Seventeen Afghan activists attended a peacebuilding workshop in Ireland organized by BAAG and the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation. The workshop provided the Afghan activists opportunities to learn about Ireland's peace process from the Northern Ireland conflict and exchange ideas with Irish peace activists and politicians. It also allowed the Afghan delegates to network with each other and discuss strategies for building peace in Afghanistan. The attendees learned that peacebuilding is a long, complex process that requires compromise and patience. They were hopeful about applying lessons from the Irish peace process to their own peacebuilding efforts in Afghanistan.

1. Meeting the peacemakers:
Afghan activists in Ireland
27 February 2012
Seventeen Afghan activists travelled to Ireland to learn from the Northern Irish peace
process.
The group, which included six women, attended a peacebuilding workshop organised by
BAAG and one of its member agencies, the Glencree Centre for Peace and
Reconciliation.
Irish activists and politicians described how grassroots groups had helped to build and
maintain peace after decades of conflict in Northern Ireland.
Speakers included Monica McWilliams, co-founder of the Northern Ireland Women's
Coalition, which played a prominent part in negotiating the historic Good Friday Peace
Agreement.
Glencree’s Political and International Programme Director, Ian White, pointed out the
similarities between the Irish and Afghan experiences.
“We both share a very turbulent history. We are both hurting bad and deep.” He said the
workshop was aimed at giving the participants “a greater sense of the complexity of
peacebuilding”. But he stressed it was a two way process; peace activists from both
nations could learn from each others’ strategies and techniques.
The group also met Pádraig Mac Lochlainn,
Sinn Féin parliamentary representative for Donegal North East in the Irish parliament, the
Dáil. He highlighted the crucial part played by civil society groups in pushing forward the
peace process in Northern Ireland, suggesting that Afghan activists could play a similar
role.
“Politicians have to learn that there is a critical role for civil society - and indeed civil
society is more important than the ego of political leaders.” he said. “Often we have to
listen and follow the direction they have shown us.”

2. For the attendees, it was a chance to meet peace activists from other parts of
Afghanistan and compare ideas, strategies and experiences.
The delegates took part in workshops facilitated by Sue Williams, who has decades of
experience in mediation and reconciliation in war-torn countries around the
globe. Ahmad Fahim Hakim, an outgoing Commissioner at the Afghanistan Independent
Human Rights Commission acted as co-facilitator.
Omaid Sharifi, whose 'Let’s Talk!' campaign brings together young Afghans of different
ethnicities to talk over their differences, said the workshop had taught him two major
lessons.
“The first thing I will tell my people is that we shouldn’t expect an answer, a solution, the
next day - it’s a long process and we all need to be very patient”, he said. “Secondly, we
need to compromise and sometimes sacrifice for peace - because no matter what, this is
the right path to choose. And if we lose our supporters, if the people hate us, still we
have to follow this path.”
BAAG's Executive Director Nadeem Kazmi said "We would like to think that the people
attending this event will be able to return to Afghanistan invigorated with new hope, and
new ideas for building peace in their country."
BAAG’s peacebuilding workshop ran
from 22-26 February 2012. Thanks to our funders who enabled this event to take place;
the UK's Department for International Development; The Network for Social Change; The
Polden-Puckham Charitable Foundation and Christian Aid.

3. But it wasn't all work.
During a well-earned break from the workshop, the delegates had the opportunity to got
to see a little of Ireland.
A quick visit to the port of Dún Laoghaire, just outside Dublin, proved popular with the
Afghans, whose country is landlocked.
http://www.baag.org.uk/news/meeting-peacemakers-afghan-activists-ireland