Christoph Spreng has been working with Initiatives of Change for many years in different capacities. He has been representing Initiatives of Change at the Council of Europe since 2006 and in his role has been entrusted a large variety of specific assignments, including Vice-President of CINGO and coordinating the INGO Dialogue Toolkit Hub. In June 2017 he was appointed INGO Special Advisor for Human Rights and Business and has been representing CINGO at the CoE North-South Centre since 2018. He is also a member of the Caux Democracy Forum organising team, co-leading a workstream on "Civil Society fostering Dialogue: From Polarization to participation - A Guide to Action".

On 25 October 2024, the Caux Round Table (CRT) - Japan hosted the 13th Business and Human Rights Conference in Tokyo with 225 corporate leaders, executives and experts from several Asian countries participating online.

Executive Director Hiroshi Ishida of Caux Round Table - Japan set the scene for the event with the following remarks: “In 2011, the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UNGPs) were approved by the UN Human Rights Council, establishing a framework for respect for human rights in business activities. The Guiding Principles comprise three pillars - ‘Duty to Protect’, ‘Responsibility to Respect’ and ‘Access to Remedy’ - and call for concrete action by governments and companies. In the 13 years since the Guiding Principles were approved, legislation and regulations requiring companies to implement and disclose their supply chain management practices around the world have accelerated. Under these circumstances, it is important for companies to promote initiatives based on the UNGPs, not only to comply with laws and regulations, but also to improve corporate credibility, risk management and sustainable growth “. 

These last three areas of improvement formed the core content of the Tokyo CRT Panel discussions with overseas experts, the examples of corporate initiatives as well as the exchanges of views between the experts and the partners.

Worth mentioning in this context is the Japanese principle of kaizen (Japanese: 改善, "improvement"), referring to business activities that aim to continuously improve all functions and involve all employees from the CEO to the assembly line workers. In Japanese factories they have been practiced over the past 70 years whereas Western approaches, like the UN Guiding Principles or the more recent EU CS3D, set out rules on accountability and responsibility through legal instruments.

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Exactly 30 years ago, the unique approach of the Caux Round Table (CRT) Principles for Business was based on the fact that the principles were based on both Eastern and Western approaches. These seven Principles were featured in The Financial Times, under the headline ‘The search for universal ethics’. The paper’s Management Editor, Tim Dickson commented that it was possibly the first time that "a document of this kind has attracted influential supporters from Europe, Japan and the US’". 

Tim Dickson wrote: "The Principles are said to be drawn from two ethical traditions: the Japanese philosophy of kyosei, described by Canon’s Ryuzaburo Kaku as 'living and working together for the common good of mankind' and 'human dignity' which refers to the sacredness or value of each person as an end, not simply as a means to the fulfilment of other’s purposes or even majority prescription."

Later translated into 12 languages, the Principles laid an emphasis on identifying shared values, reconciling differing ones, and developing a shared perspective on business behaviour acceptable to and honoured by all.

Read more about the pioneering years of the Caux Round Tables

Fast forward to this year’s Tokyo conference. Eleven Japanese corporations partnered with CRT-Japan for this occasion, representing a variety of sectors, such as heavy industry, manufacturing, transport as well as the insurance and food industries. Here follow some salient points:
 

• Dr. B. Ling, Taiwan: explained that the Guidance Model (collaborative peer to peer learning by CRT-Japan, ed.) can help the legal process of Europe (…) to reach a smart mix.
• Lailani Tolentino, Philippines pointed out that the maritime & shipping sector is still forgotten and underslined that here, the rights holder’s engagement requires preparatory empowerment meetings.
• The 134-year-old Kubota Corp. Farming & Water Machinery has translated its Human Rights Policy into 23 languages. It has also improved foreign employees’ conditions.
• Foreign employees’ conditions have also been addressed by the Worlding Inc., in particular the related malpractice of excessive brokers fees.
• Yokohama Rubber is engaging with natural rubber smallholders in southern Thailand, regularizing the local worker’s conditions on a higher level.
• Nissin Foods has Indonesian palm oil suppliers and explained it made a 50km radius risk assessment with each of them and began its redress-work at the least scored place.
• The ANA Holdings presentation was given by Mrs. C. Miyata, EVP & Chief Sustainability Officer, explaining how the Group began with B-HR policies in 2015 and has added the UN Sustainable Development Goals to its perspectives. By now 180 suppliers are feeding their input to a central assessment system.
• Talya Swissa explained how World Benchmarking Alliance has acted to have excessive recruitment fees repaid and comments that in countries of the Global South environment issues are impacting the right to life.
• Rishi Sher Singh pointed out that CRT-Japan is enabling a Safe Space for Corporates to learn from each other.

