Intro to Conflict Transformation for Ukrainian Youth Activists

Drivers of Democracy Project, a joint initiative of YMCA Ukraine and Kiev University Politechnical Institute Department of Sociology and Law, brought together 28 students and youth activists, as well as four project leaders, interested in learning about applied conflict transformation and ways they could deal with conflict-related challenges in their own local communities.

Based on her conflict transformation activist and peacebuilding project design and evaluation experience, the workshop was facilitated by Ankica Dragin, one of the authors of the YMCA Europe Roots for Peace Peacework Giudebook (2019). She is also a Do No Harm (DNH) methodology practitioner and trainer, a community mediator and a university teacher.

The participants have been introduced to four practical tools for better understanding of their own context affected by conflicts – the Iceberg, the ABC Triangle, DNH Dividers and Connectors and the Camel’s Back. It is expected that, by the next workshop at the beginning of 2026, the participants will have tried to use one of the tools presented and share their application experience with the Project team. We also hope that such an experience will bring about some possible local activities implementation ideas inspired by today’s workshop.

Thanks everyone for their commitment and heartfelt contribution, looking forward to all future inputs and feedback!