Election 2024: Don't fan the flames
The first rule of peace journalism is this: at minimum, don’t make a bad situation worse and don’t add fuel to the fire.

Regardless of the election’s outcome, there will be anger, finger pointing, inflammatory language, false claims, and even hatred. So, what can the media and the public do to not exacerbate what will undoubtedly be an incendiary situation?

First, the public can avoid spreading propaganda. NPR has a great guide that details how to do this, including not getting anxious if the results aren’t available election night; pausing before re-posting, especially if you feel your emotions stirred by the info you’re reading; analyzing the source of information; and being wary of images because they can be manipulated or taken out of context.

As for journalists, what can they do to avoid fueling anger and division? Peace journalism can provide us several tips:

1. Don’t amplify extreme voices on either side
2. Don’t give credence to rumors of electoral fraud. Even in the unlikely event of electoral fraud, it will take weeks (months?) to uncover and prove any fraudulent activity.
3. Give peacemakers and moderates a platform, and amplify dialogue that builds bridges
4. Be patient, and don’t speculate. The results will come when the results come.
5. Explain trends, and don’t blow them out of proportion. One reason so many believe that the 2020 election was crooked is because their candidate was “ahead” but then ultimately lost. A better informed public would understand these ebbs and flows.
6. Call out those who use incendiary language, and especially those who advocate violence
7. Avoid exaggerated “end of the world” analysis from “experts.” A victory by the “wrong” candidate does not equal the apocalypse.

I’ll be watching and reading closely this week to see if the media contribute to reconciliation, division, and/or violence.

 

New professional chapter begins at East-West Center
When one door closes, another door open. Challenges are just opportunities by another name. You’ll land on your feet.

Yes, I used these cliches while counseling those who lost jobs, or didn’t get hired for the job they wanted. I was embarrassed to utter these seemingly silly phrases because, honestly, I couldn’t come up with anything better. I certainly didn’t really believe what I was saying.

In hindsight, maybe I was right.

I’m starting a new job now—one that is the perfect fit for my abilities and experiences. I am the seminars/journalism program coordinator for the East-West Center. In this capacity, I will help plan and facilitate programming for journalists from the Asia-Pacific region, and travel with these journalists as they explore and report about the region. My first project is facilitating the Jefferson Fellowships which will bring 12 regional journalists first to Hawaii and then to Taiwan and the Philippines reporting security and trade issues. I’m working with our partners in Manila and Taipei to line up speakers, set agendas, and so on.

Not only is the job perfect, but the location is idyllic Honolulu, Hawaii. (For some great Honolulu photos, check this out). Nothing is more attractive to me than no winters, no blazing hot summers, and easy access to breathtaking beaches and mountains. It truly is paradise.

I am grateful for the opportunity the East-West Center has given me, and will of course do everything I can to validate the confidence they’ve shown in me.

So, I did land on my feet, charge through that open door, and seize the opportunity that presented itself.

I’m excited to see what comes next.

Burns Hall, home of the East-West Center on the campus of
the University of Hawaii-Manoa

Hot off the presses: The new Peace Journalist magazine
The latest edition of The Peace Journalist magazine is out! It features a special report on a ‘reporting the past’ project with journalists from Kosovo and Northern Ireland, as well as dispatches from Ethiopia, Gaza, Uganda, and elsewhere.

The magazine can be viewed/downloaded at https://www.scribd.com/document/774752030/The-Peace-Journalist-mag-Oct-2024  .

This edition of The Peace Journalist was produced in cooperation with Making Peace Visible, a bridge-building organization that facilitates conversations globally about how the media cover peace and conflict. You can get their journal, Nuance, listen to their insightful podcast (also called Making Peace Visible), or sign up for their newsletter at https://www.makingpeacevisible.org/ .

Enjoy the magazine.

Best wishes, Steven Youngblood, Editor, The Peace Journalist

MPV, Indian-Pakistani peacebuilders inspire
As we approach the International Day of Peace on Sept. 21, my thoughts and gratitude turn to the peacemakers with whom I’ve had the privilege of collaborating.

