Peacebuilding Training: Developing Peacebuilding Maps and Fostering Collective Impact

In an era defined by interconnected challenges—housing, public safety, education, climate change, and social inequities—communities must move beyond silo-only thinking and adopt a mindset of collaboration and interconnectedness. This training offers an introduction to peacebuilding, equipping participants with tools to understand the dynamics of their communities, identify cultural blind spots, and create actionable strategies for fostering collaboration and equity.

The training uses participatory mapping, facilitated dialogue, and peacebuilding strategies to empower participants to bridge cultural and organizational divides in their communities.

Participants will learn the importance of communication in creating equitable power balances and leave with actionable insights and tools to drive collective impact in their communities.

Training Objectives

• Understand Peacebuilding Fundamentals: Gain foundational knowledge of peacebuilding as both a theoretical and practical field.

• Explore Community Dynamics: Learn to identify stakeholders, subcultures, and their relationships, visually mapping communication channels and power dynamics using Peacebuilding Maps.

• Address Blind Spots: Examine how social identities (e.g., race, gender, class) influence community perceptions and interactions.

• Build Actionable Strategies: Create initiatives that foster peace, equity, and inclusion through collaboration.

Training Structure
Two-Day Workshop (2-3 hours per day):

Day 1: Foundations of Peacebuilding

• Introduction to peacebuilding concepts and approaches

• Participatory activity: Peacebuilding Mapping Exercise—Create detailed Peacebuilding Maps illustrating stakeholders, subcultures, communication channels, and power dynamics within the community.

• Discussion: The Role of Communication and Art in Peacebuilding.

Day 2: From Insights to Action

• Blind Spots and Inclusive Practices: Explore the impact of race, gender, and class on community dynamics.

• Interactive exercise: Reflect on personal and community blind spots.

• Project Ideation and Planning: Participants develop actionable projects tailored to their communities.

• Final presentations: Share and refine Peacebuilding Maps and proposed initiatives.

Key Deliverables

• Peacebuilding Map: A comprehensive visual blueprint detailing the power dynamics, stakeholders, and communication pathways in participants’ communities. This map serves as a practical tool for planning and implementing future initiatives.

• Actionable Project Ideas: Participants will leave with plans for community-driven events or initiatives that promote equity and collaboration.

• Skills for Long-Term Impact: The training equips participants with tools to replicate the mapping process for any political, social, or economic issue they care about.

Skills Developed

Participants will enhance critical 21st-century skills, including:

• Collaboration: Engaging diverse stakeholders and fostering partnerships.

• Communication: Building dialogue across cultural and organizational divides.

• Creativity: Designing innovative, community-specific peacebuilding projects.

• Civic Literacy: Understanding how systemic structures and individual actions intersect to shape communities.

This training emphasizes the importance of Peacebuilding Maps as both a diagnostic and transformative tool, inspiring participants to address challenges with clarity, intention, and a shared vision for a more equitable and connected future.

Training Facilitator

Bob Schlehuber is a peacebuilder, artist, and community organizer with experience leading transformative initiatives in numerous diverse cultural settings—from cities to schools to organizations. As the founder of Peacebuilding Connections, Bob has produced concerts, theater productions, symposiums, participatory art projects, radio programs, and art installations, blending the arts and community organizing to creatively address complex social, political, and economic challenges. His Declaration of Interdependence series has engaged thousands worldwide, inspiring commitments to peace and equity through participatory art.

With a B.A. in Communication and Political Science from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and an M.A. in International Peace and Conflict Resolution from American University, Bob combines academic expertise with hands-on leadership. His Peace Corps service in Ukraine deepened his commitment to fostering dialogue and empowering communities. Bob has also spearheaded impactful coalitions, including mutual aid efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, showcasing his ability to unite diverse stakeholders in moments of crisis or uncertainty.