Creative Approaches to 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 Environment in Grassroots 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, humanitarian or development cooperation, or those who intend to work in these fields.

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

Creative approaches can help people engage with conflict, build relationships and imagine new possibilities for change. This module explores how methods such as theatre, music, movement and sport can be used in peacebuilding. Nonviolent Action and Dealing with the Past serve as two example fields for applying these methods: participants will consider how creative practice can support collective action, dialogue, remembrance and social transformation.

Through practical exercises, participants will explore and test different approaches, and learn to use them strategically at personal, community and societal levels. They will reflect on how to adapt these methods to the needs and realities of their own contexts.

Objectives

• Identify a range of creative approaches to peacebuilding, including theatre, music, movement and sport
• Explore how creative methods can be applied in nonviolent action and in dealing with the past
• Practice selected methods and consider how they can support dialogue, collective action and social transformation
• Develop context-sensitive ideas for using creative approaches at personal, community and societal levels 

Key Concepts

• Theatre of the Oppressed
• Embodiment and movement practices
• Music and sports in peacebuilding
• Dealing with the past: remembrance, dialogue and collective engagement
• Nonviolent action and creative strategies for social change
• Strategy and the use of creative methods across different levels of change
• Peace work in contexts shaped by power asymmetries

Methodology

The aim of this training is to provide an interactive and practice-oriented learning environment, in order for the participants to acquire the essential skills and knowledge on the topic. The consolidation of the participants’ sense of self, awareness of own patterns, attitudes, behaviors, biases, needs and limits, as well as understanding of group dynamics and the importance of communication are core issues to the training. These are not only put forward through theoretical inputs, but are consistently brought to the focus through practical exercises and the encouragement of self- and group reflection.

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 training 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.