These are twitter-style glimpses from a 4.5 hour session, leaving out the many presenters’ slides, that were detailing their management processes. The slides gave insight to the multinational corporate policy learning, which is under way with the support of this event in Tokyo. A key take-away from it is the “engagement with the rights holders”, today’s embodiment of the twin origin of ideals as expressed in the above quoted Financial Times article. 

Caux Initiatives of Change is honored to have been invited to attend the 13th Business and Human Rights Conference in Tokyo and gratefully looks back on many years of productive collaboration with CRT-Japan. One sequence of this collaboration ran during ten years under the title of ‘Personal Social Responsibility’ (PSR) for groups of Japanese mid-career executives who joined the conferences at the Caux Palace. In Switzerland, on its home ground, Caux Initiatives of Change has resumed supporting the Swiss civic Initiative for Responsible Multinationals.

Read the full conference report

We hope that this conference will contribute to the realization of sustainable corporate growth and social responsibility.

Hiroshi Ishida, Executive Director, CRT-Japan about the Business and Human Rights Conference 2024 in Tokyo

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What oversea experts and participants said about the Business and Human Rights Conferences in Tokyo

Did you know? On 26 December 2024, the highly-anticipated new RTS series "Winter Palace”, in collaboration with Netflix, will hit the TV screens, featuring the Caux Palace which was chosen as a location to be part of the backdrop of the series!

The series, directed by Pierre Monnard, a prominent figure in the Swiss audiovisual landscape, was partly filmed at the Caux Palace and we were thrilled to welcome the team in Caux where they did an amazing job recreating in detail the atmosphere of the late 19th century, including a ballroom scene.

It is not surprising that the Caux Palace was chosen as a location to be part of the backdrop of the series. With its high local visibility, perched up above the Leman, and classified as a building of national interest, this former Belle Époque hotel is a unique piece of Swiss heritage. Its architecture, history and cultural role make it a fascinating place and we are very proud of our team of highly-skilled craftsman who are doing an amazing job maintaining and restoring the Caux Palace's rich heritage.

On 2 November, the first two episodes premiered at the Geneva International Film Festival (GIFF). 

Save the date and watch the full series, starting 26 December 2024 on RTS 1 and Play RTS and broadcast early 2025 on Netflix.

• Read more
• Watch a short video on the filming of "Winter Palace"

On Sunday, 17 November 2024, the Friends of Caux IofC Association met in Bienne, Switzerland, to prepare a weekend that will take place in spring 2015 at the Caux Palace with the aim of developing new networks for Initiatives of Change in Switzerland.

Moments of silence, a practice very much at the core of Initiatives of Change's approach, allowed the participants to seek inspiration for the year 2025, and the group also remembered with gratefulness Fulvia Spoerri from Switzerland, who had been deeply involved in the IofC movement for many decades and died on 16 November 2024.

Anne-Catherine Sutermeister, Head of Community Engagement in Switzerland at the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation, presented the many diverse projects planned for 2025.

The Friends of Caux IofC Association is currently in the process of setting up a working group implementing projects that are furthering the aims of Initiatives of Change and increasing the visibility of the events at the Caux Palace, and would be delighted to hear from anyone who would like to continue the work started in Bienne.

At the end of the afternoon, a few quotes stood out: "the joy of being together", "needs and promises" and "openness" and what resonated with all participants was: "This day has given us a lot and strengthened our conviction that we have something to give to this world."

Do you live in Switzerland and are interested in working with the Friends of Caux? If so, it would be a pleasure to welcome you.

Find out how to join

Meetings in Bern and Zurich

Are you looking for deeper meaning and connection? Join our monthly Initiatives of Change (IofC) meetings in Bern and Zurich. These gatherings offer space for self-reflection, discussion, and the exploration of IofC’s values in daily life.

• Bern Group: 7 December, Welle 7 (train station). Contact 
• Zurich Group: Monthly at Oase Restaurant (Zurich Main Station). Contact 

The Arts and Peace Encounters at Geneva Peace Week 2024, held on 18 October 2024, took us on an immersive journey through different forms of artistic expression, including music, theater, poetry and visual arts, combined with storytelling and presentations from peacebuilders and experts at the intersection of arts and peace. The event underscored the universal language of art as a tool for peace.

