ROADS TO RESOLUTION

Best Practices

Roads to Resolution believes that Information Communication Technologies should enhance certain objectives of reconciliation.

In order to assess HOW ICTS can be used to further reconciliation efforts there are three roles ICTs can play, as identified by the United States Institute of Peace:

* To help people process information
* To support relationships
* To help people understand each other

Roads to Resolution has further expanded on the work of the USIP to understand if and how ICT for reconciliation programs have been able to meet these objectives. We have dissected these project into 5 dimensions. These dimensions provide for an understanding of how a project works and how ICTs are helping people process information, support relationships and understand one another.

* Audience targeting
* Methodology
* Impact
* Effect of ICTs
* Challenges and limitations

Roads to Resolution has been able to single out specific programs in traditional media, telecommunications, and new media, which embody the best practices for Reconciliation through ICTs by category. We will continue to look for the best utilization of ICTs for Reconciliation and highlight projects which serve as models of success.

Videoletters

Studio Ijambo

Hello Peace

Audience Targeting

Videoletters audience targeting helps people process information by making information more attractive and accessible. Videoletters targets the population of the states in the former Yugoslavia with a particular emphasis on youth. To appeal to youth, Videoletters sends a hip cutting edge V* Caravan fully equipped with the latest technology including webcams to encourage participation in the recording of videoletters. Additionally, videoletters recruits famous artists, athletes and musicians as V* Ambassadors to promote the project. Videoletters establishes a more permanent presence with web kiosks, known as V* Counters to encourage spontaneous participation. The program is able to target a wider audience through V* Broadcasting videoletters on all public tv stations.

Studio Ijambo targets the entire Burundian population, with a special interest in young men. The studio is able to capture its target audience by developing high quality programming. By establishing itself as a credible news source with exciting programming in public affairs and culture, it stood out in the restricted media enviornment. To appeal to youth, Studio Ijambo develops programs specifically targeted at children and young adults.

Hello Peace's audience targeting supports relationships by revealing mutual interest. Hello Peace targets Israelis and Palestineans. The creators of Hello peace, fully aware of the controversial nature of their project, launched a very public advertisement campaign to generate awareness. Billboards appeared throughout Israeli and Palestinian territories, ads were printed in popular newspapers and heard on the radio.

Methodology

Videoletters methodology helps people understand each other and supports the building and rekindling of relationships. People create videoletters to tell their personal story and reconnect with one another. Videoletters humanize the "other" by giving a face and a voice to both sides. Hearing other people's stories increases understanding and promotes empathy. Another component is to have grade school children interview older members of their communities to revisit the past and begin the healing process. Videoletters reconnects former enemies and creates a new space for dialogue and reconciliation. The project also organizes public screenings of Videoletters to bring people together, and promote a feeling of community. Through the Videoletters website, users create a profile for themsleves or someone they lost touch with during the war. The website contains a database with the GPS coordinates which allows for direct connections between users.

Studio Ijambo promotes reconiliation by emphasizing the common ground between Hutus and Tutsis in the Great Lakes region of East Africa. Studio Ijambo also uses humor to discuss taboo subjects such as racial hatred, corruption and state sponsored violence. Studio Ijambo relies heavily on behavioral modeling, providing the audience with examples of prosocial behavior to foster more positive interethnic relations. Behavioral modelling is particularly efective on the serial drama, Our Neighbors, Ourselves, which features two families living in the rural countryside: one Hutu, one Tutsti. The families endure the same problems and learn to overcome their challenges by working collectivley.

Hello Peace's methodology helps people understand eachother and supports relationships. The The Hello Peace project responds directly to the lack of trust and empathy between Palestinians and Israelis which by many accounts, is the primary reasons that the cycle of violence continues. Hello Peace gives Israelis and Palestinians an opportunity to explore their curiosity of the other side in an anonymous, secure, and comfortable setting By getting thousands of Israeli and Palestinians to talk with each other on their own terms, and by making the programs availability and success as public as possible Israelis and Palestinians are taking the first step by acknowledging one another as willing peaceful partners.

Role of ICTs

Videoletters innovative meld of new and traditional media helps people process information, supports relationships and helps build interethnic understanding. The program utilizes new technologies such as internet and webcam while heavily relies on widely available technologies such as television to ensure maximum reach. The program's combination of sophisticated and simple ICTs provides new ICT experience for many while recognizing it cannot reach everyone.

