Link to google doc with updates from our work in Ukraine https://bit.ly/PeaceMakersUkraine
CISU continues to support LIVKOM’s peace work in Ukraine
Through the organization Dignity Space, Carl Plesner, co-founder and board member of LIVKOM, has since 2014 worked with Nonviolent Communication Training, Reconciliation and with the training of peace engineers in conflict-ravaged Ukraine.
CISU – Civil Society in Development, The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has in 2019 chosen to continue its financial support of the project, and contributes an additional DKK 500,000.
Update from Carl Plesner on August 1, 2019: Can Ukraine develop in a more peaceful and democratic direction?
“At LIVKOM, we work for just that. We have launched a project in Ukraine, which is inspired by the Danish Conflict Council. In the project “Peace Engineer Direct Action”, LIVKOM supports our Ukrainian sister organization “Dignity Space” in offering free assistance for peaceful conflict management to all non-profit organizations in Ukraine. This is done by the organization that is affected by the conflict contacting Dignity Space who then visits the case and then sends a Peace Engineer to the area to promote a dialogue-based peaceful outcome to the conflict. Ukraine is heavily burdened by widespread confrontational conflicts and power struggles in all sections of society, which hamper the democratic and economic development of the country. It is largely the legacy of the communist rule of the country that is the cause. By offering free expertise in dialogue-based peaceful conflict management, we make a positive contribution to allowing Ukrainians to develop their country through cooperation based on common goals and common understanding. The project is funded by Civil Samfund i Udvilking, CISU, with a small half a million kroner ”.
Background: NVC and the peace work in Ukraine
The project started in January 2014, when Carl received an e-mail via CNVC – Center for Nonviolent Communication, where Olena Hantsyak-Kaskiv from the organization Dignity Space in Ukraine asked for help from the international group of certified trainers in CNVC. Carl Plesner, who has experience from i.a. conflict mediation in the Danish police, answered this call and went to Kiev, into the eye of the hurricane. Carl was present on the Maidan, and saw with his own eyes violence and murder and remained preoccupied with understanding what was the driving force behind the violence. In an NVC perspective, he would understand what needs the warring parties sought to meet.
Olena, who had asked for help in the form of training in Nonviolent Communication, was just as fearless. She led an organization of volunteers who during the revolution evacuated hundreds of wounded protesters out of Ukraine. Several of the injured protesters who took to public hospitals were picked up by unknown perpetrators and have disappeared. About 200 protesters have “disappeared” that way. After the revolution, Olena established a night air bridge for the wounded. The capacity in Ukraine was not enough to deal with the thousands of seriously injured protesters as well as police officers who were injured during the fighting in Kiev, in which 125 people lost their lives. 850 of the most severely wounded were evacuated via the air bridge to countries such as Poland, the Baltic countries, Austria, Italy, Israel and Germany, flown by large military hospital planes. This required an almost superhuman effort on the part of Olena and involved, among other things, extensive cooperation with these countries’ ambassadors to Ukraine.
Director of Dignity Space
Head Trainer and Project Manager at Dignity Space
Peace talks after Maidan Revolution for Dignity (PDF, engelsk)