Hosted at the Maison de la Paix in Geneva, the event was organised This event is organised by the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation in partnership with the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, the Kofi Annan Foundation, the Embajada de Colombia en Suiza and the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and made possible with the financial support of the Permanent Mission of the United States of America to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva.

The event was moderated by Maruee Pahuja from the youth initiative Creative Leadership, and Sarah Noble, Head of Global Engagement at Caux Initiatives of Change.

Introducing the event, Sarah Noble highlighted the crucial role that arts play in societal transformation, offering individuals and communities empathy, hope and the motivation to take action. “By engaging our imagination, the arts encourage a shift from binary and linear thinking to a holistic experience” she stated.

By engaging our imagination, the arts encourage a shift from binary and linear thinking to a holistic experience.

Sarah Noble, Head of Global Engagement, Caux Initiatives of Change

Speakers and Highlights

Hyung Joon Won - Tuning into Empathy with Music for Peace

South Korean violinist Hyung Joon Won reflected on how music can tune people into the emotions of others, bridging divisions. "In reality, tuning is empathy," he shared, explaining that musical harmony can symbolize the deeper, shared connections required for peace. Referencing the 1914 Christmas truce, he noted, "If we can find good tuning and empathy, we can stop war and bring peace together." Won closed his session with a poignant North Korean composition, with the hope for the two Koreas to start peaceful dialogues.

Dr. Guila Clara Kessous - Theater and Conflict Resolution

UNESCO Artist for Peace, Peace Ambassador and executive coach Dr Guila Clara Kessous emphasized theater's role in healing trauma and promoting human rights.

"The arts have the power to transmit and transform people," she explained, highlighting that theatre is a total art that involves the body as well. She described her feminist initiative, the Sarah & Hajar Accords, which aims to reshape diplomacy by improving women’s access to education and empowering more women to sit at the negotiation table and on governments. She explained “I do believe that this capacity of performing arts, this capacity of acting, that theatre is giving us, that art is giving us, can really change the world, especially with what I'm calling diplomatic entrepreneurship”.

JerusalemS Project - A Fresco for Unity

Carole Fumeaux, Secretary-General of Licra Geneva, and Alain Bittar, Director of the Institut des Cultures Arabes et Mediterranéennes, presented The JerusalemS project, whose “S” underlines plurality, welcoming our particularities in defending a common humanity. On display was the 8m long fresco created by artist François Burland that portrays a pluralistic vision of Jerusalem acting as a dialogue catalyst, encouraging conversations across differences and imagining a world where peace transcends religious and cultural boundaries. Interspersed with music, short verses and phrases were shared with the audience, including from the book “Une Bouteille à la Mer de Gaza” by Valerie Zinato, such as: “When agitation and fractions return as they have these days, i have the impression that we have forgotten what connects us”.

Diwele Molale Lubi and Delphine Digonnet - The role of the Arts in the liberation of the apartheid regime in South Africa

South African artist Diwele Molale Lubi  and Delphine Digonnet, singer, songwriter and musician, shared how music and dance unified communities under the apartheid system,“generating those vibrations that create greater connection with us, the world and the universe”. They invited the audience to join in traditional chants, demonstrating how collective rhythm once fueled South Africa’s fight for freedom, underlining music's capacity to heal and unite.

Alejandra Quintana Martínez - Accordes por la Paz: Music and Gender for Peace

Alejandra Quintana Martínez from Alianza para la Paz showcased Accordes por la Paz, a Colombian programme in partnership with the Kofi Annan Foundation, using music education to empower youth and advance gender equity.

She recalled the story of a girl facing threats for her desire to play music, symbolizing resilience amidst Colombia’s conflicts. Martínez emphasized that "who wields an instrument will never wield a weapon," a powerful phrase used to highlight the role and magical powers of music in reducing violence, particularly in countries like Colombia where conflict has left deep scars and noting that music can be a transformative force, urging us to “intentionally adopt methodologies and pedagogies that foster reconciliation, social emotional skills and human rights through a gender and intersectional lens “.

She concluded by saying that “peace will be with girls and women or will not be at all.” The project’s name, Accordes, carries dual meanings—‘chords’ and ‘agreement’—signifying harmony as essential to peacebuilding.

Rudi von Planta - A Swiss Perspective on Culture and Peace

Rudi von Planta from the Peace Governance, and Equality Section at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, shared the Swiss perspective on culture and peace, based on the paper: Réflexions : culture et pérennisation de la paix. He explained: “Art is more than esthetics. It's a universal language that transcends borders and ideologies. Art brings people together by fostering empathy, offering alternative narratives and creating spaces for dialogue.”

