January – April 2008
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Name : ANAS ATENGYO KHALIFA
(NIGERIA)
He was born on the 24th day of February 1965. He enrolled into St. John primary school Katsina-Ala in 1971 – 1977; and Tofi Memorial Grammer School (TMGS) Gboko in 1977 – 1982 for his secondary school education. Later, he enrolled into Arabic Teachers College Sabon Tasha Kaduna for Higher Islamic Education in 1993 – 1996; then he moved to Jama’atu College of Education Kaduna in 1996 – 2000 for NCE programme.He was appointed thereafter in 2001 to serve as an Imam by the management of the Kaduna State Chapter of the Movement for Islamic Culture and Awareness (MICA) He was privileged to participate in Train the Trainer (TTC) Course on da’awah and dialogue by the Islamic Education Trust (IET) headquarters Minna in 2002 and in 2003 session.He was appointed a Sharia court mufti in Kaduna State Judiciary in 2002. He was opportune to attend many courses on Judiciary rules and court proceedings.Later he enrolled for a degree programme at the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) Zaria with specialty in Arabic Language (B.E Arabic) He is married with children. |
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Name : STEPHANIE POLLACK
(USA)
Stephanie is an intercultural and artistically focused experiential educator and trainer. She develops and leads innovative educational programs, trainings, and teambuilding sessions around the globe for universities, museums, not-for-profits, and corporations, and has done so for 16 years. Stephanie has travelled extensively in 6 continents, living in Australia, Thailand, and Nepal as well as numerous places in the USA. Stephanie earned a B.A. in organizational psychology from the University of Michigan, an M.A. in Leadership, Education, and the Arts from Long Island University, and numerous certificates (including Teaming Across Difference, Training for International Transitions, and Game Design) from various professional associations. With the advent of her consulting business, Creative Facilitations, Stephanie uses her extensive facilitation experience and educational program development expertise with clients from all sectors. She specializes in using creative experiential strategies – Theatre of the Oppressed, improvisational theatre, visual arts, and literary arts – for community building, diversity and intercultural communication training, leadership development, gender empowerment, retreat facilitation, teaching teachers how to teach interactively, and start-up educational travel programming including intercultural immersion and worldwide service-learning. Essentially, Stephanie thrives when she can empower people to connect with ideas, each other, and themselves. Her life experiences, including a few near death ones, have helped her to appreciate the joys that can exist in this world, and creating peace and positive social change are at the center. Stephanie is passionate about travelling, hiking, kayaking, inspiring “A-Ha” moments, organic cooking, traditional healing practices, playing interactive games, wandering outdoor markets, witnessing large-scale live events, watching sunsets, and laughing until tears stream down her face. |
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Name : MARIÂNGELA DE ABREU LIMA (BRAZIL)
Mariângela presently holds the position of Chair in the largest international CEO membership Organization - Vistage International – that was founded as The Executive Committee (TEC) in 1957. www.vistage.com / www.tecbrasil.com.br She leads the process and content of the monthly peer-group meetings, and also works one-to-one with the chief executive members to provide reflection, insight, accountability and support. She was responsible for implementation and developing of a Mediation Chamber for the Brazilian Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries. She also acts as a Corporative Mediator (intra and inter organizational mediations), and teaches at Brazilian Institute of Mediation and Arbitrage. She has experience in Mediation, Negotiation, Conflict Management, Process of Organizational and Personnel Changes.She has expertise Transformative Mediation and Corporative Mediation, as well as in Arbitrage. Mariângela is graduated in Engineering from Universidade Estadual de Campinas / Brazil. Thereafter she did her Postgraduate Diploma at University of Gent – Belgium.Mariângela is married with Eduardo, and they have a daughter and a son. |
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Name : BRIAN FARR (USA)
Brian Farr graduated from the J. Reuben Clark Law School, Brigham Young University in 1976. After engaging in private practice for several years and working for a private foundation in Washington, D.C., he joined the Utah Attorney General's Office in 1986. Among other assignments, he has represented the Department of Health, the Utah Navajo Trust Fund, the Department of Community and Economic Development, the Department of Public Safety, the Elections Office and the constitutional officers of the executive branch of the State of Utah. For the five years prior to the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, he worked on preparations for the Games and was counsel to the State Olympic Officer and the Utah Olympic Public Safety Command. After a leave of absence to serve as legal counsel to the Governor of Utah he returned to the Attorney General=s Office where he now serves as division chief of the State Agency Counsel division. He currently serves as a board member of the Utah International Trade Commission (a commission established by the Utah Legislature), the Salt Lake Interfaith Roundtable, the Salt Lake Committee for Foreign Relations, and the Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy (an independent entity that provides hosting services for U.S. Department of State visitors.) |
