AT2013HRH-BumsukPC22 April 2013 – Amman, Jordan: Speaking at the official press conference for the third Generations For Peace Samsung Advanced Training, HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein, Founder and Chairman of Generations For Peace, reflected on his discussions with the participants over the past five days of intensive training. The participants themselves assessed the Advanced Training to be a resounding success, which has set new standards in their peace-building knowledge exchange and their own capacity development as conflict transformation change-makers.

The training, which took place from 18 to 22 April, gathered 37 experienced Generations For Peace volunteers from eleven countries, to stretch their knowledge and skills in conflict transformation facilitation, programme design, monitoring and evaluation. But the training also focused on “horizontal learning” and the sharing and exchange of experiences, success stories and best practices, as well as challenges and lessons-learned across different programmes.

In his remarks made at the press conference, which was live-streamed to worldwide media, HRH Prince Feisal praised the Generations For Peace volunteers and stressed on the importance of the their work at the grass roots in their communities around the world: “As role models, trainers and facilitators, our Pioneers are cascading values, knowledge and skills in conflict transformation to others in their communities, supporting greater understanding, tolerance and trust across conflict divides… They come from 11 different countries, and from communities facing very different challenges, but they share the values of Generations For Peace – and a shared determination to take personal action to create a better future.”

HRH Princess Sarah Al-Feisal, Co-Founder and President of Generations For Peace, commented on the significance of the fact that all the core sessions were facilitated by experienced Generations For Peace volunteer Pioneers themselves: “We are now seeing the fruit of our cascading model and our investment in the personal capacity development of our volunteers. Our Pioneer Facilitators have performed exceptionally well. Because they have walked in the shoes of the other volunteers, they are able to bring their personal experience to the training. It’s incredibly motivating for our participants as they progress their own Generations For Peace journey in their footsteps.”

The Advanced Training is supported by Samsung as part of its “Hope For Children” sustainability programme, and reflects the passion Samsung shares for innovation and excellence to inspire the world and create a better future. Speaking at the official press conference, Mr Bumsuk Hong, President of Samsung Electronics Levant Company, said: “Since 2008, Samsung’s partnership with Generations For Peace has been founded on Samsung’s belief that the sustainability of our business demands that we be respected global corporate citizens. We have been supporting sustainable social development in the belief that businesses need a peaceful society, free from conflict and violence, in order to prosper, just as trees require good soil to grow.”
The participants at the training came from Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Georgia, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, Rwanda, Somalia, Yemen and Zimbabwe. Attendance at the Training is shown to provide a great boost to the motivation and conflict transformation skills of the participants, and leads directly to improvements in programme design, innovation and quality, ensuring greater impact and sustainability. The Generations For Peace Samsung Advanced Training comes to a conclusion tonight with awards recognising the efforts of the volunteers on the ground in their communities. The awards are in four categories: impact, sustainability, quality and innovation.