He argued that art can create safe spaces for dialogue and shift perceptions, which can lead to transformative changes. "Art builds resilience," he stated, "and provides hope in crisis when normalcy seems unattainable." He underscored that art’s role in peacebuilding is as crucial as formal diplomacy, noting that "we must think of arts and culture as a virtual space where empathy can flourish."

Read Rudi's contribution

Fernando Cometto - A Canvas for Peace

The Argentinian painter Fernando Cometto, artist in residence during the Geneva Peace Week, engaged with event attendees and captured the essence of the conversations in a unique art piece symbolizing the conversations around peace. Through bold strokes and recycled materials, Cometto’s painting speaks to the "dynamic interplay between imagination and reality," a reminder that creativity fosters resilience and universal connection.

Conclusion

The Arts and Peace Encounters at the Geneva Peace Week demonstrated the profound impact of art as a medium for empathy, transformation, and unity. Each speaker contributed insights that reinforced art’s role in peacebuilding: from creating understanding and shared identity to fostering safe spaces and challenging the status quo.

As Rudi von Planta poignantly noted, “Art offers a glimpse of a reimagined future,” encapsulating the event’s message that, through artistic expression, a more peaceful world is not only imaginable but achievable.

The event highlighted art's transformative potential, encouraging a shared vision where creativity and empathy lead the way toward peace.

Find out more about the Caux Foundation's Arts and Peace Encounters programme and stay tuned for the upcoming Arts and Peace Encounter 2-day programme at Caux Palace, Switzerland on 13-14 May 2025. 

Watch the full replay 

The Caux Palace & Villa Maria are part of the OK:GO! initiative.

Welcome to Caux Palace and Villa Maria! As part of our efforts to make Le Caux Palace and Villa Maria more inclusive and welcoming, we are delighted to announce that we are taking part in the OK:GO initiative, set up by the Swiss Tourism Federation.

This initiative enables hotel companies and establishments to make information on the accessibility of their buildings available to their customers at a glance as for people with reduced mobility, information on accessibility plays an important role when planning a trip.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us by EMAIL.

Find out here about the accessibility at Caux Palace & Villa Maria

We are proud to announce that our Executive Director, Ignacio Packer, is one the signatories of the Geneva Pledge for Gender-Responsive Climate Action which was officially endorsed in Geneva on 7 November 2024. The event was organised by the Permanent Missions of Germany and Costa Rica, IFRC and SHE Builds Bridges, in partnership with the International Gender Champions (IGC) Secretariat, inviting all Geneva-based decision-makers to join the official launch of the Geneva Pledge. 

Ignacio's signing of the Pledge is a logical next step, following his commitment in January 2024 to become a International Gender Champion. The International Gender Champions (IGC) Network counts over 333 decision-makers at the highest levels from international organisations, permanent missions and embassies, civil society organisations and the private sector, united by a commitment to break down gender barriers and make gender equality a working reality in their spheres of influence.

Background

The unfolding climate crisis poses an immediate threat to our planet and its people. It disrupts ecosystems and jeopardizes livelihoods across the globe. While climate change itself is indiscriminate, the social structures within which it unfolds are not: The climate crisis deepens existing inequalities, disproportionately impacting women, girls, and those in vulnerable and marginalised situations by threatening their livelihoods and restricting access to essential services, food, water, and energy.

Despite their vital role as leaders, experts and change agents, these groups often remain underrepresented in decision-making, have limited resource access and face discriminatory laws and norms that hinder their full, equal, meaningful, effective and safe participation in climate decision-making and action.

To champion gender equality in climate action, the International Gender Champions’ (IGC) ClimateGender Impact Group was launched in February 2024. Under the leadership of its four Co-Chairs, Elise Buckle, President/ CEO of Climate Bridges and Founder of SHE Builds Bridges, Jagan Chapagain, Secretary-General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), Ambassador Christian Guillermet Fernández, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Costa Rica, and Ambassador Dr. Katharina Stasch, Permanent Representative of the Federal Republic of Germany to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva, the group works towards the following strategic objectives:

• Representation: Fostering an intersectional approach to climate action by promoting equitable, diverse, meaningful and safe representation in policy- and decision-making bodies. 
• Synergies: Strengthening a collaborative, multi-stakeholder approach to addressing the Climate-Gender Nexus that emphasizes the importance of responsive, integrated strategies and ‘connects the dots’ between gender, climate and different policy areas in Geneva. 
• Climate finance and gender-responsive budgeting: promoting effective resource allocation towards gender-responsive climate solutions, localised action and an empowered feminist civil society

One of the Impact Group’s key objectives for 2024 was the development of a Geneva Pledge for Gender-Responsive Climate Action. 

