Research Group Peace Culture
In the fall of 2016, the Norwegian Peace Association started a research group to promote local peace culture. The method we apply is based in artistic dialogue and network building in local communities to prevent conflict, and to promote creative and constructive collaboration across ethnicity, culture and religion. The peace culture research grou also makes art-based contributions to the Norwegian Peace Associations other work.
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The main focus of the peace culture research group is to make creative and constructive network-building to create a sense of belonging refugees in their local communities. We run network groups where we use art-based methodology in participation at local events with art-based dialogue of high aesthetic quality. Participants are guided in collaboration with local actors about the group's contribution to the event, and into self-run local activities.
We follow UNESCO's definition of peace culture: a commitment to peacebuilding, mediation, conflict prevention and management, peace education, nonviolence education, tolerance, acceptance, mutual respect, intercultural and interreligious dialogue and reconciliation.
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The method we use is art and expression methodology, where the artistic languages are used to expand the scope around potential and / or current conflicts. Art expression is suitable for creating a constructive distance to one's own and other's parties to the conflict, and to concretise and visualize new approaches and perspectives.