SchertoGill dialogue, flourishing, healing, psychosocial-healing

13 July 2023 UNESCO Webinar: Healing through Reparation, Restoration & Regeneration

The UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project and the Global Humanity for Peace Institute, University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD), are jointly hosting an exciting international webinar series entitled: New Perspectives on Collective Healing, Social Justice and Well-Being. These webinars are supported by AfroSpectives, and Spirit of Humanity Forum.

For the 4th webinar of the Series, the keynote speakers are Prof Ana Lucia Araujo and Lewis Cardinal. They explored questions such as

  • What should be the principles and objectives of reparations following historical atrocities such as enslavement and genocides of people of African and indigenous descent?
  • How might reparations be implemented ethically and meaningfully for the descendant communities?
  • What are the opportunities and challenges for reparation, restoration and regeneration to contribute to healing, justice and well-being?

Following their keynote presentations, Prof Araujo and Mr Cardinal discussed the optimism and complexity brought forward by the most recent call for global reparation to address the legacies of historical mass atrocities inflicted upon peoples of African and Indigenous descent.

Watch the recording of the webinar through the link below.

Keynote Speakers

Ana Lucia Araujo is a historian and full professor in the Department of History at the historically black Howard University in Washington DC, United States. She specializes in the history and memory of slavery and the Atlantic slave trade and her research interests include the visual and material culture of slavery. She is a member of the International Scientific Committee of the UNESCO Project Routes of Enslaved Peoples (former Slave Route Project) since 2017.

Ana Lucia’s recent awards include a fellowship from the Institute for Advanced Study (Princeton, New Jersey), and a Senior Scholar Grant from the Getty Research Institute where she is currently in residence. She is a member of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Scholarly Advisory Board and was elected Fellow of the Royal Historical Society, London, UK. She also serves on the Board of Editors of the American Historical Review, the editorial board of the British journal Slavery and Abolition, and the Editorial Review Board of the African Studies Review.

Ana Lucia’s three recent books are: Reparations for Slavery and the Slave Trade: A Transnational and Comparative History (2017), with a new revised and expanded edition in 2023, Slavery in the Age of Memory: Engaging the Past (2020), and Museums and Atlantic Slavery (2021). She has two books (2024): Humans in Shackles: An Atlantic History of Slavery (University of Chicago Press) and The Gift: How Objects of Prestige Shaped the Atlantic Slave Trade and Colonialism (Cambridge University Press). She is currently working on three book projects: The Power of Art: The World Black Artists Made in the Americas, Global Slavery: A Visual History, and Oceans of Sorrow: The French Trade in Enslaved Africans.

Lewis Cardinal is a communicator and educator; he has dedicated his life’s work to creating and maintaining connections and relationships that cross-cultural divides. His long track record of public service currently includes; Board Member of Theatre Network Society, Vice-Chair of the Documentary Organization of Canada-Alberta, Chair of the Global Indigenous Dialogue of Initiatives of Change-Canada, and Trustee and Chair of the Indigenous Taskforce for the Council for a Parliament of World Religions.

Lewis has received two medals from Queen Elizabeth II, the Diamond Jubilee Medal for Public Service and the Platinum Jubilee Medal for his contributions to the Province of Alberta, the IndSpire Award for Public Service (awarded by the Indigenous peoples of Canada), the Province of Alberta’s Centennial Medal for his work in Human Rights and Diversity, the Distinguished Alumni Award from Grant MacEwan University, and the Honorary Degree of “Doctor of Sacred Letters” from St. Stephen’s College at the University of Alberta. 

Lewis is Woodland Cree from the Sucker Creek Cree First Nation in Treaty No. 8 in northern Alberta, Canada. His consulting company, Cardinal Strategic Communications, specializes in Indigenous education, communications, and project development. He is also owner and Head Storyteller of Red Earth Blue Sky Productions, a media production company. Currently, Lewis is Project Manager for “kihcihkaw askiy–Sacred Land” in the City of Edmonton, the first designated urban Indigenous ceremony grounds in Canada.