The Pledge

The Geneva Pledge for Gender-Responsive Climate Action establishes common principles for gender-responsive climate decision-making and action. The pledge is the result of extensive discussions, thorough consideration of diverse contributions, and consensus-oriented decision-making and is rooted in the recognition that the climate crisis poses a significant and urgent threat to our planet and its people, with disproportionate impacts on women, girls, and those in vulnerable and marginalised situations. Signatories commit to applying the Pledge through personal and institutional actions within their sphere of influence and in alignment with relevant global frameworks and agreements

The event in Geneva on 7 November 2024 provided an opportunity to publicly endorse the shared principles outlined in the pledge, aiming to: 

1. Raise awareness on the importance of addressing the Climate-Gender Nexus in the multilateral sphere; 
2. Spotlight leaders’ commitment towards championing gender-responsive climate action via a high-visibility, public event; 
3. Highlight the importance of fostering multi-stakeholder partnerships and de-siloing work streams for effective collaboration; 
4. Build momentum for gender-responsive climate action in the lead-up to COP29.

The Geneva Pledge for Gender-Responsive Climate Action acknowledges the common and individual responsibility of leaders and decision-makers to affect change and lead by example.

By leveraging their collective influence and reach for gender-responsive climate action, decision-makers on all levels of society can address these inequalities and elevate the leadership of women, girls, and underrepresented communities in building a sustainable and inclusive future for all.

Read and download the Geneva Pledge for Gender-Responsive Climate Action

With COP29 kicking off on 11 November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan, Initiatives of Change (IofC) International and the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation have joined the world’s leading peacebuilding agencies and advocates in backing a set of actionable climate change policy recommendations for world leaders heading to Baku.

In 1995, the United Nations established the Conference of the Parties, or COP, as an annual event bringing together world leaders to address climate change and its impacts. Now, nearly 30 years later, every corner of the global map is darkened by the emerging effects of climate change — from lethal flooding in Spain and the Sahara to receding glaciers in the Alps, raging wildfires in the Amazon to devastating hurricanes in the United States. The need for international collaboration and progress is more urgent than ever.

The policy recommendations, titled ‘Navigating the Peace and Security Implications of Climate Change,’ are the brainchild of an international community of practice called Environment, Climate, Conflict and Peace (ECCP), of which Initiatives of Change (IofC) is closely involved.  Building on its work from last year’s climate conference, the ECCP doubled down on policy advocacy for COP29. ‘Implementing the recommendations will undoubtedly require trustbuilding,’ said Dr. Alan Channer, a delegate from IofC’s Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace programme, and who contributed to the policy paper. ‘As communities come under strain, conflicts can increase. At the same time, common threats can bring people together.’

Unity in Urgency

Topping the issue areas for the ECCP is the nexus of climate change and finance, with special attention towards alleviating climate-induced monetary losses that disproportionately affect under-resourced nations. Alongside climate finance, the ECCP emphasizes conflict sensitivity: promoting approaches to climate action at policy, programmatic and funding levels which are tailored to specific local contexts and thereby promote sustainable peace. Another policy issue in the paper is conflict sensitivity, which rings especially relevant as emerging data unveils the environmental costs of the violence in the Middle East that is devastating both people and ecosystems and exacerbating human rights violations. 

Accomplishing a swift course correction on climate change is a patently joint effort; indeed, the ECCP highlights the need for community engagement, particularly with youth, something that has been front of mind for the Caux Initiatives of Change’s Executive Director, Ignacio Packer. ‘Achieving real change in the climate crisis demands a shared commitment across generations. Our future hinges on listening, truly listening, to the energy, insights and demands of young leaders,’ said Packer. ‘We see it as our responsibility—and privilege—to make space for their voices, to let their vision take the lead.’

Achieving real change in the climate crisis demands a shared commitment across generations. Our future hinges on listening, truly listening, to the energy, insights and demands of young leaders. 

