Partnership Between the Parents Circle Families Forum and the Conflict Resolution Program

Starting last year, The Master of Arts in Conflict Resolution Program, together with the President’s Office and several other faculty at Georgetown have initiated a long-term partnership with the Parents Circle - Families Forum (PCFF). The organization, founded in 1995, is composed of over 500 Palestinian and Israeli bereaved families who have lost family members to the conflict. The members are actively involved in dialogue, peacebuilding and reconciliation work across the conflict divide. President DeGioia of Georgetown has expressed strong support for their work, and the Conflict Resolution Program has developed an ongoing collaboration with the PCFF consisting of a number of site visits and exchanges.

As part of the on-going partnership, from October 29-31, 2008, Georgetown hosted nine members of the organization for a three-day capacity building session. This event was designed to assist the organization in developing additional programs and building skills to advance their work in promoting peace and reconciliation between communities in Israel and Palestine.

A number of activities are planned in the future such as joint research and further capacity building in reconciliation work, collecting narratives, managing trauma, and advanced negotiation skills.

As part of the partnership, Robi Damelin of the PCFF, was selected as one of Ode Magazine's Leading Intelligent Optimists/Change Agents. Ode asked celebrated activists, artists, business people, politicians and thought leaders to pick their favorite Intelligent Optimists, individuals who aren't famous yet but should be because of the work they're doing to bring positive change to their communities, their countries and the world.

Robi Damelin: Circle of parents, circle of peace

Ode reader and conflict resolution expert Craig Zelizer, Associate Director of the Georgetown Conflict Resolution Graduate Program, nominated Robi Damelin for her work at advocating peace in Israel and comforting parents who have lost children to war.

Robi Damelin emigrated to Tel Aviv from South Africa in 1967. A sniper killed her son David while he was on military reserve duty in March of 2002. David was 28 years old and studying for a master’s degree in the philosophy of education at Tel Aviv University. He strongly believed that through education, he could make a difference in Israel. After David’s death, Robi felt a burning need to do something to try to prevent other parents from experiencing the dreadful pain of losing a child. She closed her successful public relations firm to devote her time and energy to The Parents Circle, a non-profit organization for bereaved Palestinians and Israelis that promotes reconciliation as an alternative to hatred and revenge. By holding workshops, summer camps and events like the Tears of Peace campaign, the organization hopes to persuade families in Israel, Palestine and Lebanon to lay down their hatchets and realize war only creates more pain. When it comes to war, Robi says on The Parents Circle’s website, “There is no winner, only a greater ­collection of broken hearts.”