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Name : GINA DONOSO (ECUADOR)
Gina Donoso is from Ecuador. After studying Human Rights and Clinical Psychology in Ecuador, she received a Master's Degree in International Peace Studies from the United Nations University for Peace, Costa Rica. She is now pursuing an on-line post-graduate degree in Psychosocial Actions in Political Violence and Catastrophes with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. She has worked She has worked in The Netherlands as the Latin American Coordinator at UNOY, in the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights in San José, Costa Rica, since 2003 as a Consultant for different human rights and mental health projects such as 'Reconciliation processes in Latin America' and 'Psychological support for victims of torture before the Inter-American System'. Her academic interests lie in the field of reparation programs and judgments for the development of peace building processes in Latin America. As an example of her commitment, she has led human rights researches and training programs about these topics in Costa Rica, Guatemala, México and Ecuador. |
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Name : TRIVENI GOSWAMI
(INDIA)
Triveni Goswami, a Research Associate at Omeo Kumar Das Institute of Social Change and Development (OKDISCD), Assam, India completed her post-graduation in Psychology from the University of Delhi, India. In 2005, as a Junior Research Fellow at the OKDISCD, she worked on a study on Role of Women as Peace Builders with special reference to Nagaland, which has since been published. In 2006, she was awarded the prestigious UNESCO/Suzanne Mubarak/Japan-Egypt Friendship Fellowship for the Empowerment of Women in Peace and Gender Studies (2006 Cycle) at Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Alexandria, Egypt as one among ten Fellows selected by UNESCO from 155 countries all over the world and was also designated as the sole representative of the Fellows to present a paper in an International Conference on Women and Peace in Alexandria. The North eastern region of India has been ravaged by conflicts, with overlapping causal factors. Her academic research in this conflict-ridden region is supplemented by personal engagements at the grassroots level, which includes Peace Education amongst children, Pre-emptive Training in Peace Education and Right to Information Act imparted to trainers, visits to the various designated camps of the rebel outfits of this region and creating awareness on notions of peace, non-violent action and constructive activities. Her recent publication is a book entitled Gender & Conflict Transformation: Nagaland and Egypt based on the work that she carried out in Egypt. Currently she is engaged in a project on Women Rebels: Revolutionizing Patriarchal Norms or Mere Puppets within the Organizational Structure? A Comparative Analysis of the women’s wing of the People’s Revolutionary Army, Nepal and women’s wing of NSCN, Nagaland. Her academic areas of interest include Peace and Conflict, Gender Studies and Mental Health. Her hobbies include travelling, reading and listening to music. |
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Name : NANCY ROSS (CANADA)
Nancy Ross has worked as the Women's Services Coordinator at South Shore Health, Addiction Services in Nova Scotia, for the past five years. Her work involves individual therapy, group work, health promotion and education. Two main areas of her work have included a focus on reducing the stigma associated with women’s addiction issues and assisting in developing a community response to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Much of her past work in both Mental Health and Addiction Services has been with people dealing with past trauma. Nancy has also worked two years in Papua New Guinea and has travelled throughout Southeast Asia. Nancy has a Masters Degree in Social Work and two undergraduate degrees in Social Work and Philosophy. Her hobbies include rowing, sailing, music, hiking, lifting weights and reading. Nancy is married and has four children. Her family is excited about her new challenge and some of them hope to visit her at the end of her stay. |
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Name : KISHU DASWANI (INDIA)
Kishu Daswani graduated with a degree in Life Sciences and Biochemistry. Subsequently is completed his LL.B. from the Government Law College, Mumbai and his Masters in Law from Bombay University. Currently he is a Professor of Law at the Government law College, Mumbai. Over the last 12 years he has taught a host of subjects including Arbitration, Company Law, Contracts, Taxation, Hindu Law, Transfer of Property, Environmental laws and Criminal laws. He is a member of the managing Committee of the Securities Law Course and the Faculty Advisor to The Law Review at the College. He is a member of the Academic Council of the Garrigues Chair of Global Law at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. He is also the Professor Of Indian Law at the same University. He is a member of the LAW: Review, Reforms and Rationalisation Committee of the Indian Merchants Chamber, Mumbai. He is the visiting faculty for Law and Medicine at the H.H.K College of Optometry, Mumbai and the Aditya Jyot Institute of Optometry. He is also visiting faculty for teaching Business Law at St. Xavier’s College, Jai Hind College, Mumbai and Deakin University, Australia. |
