Environment in Grassroots Peacebuilding

This training is part of the Full Time Course in Peace and Conflict Work. However, it can also be booked separately or as package with the training on Dialogue Facilitation and the training on Creative Approaches to Peacebuilding (with a 10% discount on the combined block of the three trainings).

Who can register for this training?

The 4-day training is offered to practitioners of peace and conflict work, as well as those who intend to work in the field.

Depending on methods and topic of the training, we limit the number of available spaces to a maximum of 16 participants. Register early to reserve your place! 

Content

The links between the environment and conflict are increasingly evident. Climate change can intensify pressures on already fragile governance systems, while damage to ecosystems can threaten the livelihoods and resources communities depend on. At the same time, communities that deal with conflicts have less possibilities and resources to invest in the adaptation to climate change. Understanding these connections is essential to building lasting peace.

In this training, participants will practice a structured approach to analysing how environmental and conflict dynamics interact. They will explore how to integrate these insights into existing programs and support more sustainable, locally grounded peacebuilding. 

Objectives

• Explore the interlinks and interdependences between the environment, people and conflict, using analysis tools that include environment factors
• Learn through examples how to mainstream environmental issues in future or existing projects in the context of grassroots peacebuilding
• Apply practical tools to plan and implement environmental sensitive peacebuilding projects, using their respective contexts and projects

Key Concepts

• Interdependence between the environment, people and conflict
• Mapping environmental vulnerabilities and conflict drivers
• Analysing drivers for resilience, peace and social cohesion
• Integration in peace programming

Methodology

The training will be practical, participatory and experience-based; the insights, existing skills and knowledge of both the facilitator and the participants will form an integral part of the process. It will be grounded in the principles of adult learning. The tools and methodologies used in the workshop will be practiced and applied to conflict contexts and projects the participants suggest and are familiar with (or that are their own contexts). Participants will be encouraged to adapt and change the tools to make them their own. 

After a successful participation, participants receive a certificate and become part of the academy’s alumni network.

Certification Requirements

The course certification requirements serve as a guideline for the participants to critically evaluate their own learning progress and as a point of reflection on the importance of their continued engagement with the group, participation in the course and commitment to the tasks.

The specific requirements are the following:

• Punctuality and regular attendance during the course. Participants are allowed up to 25% of absence, with permission from the Academy, to attend to urgent issues;
• Completion of 90% of the compulsory tasks and deliverables per module; and
• Respect and observance of the agreements about the learning process such as; active participation, treating each other with respect, readiness to work on one’s own skills, willingness to resolve conflicts in a constructive way, and openness to reflect on one’s roles and behaviours, emotions and thoughts.

Exceptions on individual basis and/or alternative tasks as compensation of missed requirements could be granted in agreement with the course team. Gaining new knowledge and perspectives and learning new skills are the core outcomes of the course. However, inability to meet most or all the requirements may lead to the participant not receiving a certificate at the end of the course.

Do you have questions about this training? Our team is happy to assist you. Please do not hesitate to contact me: claudia.osthues@propeace.de

Application

Please register for this training online via our website by 31 December 2026. We will then contact you for the next steps. Please note that the number of available spaces per training is limited, and that your participation in the training is only guaranteed if the fee is paid in time. Early registration is highly encouraged.

Please make sure to clearly express your motivation and expectations for the training. Also, please share your experiences relevant to the topic.

Visa: Participants from outside the EU will need a visa to enter Germany. We can generally support the visa process with a formal invitation letter from our side. Be advised that it takes a significant amount of time to get the visa processed, so be sure to start the process 8 weeks before the training start. Please make sure you are eligible and check the specific requirements and usual timeline for processing with your local German embassy. The responsibility for obtaining the visa lies with each of the participants themselves.