GSUM CELEBRATES THE SUCCESS OF ITS SECOND WINTER SCHOOL ON INTERNATIONAL MEDIATION

From July 13th to July 24th, 2015, the Global South Unit for Mediation (GSUM) successfully held the second edition of its Winter School. After having received applications from more than 20 countries, the school welcomed 29 students from diverse professional and academic backgrounds for a two-week intensive learning and training experience in the theory and practice of international mediation. The GSUM Winter School also had the honor to receive the Chairman of the UN Commission of Inquiry in Syria, Prof. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro, to give the School’s keynote speech “Monitoring Human Rights for the UN: From Special Rapporteurs to Commissions of Inquiry and the case of Syria”. Prof. Pinheiro’ speech was the first out of four Public Events the school offered during those two weeks, gathering different scholars and professionals of the field.

The program’s courses were conducted by renowned faculty and composed by leading researchers, specialists, eminent scholars and practitioners, offering the students both insights into cutting-edge thinking in international mediation, as well as the opportunity to explore issues and experiences concerning specifically the Global South.

In the first week, the main courses were taught by Dr. Iver Neumann (LSE / NUPI) and Dr. Sara Hellmüller (swisspeace), providing the students with an overview on the academic discussion of diplomacy and mediation practices, as well as on the main actors and processes shaping the field of peace mediation. In the second week, Dr. Laurie Nathan (CMA/ University of Pretoria) and Dr. Esra Çuhadar (Bilkent University) taught the main courses, respectively discussing the role of the UN system and of the Global South for international mediation. During both weeks, GSUM Fellows Mabel González (Wikistrat/University Complutense of Madrid), Dr. Raslan Ibrahim (Haverford College) and Dr. José Pascal da Rocha (Columbia University) brought the debate to concrete and ongoing conflicts, discussing the mediation processes in Colombia, between Israel and Palestine, among many other examples from the Middle East and Africa.

GSUM was also very happy to invite the general public to the two regional round table events “Transforming Violent Conflicts in the Middle East”, “Trends and Best Practices in Conflict Resolution and Mediation in Latin America”, as well as to the seminar “The role of International and Regional Organizations in Peace Mediation”.

Click here for more information on the GSUM Winter School. Instructions on how to apply to the next edition will be available in the first months of 2016.

Click here for the 2015 Winter School Program.