The Peace Frequency

In this episode of the Peace Frequency we speak with Aaron Shneyer, the Founder & Executive Director of Heartbeat – an organization that unites Israeli and Palestinian youth musicians to build critical understanding, develop creative nonviolent tools for social change, and amplify their voices to influence the world around them. Heartbeat staff members are trained musicians and dialogue facilitators, entrusted to create and hold a space for participants to build critical consciousness of the complicated world they have inherited and to support participants in developing skills in critical thinking, communication, leadership, and creative nonviolent civic engagement.

In this episode of the Peace Frequency we continue our series focused on the #YouthPeaceEquality 60 Days of Engagement. Our guest is Marc Sommers, who is an internationally recognized youth, conflict, development, gender, and education expert, an experienced evaluator, and an award-winning author. He has conducted research, assessments and evaluations, and provided technical advice, in 21 war-affected countries (15 in Africa) since 1990. His most recent book is entitled, The Outcast Majority: War, Development, and Youth in Africa.

As part of USIP's 60 days of engagement around the intersections between youth, gender and peace, in this episode of the Peace Frequency we speak with Dr. Illana Lancaster about creating inclusive classrooms. Illana holds a master’s degree in secondary education and a PhD in international education policy. Her 2008 dissertation explored the role of race, class, and gender in school-related violence in secondary schools in Johannesburg, South Africa. She is a senior program officer in the USIP Academy where she specializes in curriculum and training design and delivery, trainer development and university partnerships. Illana discusses her experience as an educator and why inclusive education is critical to building more peaceful societies. She offers techniques and strategies for applying a gender lens in the classroom and answers incoming questions from the audience.

Youth peacebuilder, Gbenga Oni of Nigeria, is a Generation Change and YALI Fellow who implements peacebuilding programs in Northern Nigeria in partnership with Justice, Development and Peace Caritas Advocates. JDPCA envisions a community where justice and promotion of human dignity are held sacred and all citizens are able to realize their full potential in a just, safe and free environment. On the show, Gbenga will discuss the challenges associated with reaching gender equality in Nigeria and what young people are doing to further this goal.

Kicking off 60 days of engagement around youth, gender and peace, this episode of the Peace Frequency speaks with Vweta Chadwick - a human rights champion with over 10 years’ experience working to advance the rights of women and girls. She is the programs director of Project ASHA, an NGO advancing the rights of women and girls in underserved communities across Africa. She, equally, doubles as the secretary of Carrington Youth Fellowship Alumni Network. The 60 days of engagement - #Youth4PeaceandEquality - are bringing awareness and education to three international days of celebration: August 12th is International Youth Day; September 21st is International Peace Day; and October 11th is International Day of the Girl Child.