The 'Peace Support Ukraine' project, supported by the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai (IBISG) and implemented with our Romanian partner PATRIR, was set up with the aim of fostering the resilience of Ukrainian civil society and supporting the action of local youth in non-violent resistance and peace-building, bringing their voice to local and international institutions.
The project, which will start in July 2022, will develop through capacity building in peacebuilding, conflict management and mediation among young Ukrainians through in-person and online training, production of specific guides, videos and communication materials. All products will then be conveyed to reach as wide an audience as possible through a "Youth Channel/Peace Channel", a Telegram channel and peace website.
Attention will also be given to the training of first aid workers for the management and treatment of trauma. With a view to enhancing the work of civil society, calls will be made to implement peacebuilding ideas and campaigns. Finally, the intervention plans to support non-violent activistə working in militarily occupied territories.
Together with PATRIR, three local partners were identified with high potential for non-violent conflict transformation and dealing with the impact of war on the psyche of young people:
At the end of the project, which will see UPP and partners engaged until the end of 2024, we hope to reach over 200 Ukrainian youth and civil society members to strengthen their capacities in peacebuilding and nonviolent crisis response; at least 10 Ukrainian organisations and 15 international organisations, who will be able to work on mutual understanding through coordination in the field. Alongside this, the project aims to reach 10 schools and 50 teachers with the creation of 3 specific guides on the topics of Peacebuilding, Nonviolence in Occupied Territories and Peace Education.
In terms of communication, the project plans to identify at least 20 cases of non-violence and peacebuilding initiatives carried out by Ukrainian citizens, activists, youth and civil society organisations, to document and report on them nationally and internationally.
