Program Officer Mary Hope Schwoebel, of Education and Training Center International, traveled to Fiji to present the course "Peacebuilding, Development, and the Public Sector" as part of a team of course writers fielded by American University's Institute for Peacebuilding and Development (PDI) in support of an initiative sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to establish a Peacebuilding and Development Institute (PDI) for the Pacific Region.

Program Officer Mary Hope Schwoebel, of Education and Training Center International, traveled to Fiji to present the course "Peacebuilding, Development, and the Public Sector" as part of a team of course writers fielded by American University's Institute for Peacebuilding and Development (PDI) in support of an initiative sponsored by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to establish a Peacebuilding and Development Institute (PDI) for the Pacific Region.

The course development process involved bringing together course writers fielded by American University and the University of the South Pacific, along with more than 25 subject experts and regional experts from around the world, including scholars and practitioners, from both government and civil society, from Fiji, Vanuatu, Tuvalu, Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, and elsewhere. Course writers presented the conceptual framework for their courses, presented their draft syllabi, conducted a sample training exercise, and received immediate feedback from the participants. During the summer, course writers will revise their courses based on the feedback. This activity will be followed up by a training of trainers (TOT) in the fall for Pacific Islanders who will be the future PDI trainers.

Related Publications

Illicit Drugs Are Undermining Pacific Security

Illicit Drugs Are Undermining Pacific Security

Saturday, March 9, 2024

By: Jose Sousa-Santos

A quick succession of drug busts in Fiji earlier this year — the seizure of 3.5 tons of crystal methamphetamine followed by another 1.1 tons — underscored the threat that the illicit drug trade and narco-corruption pose to the stability and security of countries and societies situated along the so-called Pacific drug highway.

Type: Analysis

Global Policy

Pacific Island Nations Seek Climate Solutions Outside of COP28

Pacific Island Nations Seek Climate Solutions Outside of COP28

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

By: Kayly Ober;  Katherine Waters

While the Pacific Islands are responsible for less than 1 percent of total global greenhouse gas emissions, they face disproportionate impacts from climate change. These impacts are wide ranging: rising sea levels, salinization and dwindling availability of fresh water, increasing and more intense tropical storms, floods, drought, ocean acidification and coral reef bleaching. Already, NASA finds that sea level rise in Tuvalu is 1.5 times faster than the global average — and is expected to more than double by 2100.

Type: Analysis

EnvironmentGlobal Policy

Fiji’s Election Marks a Crucial Moment for its Fragile Democracy

Fiji’s Election Marks a Crucial Moment for its Fragile Democracy

Thursday, December 22, 2022

By: Camilla Pohle

Fiji has become an integral part of the United States’ reengagement in the Pacific in recent years, including a visit to Suva from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken in February. Although Fiji is a small country by global standards, it is a regional leader in the Pacific due to its central location, relative size and international role on issues ranging from peacekeeping to climate change action. Fiji also houses one of only six U.S. Embassies in the Pacific Islands, making it a hub for regional diplomacy.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & GovernanceGlobal Policy

After Ireland Vote: Various Roads to LGBTI Rights

After Ireland Vote: Various Roads to LGBTI Rights

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

By: USIP Staff

Following Ireland’s constitutional referendum to legalize same-sex marriage, the newly appointed senior U.S. diplomat on human rights for gender minorities said he is “incredibly optimistic” about the prospects for the global campaign to guarantee such protections. Still, U.S. Special Envoy Randy Berry and an international group of activists said May 26 that gender-rights movements in many countries face tougher political landscapes than in Ireland and must rely heavily on more legalistic app...

Type: Analysis

GenderJustice, Security & Rule of LawHuman Rights

View All Publications