Experiential PeacebuildingOxford International Encyclopedia for Peace 2009J. Todd Walters

J. Todd Walters- todd@peaceparkexpeditions.com — 1 of 2

Experiential Peacebuilding is an interactive process

that harnesses the unique qualities of outdoor activities

and combines them with proven experiential learning

techniques to foster positive intergroup experiences

within a neutral environment. This framework serves

as a platform upon which to build peacebuilding skills

trainings. A wide variety of outdoor experiential activities

can be customized into various types of peacebuilding

experiences based upon distinct group objectives. The

basic framework is derived from the Action Learning

Cycle which has participants: do something, reflect upon

what they did, use their analysis to come up with a new

plan, and test it out. Facilitated debriefs help to focus

the reflection process, and draw out the peacebuilding

lessons. Examples include three different types:

day long excursions, extended wilderness expeditions,

and ropes/challenge course initiatives. Different activities

have different strengths, promoting different aspects

of peacebuilding, and lending themselves to different

skills trainings.

A day long white water rafting excursion requires

participants to cooperate, communicate and trust each

other to safely navigate the rapids, with the debrief

focused on exploring the metaphor “we are all in the

same boat”. An extended wilderness expedition into

remote backcountry provides more time with which to

achieve greater depth in the relationships developed,

the trust built, the dialogues that occurred, and the

skills honed through practical trainings and the ability

to practice them. A ropes/challenge course presents

participants with initiatives that foster communication,

active listening, collaborative problem solving, and

the leadership/followership dynamic. All programs are

designed to increase in intensity over time, and reinforce

lessons learned though facilitated debrief discussions.

Experiential learning consists of interactive activities

that stimulate the mind, body emotions and attitudes

of individual participants. This unique methodology

combines intellectual, physiological, emotional and

psychological aspects of learning – creating an experience

that taps into multiple layers of consciousness and

memory – giving it greater potential to stimulate positive

transformation. Shawn Dunning identifies this form of

memory as “kinesthetic encoding” – “when a concept is

connected to something that we physically experienced,

the potential for internalizing the given concept is

much greater.” After the experience itself come the

tasks of reflecting upon that experience and discussing

the lessons it highlighted within the group, while also

considering how best to transfer that knowledge from

the environment in which is was cultivated back to

ones’ everyday environment, so that it can be applied

to other aspects of life. Inevitably, when those lessons

are brought back into a familiar environment they are

confronted by the habits, prejudices, and entrenched

mindsets which were left behind. This “reentry shock”

must be overcome in order to ensure the transference

of lessons learned successfully. One method to address

this is a post-program, participant-developed, jointly-

beneficial community service project, which creates

space for course participants to maintain their newly

developed relationships and transfer the lessons learned,

attitudes changed, and stereotypes broken down, to

other members of their community. They serve as living

examples of people with the courage and skills to bridge

the divide between their conflicted communities.

The outdoor environment has a profound effect on the

atmosphere within which the peacebuilding activities

occur, as well as the attitudes participants bring to the

activities. The natural environment does not discriminate,

it is non-judgmental, and it acts as a common

denominator. Lisa Schirch notes that, “Participants gain

knowledge through interaction with their environment.

Thus, peacebuilders need to create a space that can

symbolically support the work of bringing people

together. The physical context in which peacebuilding

takes place should convey a message about what can

and should take place within that space.” The awe-

inspiring places in nature serve as symbolic and ritualized

space where the peacebuilding processes can be

maximized. Contrast this to traditional peacebuilding

trainings in classrooms or resort conference rooms

and it is easy to see the difference between a dialogue

circle that occurs on a mountain peak after all members

have helped each other reach the summit, and one that

overlooks the hotel pool.

Lisa Schirch in her chapter “Ritual Reconciliation”

acknowledges the power of experiential education and

the role it plays in peacebuilding, “If individuals learn by

doing, reconciliation could begin by enacting the desired

transformed state of coexistence. It may be helpful

for individuals in conflict to enact physically what they

cannot verbally acknowledge at first.” In an increasingly

fragmented global society, this can be one of many

peacebuilding tools that facilitates the transformation of

relationships between divided societies at the individual

and community levels.

Experiential PeacebuildingOxford International Encyclopedia for Peace 2009J. Todd Walters

J. Todd Walters- todd@peaceparkexpeditions.com — 2 of 2

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