Conflict Transformation
The persisting “frozen” military conflicts surrounding the South Ossetia, Abkhazia and Nagorno Karabakh regions restrict sustainable economic and social development as well as the establishment of free democratic civil societies in the South Caucasus.
Within the respective societies involved in the conflicts, the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS) promotes public discussion on the cause of the conflicts, on each party’s own role and responsibility, and on approaches of non-violent settlement. The HBS is committed to the establishment and further extension of sustainable exchange and contacts between the conflicting parties on the civil society level in order to overcome mutual separation and compartmentalisation. It lobbies regional cooperation in the context of social democratisation and modernisation. In this context, it supports:
- discussion forums with decision makers and people that shape public opinion within the societies, with representatives of refugee and IDP organisations, and academics. The aim is to increase social demand for compromise solutions and enhance the transparency of political decision-making processes concerning the conflicts.
- topic-oriented dialogue between societies involved in a conflict: the purpose of these public and private meetings is the exchange of perspectives concerning various aspects of the conflict, as well as the development of sustainable contacts that secure the exchange of information on levels below the official negotiating authorities. The results of the meetings are published as documentation material in most cases.
- films, radio and TV transmissions, newspapers, and internet forums that penetrate information blockades between societies that are alienated from each other due to conflict. These projects enable the societies to perceive and become familiar with the “other party’s” perspectives and attitudes.
- publications that promote scientific as well as literary exchange between South Caucasian societies and their neighbours, and that look into issues such as “bogeyman” images and stereotypes in a critical way.
The Heinrich Böll Foundation focuses in particular on projects that place the bilateral dimensions of conflict work into a regional and international perspective. For this purpose, the South Caucasus regional office closely collaborates with the offices of the Foundation in Istanbul (http://www.boell-tr.org/) and Moscow (http://www.boell.ru/). Partners and other experts from Russia and Turkey are involved in dialogue and trialogue processes, whereupon the role of these countries in the South Caucasus is discussed and direct contact between scientists and non-governmental organisations (NGO) are established. Moreover, the Foundation cooperates with regional Caucasian NGO coalitions that are actively involved in conflict transformation.
Turkish-Armenian Dialogue
Turkey-Armenia Journalists’ Dialogue Programme
In the fourth year of the programme, aiming to strengthen ties between journalists from Turkey and Armenia and to establish direct means of exchanging news sources, journalists, columnists, and bloggers from Armenia visited Turkey and learned in-depth about various issues on Turkey’s agenda.
Ani Dialogue II in Istanbul
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<?xml:namespace prefix = w /?>After signs of a breakthrough in 2008 diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia are in a bottleneck again. At the same time there is increasing interest in both societies in overcoming legacies of the past, exchanging experiences with neighbors and aiming towards an open border. Since its inauguration in October 2010, the Ani Dialogue — organized by the Heinrich Boell Foundation South Caucasus, the Heinrich Boell Foundation Turkey and the Caucasus Institute in Armenia — is dedicated to bottom-up reconciliation and normalization of mutual ties between Turkey and Armenia. In 2011 the annual meeting of Ani Dialogue was held in Heybeliada, Istanbul on July 7-10. The Dialogue was held in three different formats: plenary sessions as an introduction, working groups targeting specific issues and field trips to various institutions related to the topics of the dialogue. The event was accompanied by different social and cultural activities.
Ani Dialogue kick-off conference reveals great potential in Turkish Armenian civil society cooperation
- The first meeting of the Ani Dialogue has ended with great achievements in building relations and preparing the ground for future joint projects between the Turkish and Armenian civil society. A new bottom up process was inaugurated, which aims at contributing to a better understanding of both societies and, in a long term, to a relaxation in Armenian Turkish relations. more»
Turkish-Armenian Dialogue
Series of seminars in Armenia
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Yerevan-based Analytical Centre on Globalization and Regional Cooperation (ACGRC) organized three one-day seminars in regions of Armenia: Vanadzor, Gyumri and Yeghegnadzor, with support from the South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation.
Football diplomacy and beyond
- A breakthrough in Turkish Armenian relations
What would an opening mean for the two countries? What has made the rapprochement possible? How have political leaders handled the delicate process? What are the implications for the conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh? How will Azerbaijan react? What new prospects open for relations between Europe and the South Caucasus, or between Turkey and the rest of Europe?
