Veteran mediator Mark Gerzon says it's time to get practical about peace.
Most people feel that peacebuilding – resolving conflicts and decreasing violence – is a positive thing. But as we've said many times on this podcast, peacebuilding is virtually invisible in the world.
Today’s guest, veteran mediator and peacebuilder Mark Gerzon, says to strengthen peace and reconciliation efforts, we need to make peacebuilding mainstream. And to do that, the reasons behind the practice need to be practical and more accessible to both the public and to donors. He says the messaging we've been using for years, grounded in a moral imperative for peace, isn't working. And today, he’s working in the United States to train leaders to work across the partisan divide.
Gerzon has served as advisor to the UN Development Program and multinational corporations. He is president of the Mediators Foundation, an incubator for social action projects that bridge divides around the world, and has authored several books on the topic of polarization and reconciliation.
LEARN MORE
Leading Through Conflict and other books by Mark Gerzon
Harvard Business Review: To Resolve a Conflict, First Decide: Is It Hot or Cold?
Documentary by Mark Gerzon: The Reunited States
Music in this episode by Blue Dot Sessions and SFmusic.