locally-led peacebuilding

The majority of John Paul's peacebuilding initiatives came through accompanying people and communities working at the grassroots level. This has led to a key lesson and ethical stance: Believe in the unique knowledge of local communities about their own context and in their capacity to engage and innovate.

Locally-led peacebuilding centers the knowledge, skill, and vision of community-based individuals and organizations as the foundation of networks and processes that create durable change. In John Paul’s writing and practice, this approach been referred to under various names: elicitive, bottom-up, grassroots, and now more commonly locally-led. The content in this section includes stories, reflections, and insights gathered through John Paul's accompaniment of local peacebuilding leaders and processes across diverse areas of protracted conflict.

presentation

20 Minute Break with John Paul Lederach

A message shared with the Rotary Peace Fellowship Alumni Association for the Global Cyber Peace Conference in July 2020.

2020

video recording

A Pathway to Peace: Ideas for Advancing Climate-Resilient Futures

The second episode in "The Day After Tomorrow: A Virtual Talk Story Series," hosted by the Institute for Climate and Peace.

2020

presentation

Dispatches from Nowhere Near the Promise Land: How a Peacebuilder Unlearned His Trade

A lecture delivered on the occasion of being awarded the Joseph B. and Toby Gittler Prize at Brandeis University.

2019

presentation

How Weird Friends Change the World

A dharma talk shared at the Upaya Zen Center discussing creating friendships across ideological divides and differences.

2018

podcast

The Art of Peace

A conversation with Krista Tippett exploring themes of the moral imagination, arts-inspired peacebuilding, and music and poetry in healing and reconciliation.

2010

podcast

Living Now: Rehumanization in the 200 Year Present

A talk from the Upaya Zen Center sharing stories about experiences working with Indigenous communities around the world.

2016

interview

The Intervention in Somalia: What Should Have Happened

An interview with Joe Stork on the U.S. military intervention into Somalia and alternative avenues to provide assistance.

1993

journal article

Building Mediative Capacity in Deep-Rooted Conflict

An article making the case that the nature, purpose, and construction of mediation must be reconsidered toward the nurturing of social mediative capacity.

2002

interview

“In Conversation”: John Paul and Gladys Ganiel

A conversation at the 2021 4 Corners Festival reflecting on peacebuilding and conflict transformation through John Paul's career past and present.

2021

more reflections