Culture and conflict: is there a role in conflict prevention, resolution for culture?

What role does culture have in conflict prevention and resolution? Recently, the British Council organized an interesting and enlightened discussion on this very question. What made this even more interesting was the British Council’s partners in the venture: NATO and Security Defence Agenda, a European security and defense think tank.

At a time when public diplomats to psychological operators are coming to terms with their lack specific cultural capacities to understand and properly engage audiences, this was a timely discussion.

An example of cultural engagement in country with 42 languages plus many derivatives, where 75% of the population is under 35 years old, at least one person is working to prevent violence following the next election. Engaging and educating individuals and groups, George Gachara of Picha Mtaani, is conducing a public diplomacy campaign within his countries borders, across cultural (or national in the non-Weberian, non-Westphalian sense) to “create an army across the country be agents of peace.” Much more to follow.