Ted Feifer led a seminar at the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) in Newport, Rhode Island for twenty-three military officers and civilian government officials from seventeen countries, October 29-30, 2009.
Ted Feifer led a seminar at the Defense Institute of International Legal Studies (DIILS) in Newport, Rhode Island for twenty-three military officers and civilian government officials from seventeen countries, October 29-30, 2009. Participants came from Argentina, Albania, Bulgaria, Botswana, Bulgaria, Comoros, Egypt, Gabon, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Macedonia, Mongolia, Papua-New Guinea, Slovenia, Tanzania, and Turkey.
The seminar focused on conflict management skills useful in conducting international humanitarian and peacekeeping missions, and was held in the context of DIILS´ Peacekeeping and Rule of Law Course and Law Development Program. The seminar included interactive presentations, videos, and exercises, all designed to develop and strengthen conflict management techniques and skills.
Participants were particularly appreciative of having negotiation and mediation training, some for the first time in their professional careers. In this regard, many noted the importance of having better negotiation and mediation skills for use in possible peacekeeping or stability operations. One summed up the view of many by saying, “as peacekeepers, this workshop gives us an alternative to the use of force” to achieving our objectives.