In conjunction with the DC-based Association of Haitian Professionals, Senior Program Officer (Training) Nina Sughrue and Senior Program Officer (Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations) Robert Perito conducted a conflict management skills workshop on Saturday February 24, 2007 with Haitian Diaspora professionals from the Washington DC and New York metropolitan areas.
In conjunction with the DC-based Association of Haitian Professionals, Senior Program Officer (Training) Nina Sughrue and Senior Program Officer (Post-Conflict Peace and Stability Operations) Robert Perito conducted a conflict management skills workshop on Saturday February 24, 2007 with Haitian Diaspora professionals from the Washington DC and New York metropolitan areas.
The session opened with a discussion about conflict and how Haitians react to it taking into account issues of identity, social imbalances, power, and poverty. Participants were then given a self-diagnosis awareness exercise on how they as individuals react to conflict. This session was followed by a discussion on basic negotiation skills. The day ended with a negotiation exercise, which highlighted all of the teaching points of the day.
The participants greatly enjoyed and appreciated the training. According to one: "The session allowed us to anticipate and self-evaluate our behavior. It allowed us to confront issues that cause conflict and then apply the tools taught to manage it effectively."
The Institute plans to use this pilot training session as a springboard for conflict-resolution training workshops in Haiti in the future.