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Name : ELLIS GIL GARCIA LUCIANO (PHILIPPINES)
Mr. Luciano, who formerly belongs to the congregation of the Missionaries of La Salette, graduated from St. Paul Seminary Foundation in Cavite, Philippines with the degree of Bachelor of Arts major in Philosophy and minor in Mass Communication. In 2003, he taught Religious Education courses in University of La Salette in Santiago City, Philippines; at the same time, he was also part of the university's Campus Ministry team which caters to the spiritual needs of the students and helps in the youth empowerment through mentoring student leaders and acting as club moderators of school organizations. In April 2005, he obtained a Master of Arts degree in Education and a month after his graduation, he was accepted to work with the Institute of Reconciliation (IR) as Assistant Program Coordinator. IR gave Mr. Luciano a deeper perspective of peace through the advocacy of the institute on peace education, justice, reconciliation, and nonviolence. At present, he is part of the national convenor of Generation Peace – a network of young peace advocates in the Philippines. He is also part of Waging Peace in the Philippines Network and the National Coordinating Committee of Pax Christi Pilipinas. He is currently taking Master of Arts Degree in Conflict and Reconciliation Studies in University of St. La Salle – Bacolod. At 27 years old, he is now the Program Director of the Institute of Reconciliation. |
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Name : KASAR TRIMBAK (INDIA)
Mr. Kasar Trimbak Post graduated in agriculture from M.P.A. University, standing as one of the ranker in the university. He got into the public administrative service as a city manager. In his long career he has worked in such a diverse city as pilgrim center, tourist center and educational hub. He did good work in establishing harmony between local citizens with pilgrims, tourists and students in respected cities. He also shows new icons for urban poor by giving importance to urban poverty alleviation and urban development in slum considering public health education, women empowerment and social justice to urban poor. He recently did post graduation diploma in urban development which is recognized by Mumbai University and World Bank institute. He has worked for solid waste management in Latur city which gave employment to the urban poor which work was awarded by USAID and Government of Maharashtra. Kasar Trimbak is active member of sustainable city programme of UN-HABITAT He has recently submitted the case study on” ZERO GARBAGE CITY AND EMPLOYMENT TO THE URBAN POOR” for best innovative practice to UNDP. He did excellent work for peaceful relocation of forty years old slum in Latur city He not only relocated them but also rehabilitated them with modern houses and basic amenities. He convinced the women from slum areas and formed 314 self help groups of these women to achieve women empowerment. |
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Name : SUSAN CAREW (AUSTRALIA)
Susan Carew or Peacefull/fool, the creator of OWN Empowerment is a Graduate in Peace Studies (2002) from La Trobe University, Melbourne in Australia. Susan has an Economics and Marketing degree and has had extensive experience in market research.
Susan has conducted research into the areas of: peace, non-violence and laughter in relation to conflict resolution, anti-bullying and world peace.
Susan (Peacefull) has entertained the public as a World Peace Clown in hospitals and public spaces since 2000. The purpose of clowning is to bring laughter, healing and joy to create a sense of unity between people. Clowning also facilitates personal development in respect of learning unconditional love and self confidence.
In 2002, Susan was invited by the American Clown Doctor, Dr. Patch Adams to clown in Russia with an international team of clowns. The clowns visited orphanages, hospitals, nursing homes, shopping centres and were a visible presence on the streets of Moscow and Saint Petersburg. The purpose of clowning in this context was to create connection, joy and unity between people. The experience reinforced change through action. To create something you have to 'be' it or lead by example, as Gandhi stated: ‘To be the Change You Wish to See in the World ’.
Susan was invited to speak at the International Conference on Peace and Reconciliation (2003), at Melbourne University and to deliver papers on: ‘How Effective is Laughter and Comedy in Creating an Atmosphere of Positive Peace?’ and ‘To What Extent is Non-violence a Solution in Creating a Durable World Peace?’
Susan teaches the R.E.A.L. H.O.P.E. program to primary school children in Australia. REAL HOPE is an acronym for: responsibility, empathy, awareness, love, honesty, oneness, peace and enjoyment. This program is unique as children are taught values, peace, non-violence and anti-bullying utilising the powerful symbol of the clown. In addition, she conducts organisational workshops in workplaces to teach laughter, clowning around, happiness, conflict resolution (anti-bullying) and lateral thinking. It is through positive peace education that real change will become effective.
