Chart
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers, prepared conflict behaviour analysis charts Exercise description The participants fill out the chart in small groups. They give presentations in the plenary, followed by a discussion....
Alternatives
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Step 1. Brainstorming in the plenary: “How would you describe the situation in your societies?” Then we mark the notes that describe what...
Action Pillars*
Materials: Large pieces of paper, markers, “action pillars” model Exercise description The participants are divided into three groups. The groups are given the task of choosing a specific social...
A Pebble for a Present
Materials: Pebbles Exercise description The morning or evening before the exercise, ask participants to go for a short walk, alone or with company, and to each find one pebble that...
A Fair Attitude to the Past?
Materials: Flipchart paper, markers Exercise description Step1. Split into smaller groups based on nationality, ethnicity or religion. Each group is tasked with making a wall newspaper on: “What would...
5 Minutes of Silence
Exercise description Everyone sits in a circle in silence. Their task is to listen to the sounds in the room and coming in from outside. After five minutes, the participants...
3 + 2 Identities
Materials: Small papers of different colours, pencils Exercise description The participantssitina circle.Everyonegetsthreepapers(notes) of one colour and two of another colour. They are told to write three of their identities on...
“Power” Barometer
Materials: Large piece of paper, markers Exercise description Barometer method Suggestions of issues: Power is a negative attribute. Everyone wants power. I am powerful. Power can always be abused...
“Nonviolence” Barometer
Method Barometar Exercise description Suggestions of issues: You should approach your adversary with trust. Nonviolence does not take advantage of the adversary’s weaknesses. Nonviolence yields results only if the...
“Little Red Riding Hood” Story
Materials: "Little Red Riding Hood” from the wolf’s perspective “Little Red Riding Hood” Story Exercise description In the plenary, read this version of “Little Red Riding Hood”, which is...