5th International Disaster and Risk Conference IDRC 2014 Integrative Risk Management - The role of science, technology & practice 24-28 August 2014 in Davos, Switzerland

1. On Promoting
Non Violent Communication (NVC)
in Syria
Wajd Zimmermann
Association: Women For Democracy
Lausanne, Switzerland
IDRC-Davos
August 2014

2. LEILA’S CASE

3. THE SYRIAN CONTEXT
March 2011: a pacific popular uprising
A high level of solidarity existed the 1st year
Then violence increased and manipulations by
the regime started
This had consequences on the Syrian Society
=> How can we Help Syrians Keep their Resilience ?

4. NON VIOLENT COMMUNICATION
Why NVC?
What is NVC?
Basic NVC Elements
NVC in Syria Today ?

5. PROBLEMS & NVC ANSWERS
Lots of tension
> Relational Problems
>> Social Fragmentation
>>> Lost of Dialog Capacity
 Empathic Listening
 Stronger Relationships
 Improving Cohesion
 Improving Dialog Capacity
!All Humans Have the Same Needs!
Acceptance of the Other will
Help Building the Future

6. AN APPROACH ADAPTED TO THE
SYRIAN CONTEXT
Create a NVC women network inside Syria & outside:
Organize workshops for some activists
Assist them through real situations
Help them spread the method
Why Women?
Why the Approach must be Syrian?
Why it must be Bottom-Up?

7. OUR EXPERIENCES SO FAR
WFD Workshops:
 March 2013 Istanbul (with Leila and Malo)
 May 2013 Cairo
 July 2013 Antakya (2 seminars)
 May 2014 Al-Bekaa
Seminars with Leila & Malo as trainors
Since May 2014, Al-Bekaa

8. OUR WORKSHOPS
Ersal, 2014, with Leila
Antakya, 2013 Al-Bekaa, 2014

9. CONCLUSIONS
The NVC method seems to be very appropriate
The spreading of NVC seems to start working
The approach has to be Syrian
It must be bottom-up
It must start with listening
!Much More needs to be done to improve Syrians resilience!
Sponsors to support our project are needed!

10. Today, the syrian population needs help
The syrian people deserves help
The syrian people is trying to help itself
The syrian people is counting on you too
THANK YOU