Ignacio Packer, Executive Director Caux Initiatives of Change

Bridging Theory and Reality

Developing the policy recommendations involved extensive input from 900 individuals and organizations that comprise the ECCP, including the Climate and Peace Advocacy Advisor of International Alert; the Climate, Conflict and Fragility Advisor of Oxfam UK; and IofC’s Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace (ILLP). Through this spirit of collective action, the authors of the paper hope to inspire a similar collaboration among world leaders at the COP29. ‘For many of the diplomats at COP29, these conversations about climate change and conflict are theoretical,’ said Annika Erickson-Pearson, who is a collaborating partner of IofC and chair for the ECCP. ‘We are trying to provide gentle, steady, strong reminders that these ideas are concrete and deeply human.’ 

The ECCP will carry these policy recommendations into dialogues in Baku, with Dr. Alan Channer attending COP29 on behalf of the ILLP and as part of an ecumenical delegation brought together by the Commission for Climate Justice and Sustainable Development of the World Council of Churches. As a long-standing advocate with Initiatives of Change, Channer has played a central role in the 15 years of sustained climate work with IofC’s ILLP. While the programme’s scope of influence is firmly established in international dialogues, much of its on-the-ground programming helps to elucidate the interlinkages between land restoration, human security and climate resilience, bolstering community support for climate-friendly approaches such as farmer-managed natural regeneration.

We are trying to provide gentle, steady, strong reminders that these ideas are concrete and deeply human.

Annika Erickson-Pearson, Chair for Environment, Climate, Conflict and Peace (ECCP)

Channer’s hope for COP29 is that the combination of the ECCP’s policy recommendations and a stronger presence from faith organizations might have more weight in the climate negotiations. ‘The world faces unprecedented challenges and surmounting them will require changes in attitudes and behavior, increased transparency and relationships of trust,’ said Channer. ‘IofC’s founding clarion call — to create a “hate-free, fear-free, greed-free world”, starting in our own lives — was a familiar refrain in my childhood. It feels as potent and relevant as ever.’

Initiatives of Change's founding clarion call — to create a “hate-free, fear-free, greed-free world”, starting in our own lives — (...) feels as potent and relevant as ever.

Dr. Alan Channer, Clilmate Expert, Initiatives for Land, Lives and Peace

What strategies are effective in building confidence and trust between conflicting parties and what is the role of trust in healing and reconciliation to generate peace that is sustainable? The peace workshop "Building trust across divides - strategies, tools, and success stories", co-organised yesterday by Initiatives of Change International's Trustbuilding Program and the Institute for Community-Based Sociotherapy (ICBS), showcased examples of grassroot peacebuilding in Ukraine and Rwanda and gave space for an interesting exchange with the participating peacebuilders from different sectors and institutions.

After a warm welcome and introduction by Talia Smith, Manager of the Trustbuilding Program, Diogene Karawanga (ICBS) showcased his work with genocide survivors in Rwanda in order to make healing more authentic and sustainable, using the help of the local community as a “doctor” for those suffering. 

Leonid Donos from the Trustbuilding Program in Ukraine and Foundations for Freedom explained their approach and also the challenges in a society torn apart from a war that has been going on for close to three years. He highlighted the importance of mental health and self-care, and spoke about the role of forgiveness and trust in rebuilding Ukraine's future. He also explained how they tried to pay attention to who was sitting at the table, starting the conversation  with people with similar opinions in order to avoid a loss of trust at the beginning of the peacebuilding process, before expanding the discussion to a more diverse group.

More than 60 participants joined the workshop both in person and online and questioned the speakers on how to overcome blockages in the face of deep divisions within and between communities, whether social cohesion can be achieved if the perpetrators have not been held accountable yet and about the challenge of rebuilding trust without forgiveness. "The trust level is a process, you cannot achieve it in a day or two.", commented Diogene and Leonid insisted: "Forgiveness is fundamental in building trust!"

Talia Smith picked up on the audience's questions, giving background information on the Trustbuilding Program: "One of the Trustbuilding Program's key challenges is bridging the gap between our grassroots efforts in communities and achieving policy-level influence for systemic change. Additionally, many of our teams face the task of scaling our trustbuilding work to the national level—a space where, interestingly, Initiatives of Change has traditionally focused its efforts on national reconciliation''.

During the open microphone moment, a medical doctor shared her experience of working in crises zones in Africa and concluded: "You cannot build trust with fear." 

A young peace activist who had worked in Armenia shared his insights of using arts-based practices, like theatre, to make people understand that reconciliation is possible in spite of the odds.