This dossier combines expert analysis and interviews with political leaders to give the latest insight into a complex region, and how conflicts can be peacefully overcome.
Events
South Caucasus Journalists enhance their Skills in Conflict Sensitive Journalism & Social Media
Conference report
Regional cooperation as an Instrument for Peace Building and Reconciliation – Best Practice and Lessons from Europe
- On October 10th a group of Georgian and international policy shapers and researchers went to a Field-trip to investigate best practices of regional cooperation between Georgia and Abkhazia. As an impressive example for regional cooperation the group visited the Enguri Dam near the Administrative Border Line. People from both sides work together and share the output from one of the worldwide biggest hydro-electric power plants. Even during the war in August 2008 the cooperation continued. The Enguri Dam is an example how regional cooperation can solve common problems to the benefit on either side. more»
Conflict and Migration: The Georgian-Abkhazian Case in a European Context
- On June 17-20, 2008 South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation together with University of California, Irvine and Conciliation Resources, London, organized a conference “Conflict and Migration: The Georgian-Abkhazian Case in a European Context” more»
Georgian NATO Accession and Potential Impacts on the Georgian-Abkhaz Peace Process
- On June 12-15, 2007 South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation together with University of California, Irvine, organized a conference "Georgian NATO Accession and Potential Impacts on the Georgian-Abkhaz Peace Process". more»
Prospects for Georgia and Abkhazia in the context of Black Sea Integration
- On June 24-27, 2006 South Caucasus Regional Office of the Heinrich Boell Foundation together with University of California, Irvine, organized a conference “Prospects for Georgia and Abkhazia in the context of Black Sea Integration”. more»
Ansichten und Meinungen
Wenn Mörder zu Volkshelden werden
Armenien: Verbrechen ohne Strafe? Die Safarow-Affäre
- - Soziale Netzwerke und Blogs, die wohl besser als Barometer der öffentlichen Meinung in Armenien dienen als die staatlich kontrollierten herkömmlichen Medien, kochten in den Tagen nach Safarows Freilassung vor Wut. Während sich der größte Zorn auf Aserbaidschan richtete, wurde auch das Verhalten der armenischen Regierung hinterfragt. mehr»
Aserbaidschan: Ein „Held“ unserer Zeit
- - Der jubelnde Empfang von Ramil Safarow fügt sich ein in die aserbaidschanische Politik der Radikalisierung gegenüber dem Nachbarland Armenien. Das autoritäre Regime braucht den Konflikt um Karabach-Berg wie die Luft zum Atmen und gefährdet damit zusehend eine friedliche Lösung. mehr»
Ungarn: Was sagt uns der Fall Safarow über das heutige Ungarn?
- Die überraschende Auslieferung Safarows am 31. August 2012 und die Begnadigung nach seiner Ankunft in Baku hat die internationale Gemeinschaft schockiert und die armenisch-aserbaidschanischen Beziehungen schwer belastet. Die derzeitige ungarische Regierung zeigt, dass sie bei der Sicherung ihrer Wirtschaftsinteressen zu vielem bereit ist – wenn nötig auch im Widerspruch zu fundamentalen Menschenrechten. mehr»
IDP Debates
Poti and Tskaltubo: Empowering Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the Parliamentary Election Context
Regional Debates
IDP Public Debates – Local Self-Government, Upcoming Local Elections and IDPs – accountability, responsibility and participation
- Within the framework of the project “IDP Public Debates” the Heinrich Boell Foundation organized the series of public discussions for the community of IDPs in Gori, Tskaltubo and Zugdidi.
The topic of discussions for all three debates was: “Local Self-Government, Upcoming Local Elections and IDPs – accountability, responsibility and participation”. As a result of the discussions held in Gori, Tskaltubo and Zugdidi one major problem was outlined – the most urgent issues that concern the IDP society are unfortunately beyond the competence of the local government and all the questions that are raised during such debates are not possible to be answered thoroughly from the side of the local government representatives.
Regional Debates
IDP Debates in Gori, Tskaltubo and Zugdidi
- The HBF is conducting a new series of debates, dealing with the problems of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Georgia. According to the Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), due to the conflicts in the 1990s and the August war 2008, more than 247,000 people have fled from their hometowns and are now living in settlements or former sanatoriums and hospitals especially in the border regions to the occupied territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. more»