The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding takes the approach of addressing conflict and violence with a continuum of prevention, intervention and restorative strategies involving the general public, youth and adult populations, including those healing from the otherwise lasting impact of trauma.
Up and Coming Events for a New Year, a New Day, and a New You!
Participants will learn the philosophy and applications of RJ and how to create and facilitate RJ Circles. RJ is a process that moves us from a punitive model of justice to a process that promotes healing, connection, and accountability through respect and community engagement. It is an evidence-based practice that seeks to restore and repair harm by bringing together those directly or indirectly impacted by a specific conflict, offense, crime, or incident.
We encourage participants from all community and professional sectors, as well as those who are interested in developing their ability to address conflict and harm in their own lives more constructively to please join us.
During a Restorative Circle, everyone who has been impacted by the incident has the opportunity to speak about what happened, how they have been impacted, what steps can be taken to repair the harm and what ideas and actions will help to prevent it from occurring again.
RJ is not just for crime, it can be used to address issues in schools, the workplace, neighborhoods, and within families and other relationships.
Solution-Focused Conflict Coaching Eight-Week Virtual Series
Discover the art of supporting people in conflict to enhance clarity within themselves and foster healthy relationships with others.
Thursday evening, February 8, 2024 at 6:30 - 8:30 PM EST
repeating the same time every
Thursday evening through March 28, 2024.
This Series draws upon a variety of conflict resolution models and practices to support and empower individuals through a coaching process to engage in conflict dynamics more constructively on their own.
For More Information or to Register, CLICK HERE!
Learn to be a conflict coach because YOU CAN take meaningful action to transform conflict in your life and the lives of others. YOU CAN help make challenging situations better for yourself and others. YOU CAN find peaceful and constructive ways of addressing issues.
Join us amidst the natural beauty of the Florida Countryside for our residential immersion as we dive deeply into the wonderful world of peacebuilding.
Friday Evening, May 17 thru Sunday Morning, May 26, 2024
SUNRISE RECENT PAST PARTICIPANTS SWIMMING POOL LAKE (no swimming)
The RPCP Community Peacebuilder Immersion is a deep dive into educating the mind, expanding the heart and engaging the soul in the universal principles and best practices of peacebuilding. Participants will emerge from this training with deeper understanding, confidence and competence that will allow them to access their inner peace as needed, as well as facilitate peaceful outcomes in their circles of influence and larger communities.
Participants will be guided through conversations, experiential activities and processes that will empower them to be practitioners and advocates of peacebuilding principles and have a firm foundation for facilitating restorative conversations and community dialogues.
For More Information, CLICK HERE! or email us at info@centerforpeacebuilding.org
Jeffrey has returned from Uganda!!!
Update on our Work in Uganda at BidiBidi Refugee Settlement Dec. 2023
Jeffrey Weisberg has just arrived home from Uganda where he continued the training program primarily focusing on the two most vital peacebuilding strategies of dialogue and restorative justice (RJ).
This second trip highlighted additional resources for the Train the Trainer team by strengthening their abilities to deliver the program to a wide variety of participants. Over the past nine months, they have actively organized community dialogues and RJ circles in the camps putting into practice the skills and knowledge they acquired in the Spring of 2023 as well as participating in virtual learning sessions with the RPCP team back in the United States.
They moved forward in December, honing their skills to be able to become trainers themselves sometime in 2024 when we will return to Uganda once again for additional practice and to receive their Certificates of Completion of the courses.
Our partnership with Mansuk Milton and Muresuk Joseph has been the glue that has created the cohesion of the group and their learning.
In addition to Restorative Justice (RJ) and Dialogue, the following programs will be practiced:
Self-Care and Resilience + Community Engagement
Emotional Intelligence + Building Trust & Collaboration
Resilience and Self-Care + Conflict Resolution Strategies
Communication and Active Listening + Stress Management
Mediation & Negotiation + Conflict Transformation
Team Building & Management + Non-Violent Communication
Cross-Cultural Understanding + Conflict Sensitivity & Inclusion
Trauma-Informed Techniques/Leadership + Conflict Analysis
“Our quest for exploring lasting solutions and navigating peacebuilding is unquenchable. Thank you so much Mansuk Milton and Jeffrey Weisberg for your in-person training and compassionate heart in encouraging and helping us create a peaceful community. I pray and hope that we will celebrate a great victory in South Sudan someday. There is great hope for South Sudan!” Victor Lodu 12/23
Update on the Situation in Ukraine - November 2023
There's a growing sentiment among Ukrainians of being forgotten by the global community. As their plight fades from international headlines, the reality of their struggle becomes increasingly invisible, though no less severe. The need for support is as critical now as it was at the onset of the conflict.
At the River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding (RPCP), we are acutely aware of these challenges. We continue to assess the evolving situation and offer crucial support on the ground. Our efforts and plans for the future include:
Providing Coaching and Psychological Support: Recognizing the widespread impact of trauma, RPCP offers specialized coaching on Trauma Resilience to those most affected, including first responders and peacebuilders.
Community Reconciliation Programs: In response to the deep societal divisions, we are developing community reconciliation programs aimed at bridging divides and fostering mutual understanding.
Peace Education Initiatives: To counteract the effects of propaganda and misinformation, RPCP is working on creating peace education initiatives, equipping individuals and communities with the tools to discern truth and promote harmony.
Advocacy and Awareness Campaigns: We are intensifying our advocacy efforts to bring global attention back to the war in Ukraine, highlighting the ongoing needs and resilience of its people. The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding remains dedicated to its mission of peace and reconciliation. As Ukrainians face these daunting challenges, our support and solidarity with them continue with renewed vigor and commitment.
As Ukraine approaches the second anniversary of the full-scale invasion in February 2024, the nation remains entrenched in conflict. Despite the passage of time, the fighting has persisted without pause, deeply impacting the lives of its citizens. The relentless shelling and bombing have left people both physically and emotionally exhausted. With the return of the cold season, there is a heightened sense of anxiety as Ukrainians brace for potential attacks on their energy infrastructure. The toll of this prolonged conflict extends beyond physical damage. Many Ukrainians, including those on the frontlines of peacebuilding efforts, are grappling with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Emotional fatigue is particularly acute among first responders and peacebuilders who tirelessly work to mend the deep societal rifts exacerbated by polarization and the influence of Russian propaganda.
The River Phoenix Center for Peacebuilding remains dedicated to its mission of peace and reconciliation. As Ukrainians face these daunting challenges, our support and solidarity with them continue with renewed vigor and commitment.
Conflict Solution Hub
The Conflict Solution Hub will provide affordable effective conflict resolution services to individuals, families and communities. Our services aim to empower community residents to foster deeper connections, communicate effectively, repair harm, and collaborate toward positive solutions. More broadly, these services are intended to not only positively impact those directly involved but also actively contribute to the cultivation of a more peaceful, safe, just, and equitable community. READ MORE!