Another participant spoke about the importance of involving the local communities into the design of the different tools used to help them start the trustbuilding processes in their specific situation: "Using simple tools are a starting-point. Then evolve when the group is ready for it!" She also highlighted that collaboration was essential and concluded: "We can learn together. It is not about who is better!"

• Initiatives of Change has a long track record in building bridges across the world's divides. Find out more about the Trustbuilding Program.
• Would you like to know more about our work and stay in touch? Sign up for our newsletter.

Maruee Pahuja (India) is a member of Caux Initiatives of Change's Creative Leadership youth initiative. She is also an Expressive Arts Therapy practitioner and a member of Arts and Peace Encounters initiative, launched by the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation earlier this year.

By 2030, our Foundation’s goal is for the Caux Palace, our centre for peace and dialogue near Montreux, to become a globally recognized convening center that champions the role of arts and dialogue in inspiring, connecting, and equipping individuals with the skills and qualities needed to foster peace. 

On 15 October 2024, Maruee was a panelist at this year's Kofi Annan Peace Address where she discussed with Mary Robinson, first woman President of Ireland,  former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and Chair of The Elders, and other young peacebuilders on topics such as fostering social integration, achieving equality between all genders, upholding human rights and fundamental freedoms and enhancing the role of civil society.

This blog is based on Maruee's contribution to the Kofi Annan Peace Address event at Geneva Peace Week 2024. 

As someone working at the intersection of arts, science, and peacebuilding, I’ve witnessed first-hand how creative expression can be an incredibly powerful tool for healing communities affected by conflict.

The arts led me to peacebuilding, and through my work, I have witnessed how intermodal arts approaches create a safe enough space for people to express their emotions and begin healing. I have facilitated workshops with Syrian refugees in Lebanon, Somalian and Afghan refugees in India, and Tibetan refugees, continuing my efforts now with young leaders, peacebuilders, and humanitarian workers advocating for peace. My ongoing pursuit of applying arts-informed approaches  in peace building now has taken a new form in engaging with individuals serving at level two and three of peacebuilding leadership—grassroots and middle-range leadership—based on John Paul Lederach’s research and design. 

I offer workshops, individual training, and mental health nurturance for those who are peacekeepers in their own right. We are attuned to the world’s suffering—whether from conflicts, wars, hurricanes, genocides, or the cries of Mother Earth, also known as the climate crisis.

Those working towards peacebuilding, in any form, often face burnout, hopelessness, helplessness, and despair, with no outlet for their hurt. This emotional weight makes the path forward feel distant and exhausting, mainly because of the overwhelming sense of “not feeling okay.” To continue doing what we believe in—work that nurtures the well-being of others—we must also find ways to care for our own life force and enliven this emergence. The peacebuilding community, when nurtured, can create a ripple effect in the communities they serve.

Every experience I’ve had, whether with peacebuilders, young leaders, refugees, IDPs, or vulnerable populations, reaffirms the profound impact of creative intermodal approaches—visual arts, music, movement, creative writing, theatre, photography—on restoring hope and resilience in the face of adversity.

One particularly impactful moment took place during an intermodal expressive arts workshop on "home and hope" with Afghan and Somalian refugees. A woman, an Afghan refugee in India for the first time, shared her story of why she had to flee her country. This expression emerged through her engagement with the expressive arts process. For the first time, she also felt safe enough to share her vulnerabilities courageously, fostering a newfound sense of kinship with her community and a feeling of liberation. It was a powerful reminder that suffering and depression can isolate us, and while the opposite of depression is joy, joy begins with expression.

Art as a Safe Space for Healing

The arts create a safe space for individuals and communities to express their grief, transforming feelings of hate and hurt into healing. This process not only cracks open the heart of the person expressing their emotions but also the hearts of those witnessing it. This is how communities can be rebuilt—by opening our hearts and making room for empathy, compassion, understanding, and connection.

There are still not enough spaces for dialogue through the arts between divided communities. Programmes like the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation’s Arts and Peace Encounters are working to create more of these spaces, and we would love for you to be part of this programme. When people come together through creative expression, they open their hearts to feel deeply and it helps surface compassion, empathy, and the shared human experience.

The Role of Arts in Imagination and Hope

The arts serve a critical role in expanding our imagination and challenging limiting beliefs. They give us the capacity to dance with the uncertainties of life, tell stories, and rediscover hope. As the philosopher Blaise Pascal once said, "You should always keep something beautiful in your mind." Arts allow us to enter and be taken in by that beauty, guiding us through both individual and collective healing.

