Healing Through Empathy: Insights from the 2024 International Justice and Peace Conference

July 16, 2024
0 Comments

Healing Through Empathy: Insights from the 2024 International Justice and Peace Conference

By Pechuqui Laurata

The International Justice and Peace Conference (IJPC) brought together participants from Cameroon, across Africa, Europe, and America in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from June 24th to June 30^th, 2024. Organized by Draufsicht Bamenda in collaboration with Baba Tree International, this six-day event aimed to train attendees in the use of non-violent communication (NVC) to resolve personal, familial, and community conflicts.

The event which has been meticulously planned for over three years, opened with Draufsicht’s Project and Communication leads Jato Emmanuel and Sama Mildred, urging participants to engage actively, share ideas, and chart collective actions to foster non-violent communities worldwide.

Certified NVC trainer Samuel Odhiambo who facilitated a session on ‘Needs,’ one of the four pillars of NVC emphasized that universal needs connect us, and the world faces conflict because people often prioritize their needs over others. Facilitator Morris Ervin underscored the importance of staying true to one’s values while allowing others the space to express and meet their needs. These participants found this session particularly enlightening as it opened their eyes to the interconnectedness of human needs and the root causes of conflicts.

Another session focused on “Feelings and Observation”, with Dr. Michael Christie highlights the difficulty of practicing observation without evaluation. Participants, grouped into small teams, practiced distinguishing between observations and requests, gaining insights into how these can lead to conflict. The aim of Dr. Christie’s session was to help attendees understand the nuances of NVC and how to apply it in real-life situations.

Acknowledging Africa’s history of over 400 conflicts post-independence, Dunia Hategekimana and Samuel Odhiambo urged participants to celebrate and respect cultural diversity. This session transitioned into discussions on empathy and self-empathy, where participants shared experiences in both open and closed group settings, facilitating personal healing. Nyamnjoh Veronica, a participant, attested to the healing power of these empathy sessions.

“I came here to gather knowledge to bring inner healing to painful hearts like mine. The empathy sessions have helped me heal, and I have learned how to use NVC and empathy strategies to help others solve conflict and heal back home, especially since I come from a conflict-affected area where people need to heal and move on,” Veronica shared.

Facilitator Leonie Smith appreciated participants’ contributions and highlighted the significance of feelings, which can manifest in behavior, silence, excessive words, and body language. Rev. Coma Clarence Liiwong highlighted that the different sessions made him realize some of the things he needs to adjust in his counselling sessions.

“I have discovered that 60% of what I do in counselling is interpretation and 40% observation. Besides the knowledge and skills I am taking away from this conference, I have gained a deeper understanding of the importance of empathy towards oneself and others. My curiosity has been satisfied, and my expectations have been met,” Rev. Liiwong noted.

For Namnyak Peter Runda, a participant from Tanzania, the cultural night and sessions of mutual appreciation were major highlights.

“The cultural night where we celebrated each other’s cultures and the session where we appreciated each other were my favourites. They helped me understand that our differences are what make us unique, and if we learn to appreciate each other’s beliefs and cultures, we can solve one of Africa’s longstanding issues,” Namnyak remarked.

As the conference concluded, participants were encouraged not only to implement the lessons learned but also to embrace Facilitator Morris’s phrase: “Always stay true to your values and feelings while giving room for others to express and meet their needs. Because it is about the power of love, not the love of power.” The IJPC2024 in Yaoundé has left a lasting impact on its participants, equipping them with the tools to foster non-violent communication and empathy in their communities.

As these participants departed the conference yard , they carried with them not just knowledge and skills but a renewed commitment to fostering peace and understanding in their respective communities. The echoes of IJPC 2024 will undoubtedly resonate far beyond Yaoundé, sowing seeds of non-violent and empathy across the globe.

Posted in

Social