Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Caux Scholars Program Kicks off in Switzerland


Wed 15 Jan 2020 | 11:04 PM
Wafaa Fayez

The Caux Scholars Program (CSP) is part of an active alumni network of more than 1,000 people from 109 countries. The leaders represent perse cultures, beliefs, languages, educational and religious backgrounds. CSP is a multi-disciplined network of global leaders, influential people, activists, expert scholars, and practitioners who share their critical knowledge and experiences in addressing conflicts of many kinds in over 60 countries.

During the 2019 program, twenty-one (21) in-depth contextual analyses of context-specific conflicts were presented by Scholars on Afghanistan, Australia, Canada, India, Iran, Kosovo, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Nepal, Nigeria, Palestine, Pakistan, Philippines, Rwanda, Switzerland, Syria, Tibet, Ukraine, and the United States.

The Caux Scholars Program teaches students to identify and analyze conflicts, to understand the factors that create and sustain conflicts, and to use practical methods to diffuse conflicts through global disciplines in conflict prevention, negotiation, development studies, international relations, legislation and policy, and transitional justice.

Since the program’s inception in 1991, CSP has demonstrated conflict transformation in action where sustainable progress is made toward personal honesty, accountability, sustained dialogue, reflection, reconciliation, restorative justice, and people-centered decision-making processes.

A deep lens into the procedures of international criminal courts, truth and reconciliation commissions, restitution/reparations, reintegration strategies (DDR), and memorialization practices, are also explored.

The learning engagement models of CSP include discussion of key essays and case studies, leadership exercises, facilitation, dialogue, creative interventions, improvisation and performance, and institutional field visits.

The scholars also participate as full delegates in Caux Forum’s Towards Inclusive Peace conference (TIP) and they spend a day visiting with officials at the Geneva Center for International Policy, the United Nations, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. These activities provide unique opportunities for scholars to witness global institutional approaches to ongoing regional conflicts. 

Critically, Caux Scholars expands space for global South, diasporic and indigenous methodologies and practices in peace building and justice as a vital condition for sharing world knowledge that is also inclusive and equitable.

Scholars are at the forefront of growing innovations in restorative justice and conflict transformation models that speak to the times and can inspire more connected, inter-generational peace and justice movements in our future.