GHFP dialogue, healing, psychosocial-healing, wellbeing

UNESCO Webinar: Understanding Intergenerational Trauma 11 May 2023 @16.00 UTC / 17.00 BST / 18.00 CEST

The UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project and the Global Humanity for Peace Institute, University of Wales Trinity St David (UWTSD), are jointly hosting an exciting international webinar series entitled: New Perspectives on Collective Healing, Social Justice and Well-Being.

The 2nd webinar of the Series featured the presentations of the keynote speakers, Dr Joy DeGruy and Thomas Hübl (PhD), who are both renowned for their insights into intergenerational trauma and collective healing.

Following their keynote presentations, Joy DeGruy and Thomas Hubl engaged in a dialogue about the opportunities and challenges of healing the wounds of history and ancestral trauma, and how global communities must take responsibility for supporting a flourishing future for the whole of humanity.

Keynote Speakers

Dr Joy DeGruy is a nationally and internationally renowned researcher and educator. For over two decades, she served as an Assistant Professor at Portland State University’s School of Social Work and now serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of Joy DeGruy Publications Inc. (JDP). Dr DeGruy is committed to the healing of those that continue to suffer from past and present injuries and for the well being of all people.

As a result of twelve years of quantitative and qualitative research, Dr. DeGruy has developed her theory of Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, publishing her findings in the book “Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome – America’s Legacy of Enduring Injury and Healing”. The book addresses the residual impacts of generations of slavery and opens up the discussion of how the black community can use the strengths we have developed in the past to heal in the present.

Thomas Hübl, PhD, is a renowned teacher, author, and international facilitator whose lifelong work integrates the core insights of the great wisdom traditions and mysticism with the discoveries of science. The origin of his work and more than two decades of study and practice on healing collective trauma is detailed in his book Healing Collective Trauma: A Process for Integrating Our Intergenerational and Cultural Wounds. Thomas’ next book, Attuned: Practicing Interdependence to Heal Our Trauma—and Our World, will be published in September, 2023.

Mysticism and the principles that guide the actualization and practice of embodying these profound experiences are at the heart of Hübl’s teachings. In all his courses, participants can expect to learn from his extensive experience as a teacher of meditation and study of wisdom traditions. His didactic talks draw from evidence-based research and the leading edge of transpersonal, interdisciplinary studies.

GHFP dialogue, healing, psychosocial-healing, wellbeing

UNESCO Webinar Series: Opening Event 3 April 2023

UNESCO Routes of Enslaved Peoples Project and the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UK) are pleased to announce a series of webinars entitled: New Perspectives on Collective Healing, Social Justice and Global Well-Being.

The opening webinar took place on Monday 3 April 2023 at 2 pm UTC / 3 pm London time / 4 pm Paris time. 

Mrs Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, and  Prof Medwin Hughes, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Wales Trinity Saint-David jointly launched the webinar. 

The keynote speaker was the award-winning international TV and radio journalist Ms Zeinab Badawi who edited, produced and presented a major 20-part TV series on the History of Africa and who is currently writing a book on the History of Africa.

Following the keynote presentation, Mrs Ramos and Zeinab Badawi explored the importance of UNESCO’s General History of Africa in giving a voice to people of African descent, and valorising their culture and contributions to modern societies. UNESCO’s work to address racism and discrimination, and its support to communities’ resilience was also discussed, together with the GHFP-UNESCO’s collective healing initiative.  

The dialogue will be moderated by Prof Scherto Gill, Director of Global Humanity for Peace Institute at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David. 

To see the profile of the Keynote Presenter Zeinab Badawi, please visit the event’s page HERE.

To view the recording of the opening webinar, please watch it here or on YouTube:

GHFP education, flourishing, healing, peace, peacebuilding, psychosocial-healing

Hijas de la Paz Project in Amanecer, Colombia

On Sunday the 15th August, the Project Hijas de la Paz was inaugurated in Amanecer, Colombia, with a ceremony that included the local Mayor and other local dignitaries and the chairperson of Subud Colombia.

45 young women took part in a four-month residential programme, most of who are from indigenous and Afro-communities who are living in terrible conditions of poverty and violence. 11 children who came with the young women joined Amanecer Kindergarten and received International Child Development Project (ICDP) support.