Art-based interventions go beyond simple expression—they provide a visceral experience that taps into parts of our consciousness that we cannot always access through reflective thinking alone. These interventions are not just for artists but for anyone seeking healing, regeneration, or the act of witnessing another’s story.

Honouring Unique Expression and Shared Humanity

I’ve yet to meet a single person who isn’t affected by conflict, and I’ve also yet to meet someone who isn’t imaginative by nature—this is what makes us all artists in our own right. No matter how sophisticated or mature a person may seem, we all started as children who lived in an imaginative world, fearlessly and without judgment. To heal communities, we must first heal individuals and recognize their unique experiences and the communities they are a part of.

The work of the arts is to honour that pain and facilitate active hope. It allows us to bear witness to human dignity and creativity, even in the face of destruction and hopelessness. If we gave each other the permission to express our inner landscapes, we would see that no two pieces of artistic expression are alike and we all have a unique language of expression suggesting we all have unique perspectives and experiences. The arts provide a space for this unique expression while honouring our shared humanity.

The Science of Arts in Peacebuilding

There is well-researched evidence that supports the role of arts in peacebuilding. Here are some ways in which arts have been proven effective:

• Arts can be applied as a resource for conflict transformation, drawing on human capacities for empathy and compassion.

• They help build constructive relationships that remain resilient in the face of renewed conflict.

• Artistic expression serves as an intervention for healing trauma, mental health and psychosocial support after violent conflict.

• Arts can help societies negotiate conflict in constructive, non-violent ways, although artistic methods are often overlooked in peacebuilding processes.

In addition, in my experience, arts can also be used as a political tool, shaking us awake and making us more aware of perspectives beyond our own limited views. Films, for example, are a powerful medium that allow us to experience the wide spectrum of human emotions—suffering, hope, and everything in between. These expressions can stand the test of time and remind us of our shared humanity, expanding our horizons and perspectives.

My Hope for the Future

My hope and my work in this lifetime are to reignite the creative spirit that exists within each of us and use that force to cultivate inner peace that ripples outward into communities, systems, and eventually, the world.

Arts based approaches need to be taken more seriously in conflict resolution. The arts hold the potential to transform individuals, communities, and nations. By investing in the creative spirit that lives within each of us, we can begin the process of healing and rebuilding. 

“They call it the Big Bang, but I believe the world was crafted and created in silence with love” 

Maruee Pahuja

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Maruee Pahuja is an impassioned Expressive Arts Therapy process facilitator, visual artist, and eye-care practitioner dedicated to enriching lives through the intersection of arts and science. As an Expressive Arts Consultant with the Caux Initiatives of Change Foundation's Arts and Peace Encounters programme, she brings strategic insights to foster meaningful dialogues in peacebuilding using arts-based approaches.

Ending violent conflict requires societies to take leaps of political imagination. The arts are often uniquely placed to help promote new thinking by enabling people to see things differently. In place of conflict’s binary divisions, arts-based approaches can often be charged with exploring the ambiguities and possibilities of the excluded middle. Yet, their role in peacebuilding remains little explored. Maruee is currently researching and creating spaces for this exploration.

In her role as a Core Team member of Creative Leadership, she drives content creation and strategy, always with a focus on transformative impact through creative processes. She is currently designing a program on Conscious Arts with the School of Conscious Politics and expanding a pilot project in Arts-Based Coaching with Step Ahead Berlin, in collaboration with the assistant dean of the European Graduate School. Her journey is marked by pioneering efforts in developing therapeutic arts-based interventions and leading workshops that inspire profound transformation. With over 4,000 hours dedicated to volunteering, she harnesses the transformative power of the arts to heal, unite, and elevate, all while on a mission to bridge the gap between science and the arts, aiming to cultivate a world where health and humanities walk hand in hand.

Her rich tapestry of experiences spans continents, cultures, and fields, where she has spearheaded initiatives that merge the realms of arts, peacebuilding, leadership, planet democracy, indigenous wisdom, and eco-emotions to foster holistic well-being. With over 300 workshops and coaching sessions held globally, she has collaborated with more than ten not-for-profit organizations, advocating for and integrating Expressive Arts in peace building and leadership. Maruee recharges and finds inspiration in her creative cave, where she unleashes her imagination through various visual art forms and styles. Her journey continues to be one of creativity, compassion, and a deep commitment to share the joy and the transformative power of the arts.

• Learn more about the 2024 Kofi Annan Peace Address

• Find out more about our Arts and Peace Encounters programme