Our time in Albania provided valuable insights into the contexts with a long history of women and allies in peacebuilding. We attended workshops and dialogue sessions and visited the Albanian Parliament during our visit. Explored the Albanian heritage in the historical town of Krujë, supported the Ride for Peace in honour of the late Sudanese peace activist Enass Muzamel, emphasising the importance of women claiming public space together.
We also learnt about Albania’s religious diversity and witnessed community art activities in solidarity with Palestine. We learnt some vital reflections from this experience. In a country where peacebuilders are well-familiar with difficult times and when pessimism is unavoidable, perhaps it is sometimes necessary before moving forward.
Did we forget about traditional media? Many people may be on some form of social media, but not everyone is equally influenced by it. Traditional media like TV, radio, and print still hold power, especially when addressing audiences beyond the ‘usual’ ones already interested (at least to some degree) in civil society activities. We heard a suggestion to bring back campaigning to TV stations to occupy one minute for a woman’s story, reaching millions during primetime news and creating a lasting presence. We believe that we can learn from traditional approaches and continue exploring creative ways to advocate for peace.
Not all storytellers are NGO-style storytellers. Many countries have storytelling traditions, such as Hakawatis (Arabic Storytellers.) Which has a captivating narration style that employs curiosity-evoking questions, opportunities for reflection, folklore learning, and team bonding. There is no way but to listen to them.
Focus on attributes, not definitions. We have all heard it: “Let’s start by defining what X is to us” and “We don’t even have an agreement on what Y is to us”. This is important, but complete consensus is nearly impossible to reach. Definitions will keep evolving, and a lot of time can be spent on philosophical and ideological debates.
What can be more efficient is focusing on defining the characteristics and attributes rather than meanings. There is no one-size-fits-all, exchanging ideas and perspectives based on our context is one way we can learn from one another.
When is the next opportunity? There are golden windows of opportunity for certain discussions, e.g. international reviews, which take place every five or ten years and allow input from civil society activists. Use them to amplify your message, but keep it focused. One clear message with three goals is a recipe for success.
Solidarity is essential, but be sensitive. When showing solidarity, empathy is remembered for a long time. Many of us may be prompted to comfort others by comparing situations (“My country/people/ancestors had it worse!”), but we must resist and learn to listen. Investing in understanding the context and being mindful of personal losses and the current cycle of conflict.
Previously, the Peace Starts Here co-creators participated in a Women’s Alliance for Security Leadership (WASL) call and connected with the She Builds Peace Movement. We aim to maintain these connections and continue sharing knowledge and stories.
Real and sustainable peace requires respecting and empowering women as leaders—a principle starkly evident in conflict contexts worldwide. Unfortunately, this understanding is not universally acknowledged; public spaces often reflect the opposite. Learn more about the Peace Starts Here movement and add your name to our Manifesto.
We would like to extend our gratitude to ICAN and our Albanian hosts at the Women’s Centre for Development and Culture for their engagement, hospitality, care, and solidarity. Albania’s story of peace, conflict, interfaith dialogue and multiculturalism has much to teach us. We believe that context matters, therefore, the discussion and knowledge exchange during the forum brought out numerous ideas and opportunities to connect globally.
Find out where peace starts for some fellow forum attendees!
