Author: Goldin Institute

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has made a distinction between ‘recruitment’ and ‘choice’ by many children ending up as armed combatants, especially in regions like the eastern DRC. Of course, as this article points out, ‘choice’ has to be severely qualified when it comes to children being aware of ‘informed consent’.  But the… Continue reading ICRC Points to Effectiveness of Psycho-Social Training

The organization that met with much scrutiny for its Kony 2012 campaign to raise awareness of the horrors of the LRA and child soldiers in Uganda, has announced that it will be ending their US operations in 2015. This interview in GOOD Magazine offers a balanced perspective with one of the founders of the organization… Continue reading Invisible Children and its longer-term effectiveness

Like many of his colleagues, Father Leonel Narvaez, the Co-Founder and President of the Colombian peace-building organization Fundación para la Reconciliación (Foundation for Reconciliation), has a gift for weaving anecdotes throughout his presentations and sermons. Here in Izcalli, Mexico, at the Fourth International Meeting of the Fundación’s Escuelas de Perdón & Reconciliación, (The “Schools for… Continue reading Fr. Leonel Delivers Powerful Keynote Promoting Forgiveness

First of its kind museum in the midwest celebrates the rich history of Haitian culture and the arts We recently made a visit to the Haitian American Museum of Chicago (HAMOC) to coincide with their second anniversary. This was a significant milestone for Founder Elsie Hernandez, and also for the City of Chicago, as her… Continue reading Visit to Haitian Art Museum of Chicago

Forgiveness and Care Conference Mexico City Nov. 21 – 22, 2014 Our Global Associate Lissette Mateus Roa helped to coordinate this first of its kind conference to bring together an international audience exploring the successes and challenges to the ESPERE methodology for forgiveness and reconciliation pioneered in Colombia. In addition to Lissette, the Goldin Institute was represented… Continue reading Colombian Global Associate and Partners Expand Peace Initiative

We couldn’t agree more with this Ugandan New Vision report, in which Makerere University dean Daniel Ruhweza calls for a government – led national policy on peace and reconciliation, stating: [quote]… A clear national framework would act as an impetus to the promotion of nation cohesion and healing process.[/quote] The kind of national framework for… Continue reading Calls for a national peace and reconciliation policy in Uganda

Paul Fallon, an American architect from Boston, tells his story about being pulled into the rebuilding of Haiti – literally by his involvement in the planning and construction of an orphanage. This orphanage was built in part as a remembrance to a friend’s daughter who perished in the 2010 Earthquake while doing aide work with… Continue reading Lessons learned in Haiti

We were excited to announce our participation at the Princeton University Poverty and Peacemaking conference in our last newsletter.   The highlight of this event was the appearance of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama at the conference.  Our colleague and former project partner, Professor Matthew Weiner organized the weeklong event that culminated in a… Continue reading Colleague hosts Dalai Lama at Princeton

Sadly, but not unexpectedly, the Islamic State (ISIS) has begun to recruit children as young as 13 to become armed combatants on their behalf. Many sources have reported on this development, including the BBC, with this excellent piece which includes both video and direct interviews with children recently recruited by ISIS.  We will continue to… Continue reading New Child Soldier Recruitment in Middle-East

We have been following this week the proceedings out of New York and the hearing held in U.S. District Court yesterday. The official press release from our colleagues at IJDH includes this statement from Mario Joseph, making a clear and simple case for victim’s rights and why the UN’s claim of immunity doesn’t stand to… Continue reading Day in Court for Cholera victims arrives