For further information, visit www.worldpeacefull.com for the vision and children’s programs. For corporate workshops visit http://biz.worldpeacefull.com |
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Name : FERNANDO ANTONIO DA COSTA (EAST TIMOR)
He has a Master Degree in Policy and Administration from the Flinders University in Adelaide, South Australia. He joined BELUN in July 2006 and currently hold a position as a Senior Program Manager for the Peace Strengthening Program. His main responsibilities are to: manage the Peace Strengthening Program, including managing a team that is working on peace activities, community stabilization and IDP’s reintegration (from community side); facilitate and mediate community dialogue; provide direction and strategic development of the program; ensure implementation of the program to meet the objectives and mandates of BELUN; bridge and link the program to relevant government ministries at the national level and also non-government organizations. He is also just recently elected as Secretary General for the East Timor National Youth Council for the period of 2007-2011.
Before joining BELUN, he works as a national consultant for Youth Policy Development with the Secretary of State for Youth and Sport. As a national consultant his responsibility was to ensure implementation of the National Youth Survey, provide analysis of data from focus group discussion, present findings and provide analysis concerning youth from an East Timorese perspective. The National Youth Police just recently approved by East Timor Government. In 2001, he works with UNDP as a national consultant for the East Timorese Civil Society Strengthening Project.
He also has experience working as a research assistant for an anthropological study on East Timor’s Traditional Power Structures and the Community Empowerment Project (a local governance project). The study was financed by the World Bank East Timor. Prior to this he was also work as a Liaison Officer for the UNDP Common Country Assessment, particularly coordinating with national NGOs, supporting data analysis and collection of secondary data. He also has a work experience with the International Red Cross Committee as a Tracing Agency’s Staff in dealing with special cases of missing children and family reunion. |
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Name : ANN SCHUMACHER (USA)
Ann Schumacher, prior to her Masters’ degree in Art from the Cranbrook Academy of Art (1983-85), lived 13 years as a freelance artist and translator in Zagreb, Croatia. Between 1985 -1995, she was Associate Professor of Textiles and Design at Berea College in Kentucky. As a recipient of a Fulbright Fellowship (1987) and an Indo-American Fellowship (1989-90) she spent one year doing research in India.
In 2001, she was trained as a facilitative mediator and has since mediated over 380 hours of complex disputes (domestic relations, truancy, civil) and taught peer mediation for the Oakland Mediation Center in Detroit. To further her goals of scholar-practitioner, she completed a Masters’ degree in Dispute Resolution at Wayne State University (Detroit), and finished in 2006 a one - year program in International Trauma Studies at Columbia University in New York.
Currently, while working as a mediator, she is continuing her Ph.D. studies in Dispute Resolution at Wayne State University. Her interests are focused on the potential of coexistence and reconciliation after high conflict through peace education, narrative mediation and the arts. |
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Name : ASSABAH KHAN (INDIA)
Assabah Khan was brought up by her mother Ms. Fatima Khan when her father passed away in 1987. Her mother is her greatest inspiration—Fatima fought against incredible odds to bring up her children. Assabah holds a degree in Mass communications and Journalism and has also completed a six-month-certificate course in human rights. She also completed one year Diploma in creative writing in English her experience working in the Integrated Child Development Department in three different districts of Kashmir has given her an incredibly enriching opportunity of working with rural women.
Assabah also worked as Editor in Agriculture University for 4 years. She is part of Peace Initiatives on India and Pakistan facilitated by US based Institute of Multi Track Diplomacy and Nederland’s based IKV Pax Christi
She is currently associated with The Other Media an Organization dealing with Women against Militarization & State violence programs which explores Human Rights issues of women in conflict zones like Kashmir and North East.
She interests to work for peace building throughout the world and long term resolution of Kashmir |
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Name : JOY BALAZO (AUSTRALIA)
Born in the Philippines, Joy became a nun but eventually was unable to reconcile the contrast of the comfort of her life in a convent with her work in the poorest slums of Manila.