The entire community was involved and provided 900 hours of training and formation. There were 16 tutors on the Programme (academic, personal, entrepreneurial, cooking, gardening), and 10 of them are residents of Amanecer. Other Subud members were acting as ‘helpers’ to the participants, supporting them in processing and addressing the deep traumas.

The Hijas de la Paz Project has enabled these vulnerable young women to feel their intrinsic value as persons, and from a place of deep quiet, they learned and worked harmoniously with a community of mentors. This is how they can be nurtured into future leaders and peacemakers.

GHFP education, healing, psychosocial-healing, wellbeing

Int’l Webinar: The Legacy of Slavery, Transgenerational Trauma & Collective Healing, 26 May 2021

26th May 2021 (16.30 – 19.30 CEST) Webinar Registration – Zoom

UNESCO Launch partnership with the GHFP on Educational Transformation and Collective Healing
UNESCO Launch partnership with the GHFP on Educational Transformation and Collective Healing

At this exciting international event, the UNESCO Slave Route Project and the Guerrand-Hermès Foundation for Peace Research Institute (GHFP) will bring together high-profile speakers and artists to launch “Healing the Wounds of Trans-Atlantic Slavery: Approaches and Practices: A Desk Review.”

This timely Report draws together the perspectives of researchers and practitioners, to map major approaches and practices to addressing the legacy of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery. It is the fruit of collaboration between an international team of researchers and practitioners, under the guidance of the UNESCO Slave Route Project and the GHFP Research Institute. The Report highlights the imperative to embark on a collective journey towards healing transgenerational trauma and the importance of systemic transformation.

Formally launching and disseminating this Report is an active response to UNESCO’s Global Call against racism. It will inspire the world to learn from the histories of slavery, acknowledge the harms of structural injustice and institutional racism, and promote inclusion, pluralism and intercultural dialogue.

Ms Gabriela Ramos, UNESCO Assistant Director-General for Social and Human Sciences, and Mr Sharif Istvan Horthy, Chairman of the GHFP Research Institute, will take advantage of this presentation to announce a broader collaborative project entitled “Educational Transformation and Collective Healing: Addressing the Traumas and Legacy of Slavery”. This ambitious initiative will nurture youth leadership capacities so that young people can implement a racial healing programme for building just communities and initiate policy changes to address structural dehumanisation.

Following the official presentation, an international panel of historians of slavery, scholars in race studies, and experts in racial healing – Paul Lovejoy, Myriam Cottias, Achille Mbembe, Walter Mignolo and Joy DeGruy – will discuss the key insights of the Report, including the psycho-social legacy of slave trade and slavery. They will also explore practical steps along the pathways that the UNESCO Slave Route Project and the GHFP partnership can take to empower and engage global communities and public institutions in collective healing.

The launch will conclude with an inspiring dialogue between two living legends – Marcus Miller, UNESCO Slave Route Project Spokesperson, and African-American musician and composer, and Ray Lema, the Congolese musician and composer – about the power of music for healing and cultural transformation.

GHFP healing, love, psychosocial-healing, wellbeing

Dr Joy DeGruy on Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome

A Narrative of Love

In this A Narrative of Love conversation, Dr Joy DeGruy explores what it feels for black African Americans to negotiate the multiple challenges of living in a racist society, including internalised racism, the learned helplessness, and structural dehumanisation. Dr DeGruy also highlights key elements that can move the society towards healing, at both personal and collective levels.

More importantly, Dr DeGruy offers pathways that individuals, organisations, and governments can embark on to repair, rebuild and restructure our common habitat through partaking in the mutuality of shared humanness. Thus we can all Be the Healing.

SchertoGill dialogue, forgiveness, healing, peace, peacebuilding, psychosocial-healing, reconciliation

International Seminar on Trustbuilding and Collective Healing, 30th October at IofC London

Hosted by IofCI’s Trustbuilding Program in partnership with the GHFP Research Institute, this international seminar offers a unique opportunity to meet, share and discuss the process of building trust.

At a time of increasing fragmentation, trust is diminishing around the world. Communities face racial, ethnic and religious divides, intergenerational conflict, and the rise of extremist attitudes, as well as social divisions and the legacy of war. The Seminar poses a critical question: “How can we address these challenges?”