Studio Ijambo's effective use of traditional media helps people process information, understand eachother and encourages relationship-building. The use of radio is central to Studio Ijambo's ability to disseminate information to the audience, since radio is the only source of information rural villagers. Phones provide a feedback mechanism for the audience to call in responses and discuss issues, making programming more interactive. Programming is also streamed live on the internet.

Hello Peace's use of telecommunications helps people retain new information and fosters understanding by facilitating first time interethnic interactions and ultimately striving to create relationships. The Hello Peace Project is totally and completely dependent on ICT's, and telephones more specifically. Hello Peace was only able to succeed by partnering with a major Israeli phone company which caters both to Israelis and Palestinians to ensure that as many people on both sides have access. the use of ICT's for this program is also central to the level of comfort it provides users. A simple telephone call allows for complete anonymity - something very crucial in such a bitter conflict

Challenges and Limitations

The Videoletters program largely relies on users previous knowledge of internet. The V*Counters assume that the users have computer internet experience and do not provide sufficient internet access. Videoletters tries to get around this problem with the V*Caravan, but this intervention is limited and only offers short interaction with new technology. Additionally, some people are hesitant to have their face and story shared on television.

Studio Ijambo operates in a limited manner. Its programming runs on a government-owned station so it must work with the government and is limited in its criticism. Additionally, Studio Ijambo does not support itself but relies on external funding, which limits its long term viability.

There are of course a number of challenges, namely how to increase the number of users, and how to turn this dialogue into mainstream attitudes reflected in the daily lives of Israelis and Palestinians. The intensity of the conflict and the manner in which violence occurs spontaneously often eliminates the willingness to participate.

Impact

Videoletters has created a 20 part V*TV documentary series, which airs on all seven national television stations across the former Yugoslavia and is the most watched program. Each episode details the direct impact that the project has had on participants who are reconnected with former friends and neighbors. Interviews conducted by local and international media have documented the emotional impact that the program has on the tv viewing audience. The program has received international acclaim and has been invited to numerous film festivals. Videoletters has expanded its efforts into Rwanda, and has been invited to Israel, Palestinian territories and Russia among others.

The community response has been very positive. Studio Ijambo reaches over 12 million people in the Great Lakes region. In three studies conducted since 1999, 80-90% of the Burundian population listen to Studio Ijambo, and 82% of listeners said that the believed Studio Ijambo's programs greatly helped reconciliation. Numerous studies have found that Studio Ijambo reduced violence, fought rumor mongering and educated the audience on the importance of peaceful conflict resolution. Survey participants said that Studio Ijambo had changed their views about ethnic groups as well as increased understanding of dialogue as a viable alternative to violence. Lastly, studies have found that youth trust and identify with Studio Ijambo: nearly 90% of those surveyed said they identify with Studio programming.

The response to the Hello Peace Project has been overwhelming. Since the project first launched, more than 1,000,000 phone calls have been made between Israelis and Palestinians and has inspired songs to be written about it. Hello Peace has garnered attention worldwide and has been featured in a number of newspapers and publications. Additionally, the BBC created a radio show around Hello Peace, which tells the stories of telephone encounters between Israelis and Palestinians using Hello Peace

Best Practices:

Through our Research of different ICT for Reconciliation Programs we have been able to highlight the best practices for effective use of ICT in building reconciliation, across all mediums.

Audience targeting is most effective when it helps people process information. This can be done by making information accessible to as many people as possible and focusing particular attention on the perceived attractiveness and credibility of the information source. Audience targeting can also help support relationships, by emphasizing common ground between rival ethnic groups.

Methodology is most effective when it aims to build relationships and foster understanding between groups. This can be accomplished by directly addressing trust issues and helping to put a human face on a once demonized group. All projects provided people a safe space in which they could explore the perspectives of the other without fear of being ostracized within their own communities. Some programs used humor to break barriers on once-taboo topics while others used personal experiences to promote empathy.

The Role of ICTs is most effective when it serves to help people process information, help people understand one another, and help build relationships. It is essential that an ICT reflects the media environment of a given society by offering a combination of media tools that is both innovative and accessible to the widest possible audience.

We are confident that by incorporating these lessons in both the creation and evaluation of ICT for Reconciliation programs can enhance their effectiveness and ultimately help embattled societies begin their journey on their road to resolution.