After becoming a teacher Joy first experienced human rights violations, suffering and shattered villages under Marcos’ martial law. This was the beginning of her work to bring peace and justice in this world. Joy has been an Australian citizen since 1994. Even after a quarter of a century her work goes on and continues to be applauded. She has been selected to participate in the Rotary Peace and Conflict Studies Program in Thailand, January 2008 where 13 countries will be represented. This year, her efforts have been recognized with a nomination for Australian of the Year by the General Secretary of the National Assembly, Uniting Church in Australia. |
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Name : JENNIFER BANZA (DR CONGO)
Jennifer was born on 15th March 1973 and is number 7 of a family of 12 people. She is graduated in Business administration and also has received training in development journalism. She has worked with several humanitarian organizations and UN agencies including ARC (American refugee committee), ASSIST UK, ACTIONAID, UNICEF (as information and communication assistant) focused on Social Mobilization. Jennifer likes to work with local communities and she is associated with certain Media agencies and NGOs dealing with peace building. She started to get more and more motivated and interested in peace building domain when in 1997, during the first war in Congo, she has been visited by militaries (rebels) who came to invade and loot their house, and pointed the gun on her and her young brothers and sisters, but refrained from this actions as they came to recognize the voice they used to listen to on the radio, broadcasting about peace, while in the forest. Jennifer did not give up on her fight, she believes if dream can become reality, depending on the willingness to make efforts to transform it, then peace is possible. She has also served as radio broadcaster during the first war in Congo and her peace magazines have been appreciated by the formar president of DRC. She also believes that government leaders can play an important role in the peace building by getting themselves involved in the proposed peace programs.
Currently, Jennifer serves as an administrative assistant in regional Engineering office Region I, Kinshasa and Western DRC in MONUC, the UN peace keeping mission in DRC. |
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Name : VALDIR PAVÃO (BRAZIL)
Valdir Pavão is an Officer of the Fireman Brigade of the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil. The Sao Paulo Brigade is a branch of the Military Police Force.
Graduated from the “Barro Branco” Military Police Academy in 1991, with specialization in Emergency Management at Sao Paulo Technology Faculty, he has been successively promoted from training officer to Second and First Lieutenant and currently he is ranked as Captain.
Pavão has also a graduation in Physical Education at EEFPM. Throughout his carrier, he worked uninterruptedly with all kinds of emergencies typical from a big city like Sao Paulo, such as conflagration, building collapses, automobile accidents, water, ground and high angle rescue.
He completed several training programs, which were very important to his development and maturity as a firefighter. He has specially dedicated to trainings related to rescue in adverse environment such as diving (under water rescue), climbing and rescue in wreckage. As a result, He is presently an instructor of these types of rescue at the Fireman Academy of the State of Sao Paulo.
In 2004, by appointment of his superiors, he became a member of the NGO United Fireman without Borders (Bomberos Unidos Sin Fronteras), headquartered in Madrid, Spain. This entity provides international humanitarian and emergency help in major natural catastrophes and has an important role in these types of events. As part of his Fire Brigade job, he took part in several activities in low-income areas, such as slums and shantytowns (“favelas”), which are deprived of adequate care and attention form the Public Administration and many of which are situated in high-risk areas. The rescue work in these areas involves dealing with a lot of tension and stress generated by the lack of minimum humane conditions and dignity as well as an elevated level of unemployment and lack of good life prospects. Therefore, the operation demands a high degree of care and experience from the rescue officer who engage in emergency work in these areas, which happen quite frequently.
Valdir applied to the Rotary Scholarship for World Peace because he believes in the opportunity to benefit from it comprises a particular importance to his improvement as a person and as a professional. He believes that it will provide him with the tools and expertise he needs to improve his skills in preventive action and to deal with emergencies arising from housing conditions in low-income population areas and all the adversities existing in these areas.
He also believes that the Rotary Scholarship will be of great importance to the work he intends to develop with the NGO United Fireman without Borders, related to emergencies in regions struck by Natural Catastrophes, which frequently experience all sorts of conflicts. |
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Name : PASKARAN SATHASIVAM (SRI LANKA)
Paskaran was born on 25 August 1967 in Arayalai Village in Jaffna District in the Northern part of Sri Lanka. He studied years 1-5 at Sriparyathi School, then studied 6-12 at Kanaratnam M.M.V School. Paskaran completed a medical degree at Lanka Ayurvadic Medical College in Jaffna. He worked for one year as a lecturer at the same college and practiced medicine for two years. During this time, he practiced in theater to educate people in health, education, and Tamil political awareness programs. In 1985, he was a founding member to form a theater group called Theater Action Group which created small theater groups in different districts around Sri Lanka; these groups used theater to assist with conflict resolution between different communities (Tamil, Singala, and Muslim) and within a community. He left the theater group to join Christian Aid as a Training Consultant, where for two years he used theater techniques for workshops to teach capacity building. Next he was a founding member and is currently the Director of an NGO named Viluthu Center for Human Resource Development where he is responsible for training and education in peace and conflict. They publish two magazines and he serves as Editor for the one focusing on education and Managing Editor for the one focusing on social issues, politics and economics. Paskaran is involved with many local organizations in an advisory capacity. He is married with one child and enjoys folk music and folk dance. Paskaran believes that theater can be used as a vehicle for mediation, education, therapy, and peace. |
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