Inter-Country Peace & Conflict Resolution

1. Inter-Country Peace & Conflict Resolution • Rotary District 7950/University of Massachusetts, Boston • Join Resources on • The Forum For Cities in Transition, • an • Inter - Country Peace & Conflict Resolution Project

2. The Forum For Cities in Transition (FCT) • An Initiative of the John Joseph Moakley Chair of Peace and Reconciliation at University of Massachusetts, Boston, USA managed by Professor Padraig O’Malley • Supported by The District 7950 Peace & Conflict Transformation Committee as a resource to Rotary Clubs in the District and beyond

3. The Padraig O’Malley FCT Project • Cities in transition in countries divided by conflict, through mayors, councillors, municipal officials, business people, and representatives of the voluntary and community sector share their issues with other cities in transition in other such countries. They have common problems ranging from policing, garbage collection, housing, road construction, the provision of health and welfare services, to identifying flashpoints and interfaces that trigger violence and having in place mechanisms to control and contain such outbreaks. Through sharing their narratives they can learn from each other and create a dynamic that becomes a catalyst for change. • Through annual conferences which include coaching cities, which experienced similar conflict but emerged from it, undertakings between the cities are worked out to address and find solution to conflict issues.

4. Examples of Cooperation among Cities • Two examples of Undertakings reached at the May 2010 Conference held in Mitrovica, Kosovo: • Derry and Belfast, Northern Ireland, agreed to train as a combined Police Force, Police from Mitrovica North and Mitrovica South, drawing on their experience of integrating their Police Forces after resolution of the Northern Ireland Conflict. • Haifa, Israel agreed to invite a combined youth group from Mitrovica North and South to a seminar on cooperating and working together on a common future in harmony.

5. The Opportunity for Rotary International and Rotary Clubs • As most of the FCT Cities have Rotary Clubs, these Clubs can cooperate and work with their City Administration to support undertakings reached between cities which provides for: • Local Support Projects, and • International (Inter-Country & Multi-Country) Projects including Projects with Rotary Clubs abroad.

6. An Invitation to Rotary Clubs in FCT Cities to Consider Becoming Part of this Initiative & a Thank You to those who already are a part of it! • FCT Cities: Beirut, Belfast, Berlin, Derry-Londonderry, Haifa, Jerusalem, Kaduna, Kirkuk, Mitrovica, Mostar, Nicosia, Ramallah • Rotary Clubs approached/already supporting it: • District 1160: The Rotary Clubs Belfast, Belfast East, Belfast West, Derry, Lisburn, Lagan Valley, North Down, Newtonabbey, Bangor, Newtownards, • District 2481: Rotary Club of Mitrovica • District 2490: Rotary Clubs of Haifa, Haifa, Moriah, Hod-Hacarmel • District 7950: Rotary Clubs of Cohasset, Hingham-Hull, Hyannis, Harwich-Dennis, Nauset (Orleans), Plymouth, Scituate, MA, Weymouth, Yarmouth   

7. Reach within to embrace Humanity and build communities that bridge Continents • For more information on the FCT Program: http://citiesintransition.net/ • For further information or to become part of this Project, contact : Dietrich Bilger, DGN 7950  at: dbrerotary@drbiis.com