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Conflict Resolution Morocco

Bridging the East & West through the Salaam Fellowship

The following is an interview with 2019 Salaam Fellow Muhammad El Metmari and is based on his experience during the Salaam Fellowship for Conflict Resolution.  How important do you think it is to engage in cross-cultural exchange and intercultural dialogue, particularly between eastern and western cultures? In a world that is ideologically dominated by a […]

Categories
Conflict Resolution Morocco

Reflections on the Salaam Fellowship

The following testimonial is provided by John Chappell, a 2019 Salaam Fellow, and is based on his experience in the Salaam Fellowship for Conflict Resolution.   Ever since I participated in the Salaam Fellowship, I have found myself constantly applying the skills I learned. Learning negotiation and conflict resolution skills was an exceptional opportunity to step […]

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Citizen Diplomacy Conflict Resolution

Conflict Is Inevitable. Violence Is Not.

As you read this, there are more than 50 ongoing violent conflicts taking place around the world. Many of these are months-old. Some have been ongoing for years or even decades. Tragically, in America, we’ve seen dozens of mass shootings since the start of 2019, eight of which have been in schools. Beyond America’s borders, mosque […]

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Citizen Diplomacy Conflict Resolution

Strengthening America’s Oldest Friendship

The team at the Open Hands Initiative is excited about the upcoming Salaam Fellowship on Conflict Resolution, which takes place this October in Morocco. Many people ask, why Morocco? At first glance, one might think that its beauty alone was a deciding factor. It is undoubtedly an “Instaworthy” locale–the iconic dunes of the Sahara, walled […]

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Citizen Diplomacy Colombia Public Health

For Whom the Nobel Tolls: The People of Granizal

In our first blog post in this Post-Conflict Colombia & Public Health project series, we shared our hopes for a brighter future in 2016. While the year has indeed been a tumultuous one, in some parts of the world there have been bright spots.

Just weeks ago, the Colombian Congress approved a revised peace accord between the Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, formally ending more than 50 years of armed conflict and earning Colombian President, Juan Manuel Santos, the Nobel Peace Prize.