Among the discussants will be Letlapa Mphahlele, commander of the Azanian People’s Liberation Army during apartheid times. His anger was such that he ordered retaliatory massacres of white civilians. After a radical transformation he now sees the whole of humanity as ‘my people’. Letlapa, who, until 2013, was President of the Pan Africanist Congress and a Member of the South African Parliament, is a protagonist in the award-winning film, Beyond Forgiving, which depicts a profound story of tragedy, forgiveness and hope.

This is by invitation-only event. For further information and interest to contribute, please contact events@ghfp.org.

GHFP forgiveness, peace, psychosocial-healing, reconciliation

5-step-peace-process

The following 5-step towards peace process has been developed by the GHFP’s trustee Alexandra Asseily.

Step One: Taking Responsibility
The first step is to take responsibility for one’s own part in any conflict, imbalance, tension, grievance or problem with courage, honesty, and humility, even if one does not feel personally involved in conflict.

Step Two: Asking and Reflecting
The second step is to ask a number of questions, examples are given in ‘my responsibility for peace’.

Step Three: Releasing, surrendering and forgiving
The third step is to understand the power of forgiveness and compassion. By understanding and allowing for forgiveness of oneself and others, including our ancestors and our collective past, we can let go of guilt, shame and fear. We then no longer need to uphold the same grievances from one generation to another. As we forgive others, we forgive ourselves and vice-versa.

Step Four: To understand our authentic selves
The fourth step is to understand the changes we can make in order and speak with our ‘inner’ cohesive authority and thereby helping us to promote harmony and peace in the world.

Step Five: Sharing
The fifth step is to go out and share this healing process with others.

Practising this process can transform ourselves, others and our communities.

Read more on our work in forgiveness, reconciliation, peace

GHFP dialogue, peace, psychosocial-healing

Hungarian Life Histories Research

Recognising the urgency of the fact that that unless historical traumas are processed and healed by one generation, they are passed on to the next, and realising that 20th century ideologies in Hungary have shaped individuals’ life paths and that political conflicts have prepared the ground for continuing violence by representing the ‘other’ as less than human, the GHFP has embarked on a research project that aims to get behind the ideological masks of people and restore their human faces.

Overseen by the GHFP’s Vice Chairman, Sharif Istvan Horthy, the research seeks to construct a space for telling and listening to life stories of ordinary Hungarian people who come from different backgrounds and generations. This life history and narrative process is intended to help unfold how Hungarians see themselves and their recent collective past, and what being Hungarian means to them in the 21st Century.

This life history project is itself an action research. It aims to reflect on the narrative processes and the participants’ experiences of change in their perception of self-identity, their stories and the ways they see others and the socio-economic and political situations in Hungary. In this way, the research methodology, especially through non-judgmental and open listening, seems to have enabled the participants to discover the underlying causes of current (social and political) attitudes. Whilst encouraging the participants to narrate their own lives and listen and attend to the stories of others, this action research is offering an opportunity for the community to re-vision Hungary’s social future. Those individuals who took part in the research project have acknowledged being able to see a close connection between retelling and sharing personal experiences and perspectives, and reconciling these with past traumas and the ways in which they can move forward in life and work.

GHFP dialogue, psychosocial-healing, reconciliation

Mapping Healing

Under the leadership of UNESCO’s Slave Routes Project, the GHFP is working with Georgetown University to launch a research project with an aim to map out the diverse conceptions and methodologies of healing (mass trauma such as genocide and slavery). This research locates the inquiry around the contextualised question: “What might constitute healing (in the context of the wounds of trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery)?”

This commitment highlights the necessity for such an inquiry especially given the kinds of harm and woundedness that need to be attended and addressed through healing processes. It argues why a mapping research should be designed as a mixed-methods investigation, and outlines the details of the intended research processes.

It is hoped that the research can help identify pointers towards a conceptual and methodological framework for understanding healing of the wounds from mass trauma of trans-Atlantic slave trade and slavery.

Further to this please refer to https://healingthewoundsofslavery.org/

Healing the Wounds of Slavery aims at healing and addressing the wounds and psycho-social, economic and political consequences of the trans-Atlantic slave trade and slave history. The hope is to create pathways towards personal, cultural, relational and institutional transformation.