MOSAIC - The training kit for Euro-Mediterranean youth work

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What are the most important lessons you have learned from this activity, in
planning future youth work?
Tips for the facilitator
You can run the two parts separately, or even singly (as described under “Variations”
below).
Make sure that groups understand what the five terms mean and how they differ from
each other. You may want to give examples, or invite them to do so, before breaking
into small groups:
Causes of the conflict: the poor economy of the Liper Republic, the threat of
pollution to the River Noe, historical disputes
Examples of connectors: the River Noe running from one country to the other,
ecological groups on both sides, the EMOPAC, the fact that the differences
between the two sides are relatively small
Examples of opportunities: the offer to both governments to sit together, the
next holiday period, and the fact that Liperi people tend to travel to the Gonzo
Republic in summer
Examples of splitters: the paper factory, protests, attacks, hate speech, historical
disputes
Examples of threats: a possible escalation of violence, the alarmist news being
put out
It is important that the projects proposed are as creative as possible, so it may be
helpful to provide materials for drawing or artwork, and allow more time for this part
of the activity. Encourage them to use their imaginations in drawing up their projects!
Emphasise to all the groups except “Youth for employment” that they should plan
actions that can be carried out without additional financial support.
Variations
If the group is familiar with the process of conflict analysis, you could miss out this part
of the activity, in order to give more time to the project planning. Equally, if you have
less time available and the group has not analysed a conflict in these terms before,
you could leave out the project planning element, or run it at a later stage.
Ideas for action
Ask participants to look at a real conflict and use the same analysis tool to try to understand
it. You might also go further and encourage them to plan a youth project that
could help to bring the sides of the conflict together.
Suggestions for follow-up
The activity “A mosque in Sleepyville”, in Compass online, looks at an imaginary
dispute about plans to build a mosque in a small community. Participants role-play
the different characters involved in the dispute.
You could also try some other “Peace and conflict” activities in this T-kit, for example,
No. 1 “A family row” or No. 6 “Did I forget something?”
Paper factory