While the list is too long for one blog (or a dozen blogs), let me pick out a few peacebuilders whom I admire:

I am grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Making Peace Visible—MPV.  MPV is a bridge-building organization that facilitates important conversations globally about how the media cover peace and conflict. MPV’s mission is to help expand global coverage of peace and reconciliation efforts in the media, to inspire a wider range of approaches to conflict reporting, and to improve the overall public narrativ about peace. Towards that end, MPV produces an entertaining, enlightening podcast, also called Making Peace Visible, and a journal, Nuance. They are planning an ambitious symposium in Washington in 2025 that will bring together journalists and peacebuilders to discuss how they can make peace more visible. MPV is led by Luxembourg Peace Prize laureate Jamil Simon, one of the most dedicated peacebuilders I know. He is joined by an equally committed staff of associates and volunteers that include Faith McClure, Andrea Muraskin, Dr. Annie Rappeport, Adam Weiss, and Peter Argoos. Their commitment to the cause of peace and their perseverance inspires me.

I am also inspired by the 80 or so courageous peacebuilders who have participated in the East-West Center’s two cohorts of a cross border reporting project. These participants are journalists from India and Pakistan who have come together to meet (on Zoom first, and then in person in Nepal) and to jointly report stories of mutual interest. The last cohort, which met in January in Kathmandu, reported climate stories. It takes courage for these journalists to work with “the enemy” since such collaboration opens them up to suspicion of collusion, spying, or disloyalty. Yet, these tenacious journalists persist. They have produced stories that highlight the commonalities between the two countries, rather than the traditional narratives that demonize and dehumanize the other side. (See below, links to some of these stories). Their perseverance also inspires me.

As I begin a new chapter in my career next month (details soon!), I will strive to meet the high standard set by these exemplary peacebuilders.

East West Center Cross Border Reporting Project—Stories produced include:
Transgender climate activists
Regenerative Farming 
Flood Relief 
Snakebites 

Bonus--Previous Peace Day posts:
a. University students: What peace means to me
b. Peacebuilding in Yemen
c. Kansas City peacebuilders
d. Nelson Mandela Peace Summit at the United Nations in New York

N. Ireland, Kosovo journalists forge professional, personal bonds
August was a whirlwind that took my colleagues and I to Kosovo, then back home for a few weeks, then finally to Northern Ireland. We were collectively tapping into one another’s wisdom about the troubled pasts that both regions are still dealing with, and how, as journalists, we can most responsibly report on issues like anniversaries, memorials, victims, trauma, and justice. (See my previous blogs for details about the trips to Pristina/MitrovicaKosovo and Belfast/Derry Northern Ireland). 

At the Bloody Sunday memorial in Derry, Northern Ireland. 
(Photo by Allan Leonard/Shared Future News)

It was gratifying to see how the project grew from an idea I had a few years ago into the initiative that brought together 20 journalists, half from each region. I was especially moved by the way the journalists came together, both professionally and personally. Project co-director Allan Leonard (Shared Future News, Northern Ireland) even said in his closing remarks in Belfast that the journalists, trainers, and project staff had united to form a family. This is especially remarkable given that the journalists are from different countries, practice different religions, and have a wide age disparity. The journalists from Kosovo were mostly in their 20’s and 30’s, while their peers from Northern Ireland were mostly, well, much more seasoned.

Their newly formed connections will be put to use as the journalists produce stories during the next month in teams of two (one reporter from Kosovo, and one from Northern Ireland). They’ve selected thoughtful, riveting story topics including refugee songs and their power to integrate or segregate; challenges facing ethnic minorities and women in both Northern Ireland and Kosovo; how food brings people together; missing women; expectations of young generations (especially women) regarding reconciliation; women’s football in both places; the role of symbols/flags in reconciliation; naming of monuments; and integration of education. All stories will be explored using a gender-sensitive lens.

I enjoyed my job as one of the project’s trainers, as well as working with Allan Leonard and Xhemajl Rexha, director of the Association of Journalists of Kosovo (AJK). Leonard, Rexha, and their helpers at AJK, Shared Future News, and the National Union of Journalists in Northern Ireland developed invigorating itineraries for the participants, and overcame a million logistical challenges. They have my gratitude and admiration. Of course, I'm grateful as well to our funders, the British Embassy in Kosovo.

I’m proud of what we accomplished during our trips to Belfast/Derry and Pristina/Mitrovica. I’m looking forward to seeing the stories produced by the teams of journalists. My expectations are very high indeed for some outstanding reporting.

Beautiful, and historical, Derry, Northern Ireland