As I tried to fill the gaps and connect the dots I realised that the conflicts and the wars that we face are deeply rooted in economic, political, and social issues that our countries are facing. Previously, I had heard little about the peace agreement in Colombia, the details of the negotiation process in Yemen, the polarisation in Ethiopian society, the acts of genocide in Myanmar, and other conflicts outside my geographical scope. Quickly we realised that day by day there was a strong bond being built between us during interactions and in small group discussions (Of course, the ‘fikas’ – Swedish coffee breaks – had their influence too.) We were diverse people from different religious, ethnic, and professional backgrounds but one thing united us our dedication to conflict resolution and the spread of sustainable peace. The legacy of Dag Hammarskjöld, as the UN Secretary-General during decolonisation, had a strong impact on us. Twenty-three participants from different parts of the world gathered at the International Training on Dialogue and Mediation organised by Uppsala University’s Department of Peace and Conflict Research and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation. Ten days were enough for me to create a big international family in Uppsala.
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