Phil Gamaghelyan presentation

By

Philip Gamaghelyan

Born in Yerevan, moved to the US in 2000 Managing Editor: Caucasus Edition (www.caucasuedition.net)

Co-Director: Imagine Center of Conflict Transformation (www.imaginedialogue.com)

Turkish-Armenian dialogues: including with Harvard, Princeton, Fletcher. Turkish-Armenian Student Dialogue Group at Brandeis 2005-2007.

Armenian-Azerbaijani dialogues: including youth dialogue, conferences, social media, publications

MA in Conflict Resolution from Brandeis University PhD candidate at Institute for Conflict Analysis and

Resolution of George Mason University

Nagorno-Karabakh Peace Process: challenges, obstacles, needs

Social Media and NK conflict

NK Peace Process: OSCE Negotiations, no progress on economic cooperation, security, negative propaganda and perceptions fronts

Do we really have a ‘Peace-Process’ in NK?

Preparing for Peace or for War?

Propaganda by Governments and Media

‘Us vs. Them’ Dichotomy in Historical Narratives

Closed Borders, Absence of Communication

Stereotypes Reinforced and not Challenged

Mistrust, Zero-sum Vision

Pressures, Absence of Peace Community

No Avenues for Alternative or New Voices

No space for Self-Critical Voices

Express/emphasize information that is positive about “us”

Express/emphasize information that is negative about “them”

Suppress/underemphasize information that is negative about “us”

Suppress/underemphasize information that is positive about “them”

‘Ideological Square’ by Linguist Teun van Dijk (1998)

Trace ancestry to 6th Century BC Do not acknowledge Azerbaijanis as a distinct

ethnic group Ascribe to Azerbaijanis all the negative stereotypes

they hold against Turks Consider Azerbaijnais invaders responsible for

massacres, colonization, discrimination, destruction of Armenian culture

See Karabakh as a place where Armenians preserved their identity

Fear discrimination, ethnic cleansing, or possible genocide of the Nagorno-Karabakh Armenians under Azerbaijani rule

Trace their ethnic ancestry from the Turks and Caucasian Albanians

Cultural traditions are mainly those of Shi’a Islam Consider the identity to be consolidated by various

accounts between 10th and 18th century Closely identify Armenians with Russians Consider that Armenians became majority in

Caucasus after Russian-Persian wars of 18th-19th

century and population exchange Consider Armenians responsible for massacres,

colonization, destruction of Azerbaijani culture See Karabakh as a birthplace of the Azerbaijni

identity and culture

In the last 20 years the narratives have grown increasingly hostile.

Each portrays its own group as indigenous and peaceful, prescribing oneself only positives

Each portrays the other as archenemy who destroys their population and cultural heritage with the help of the assimilatory and discriminatory policies of the regional powers, Russia and Turkey respectively

Both consider the other’s historical accounts a lie

Social Media (SM) is just a tool

Hard to Control (initial blogs followed propaganda pattern; later not so much)

Vehicle to Penetrate through closed Borders

Platform for New and Alternative Voices

Alternative Information Source (uncontrolled messages)

Georgia 1,300,000 internet users (28% of population) 365,900 Facebook users approx. 1,500 active blogs, mainly in Georgian. Topics vary, include

personal, social, with few political blogs present

Armenia

1,400,000 internet users (47% of population)

76,700 Facebook users

there is a variety of blogs in all three languages- Armenian, English and Russian

Azerbaijan

3,690,000 internet users (44.4% of population)

198,340 Facebook users

Thousands of blogs in different languages, including Turkish and Iranian.The English language blogs writing on political situation in the country,but are popular due to the critical nature of their posts

Source: Internet World Stats. Data from Aug, 2010 (http://www.internetworldstats.com

Social Media for Social Change Conference in Tbilisi, April 2010

Social Innovation Camp, Tbilisi, April 2010

Global Voices On-line: Caucasus coverage

Eurasia Partnership Foundation: Armenia-Azerbaijani Unbiased Media Coverage

Overcoming Stereotypes in the Caucasus

Imagine Center for Conflict Transformation/Caucasus Edition project

And more ….

Founded in 2007 by Armenian, Azerbaijani and American conflict resolution practitioners.

US-based, independent, non-political organization

Mission:

Imagine Center is dedicated to positively transforming relations and laying foundations for lasting and sustainable peace in conflict-torn societies.

Imagine Dialogue and Retreat Program History and Today

- Program was started in 2007 as one time dialogue project for Azerbaijani and Armenian students studying in the US;

-Imagine Dialogue Program today: -Network of over 100 young leaders across borders in Azerbaijan and Armenia;-2 web-sites created, one of which is an analytical publication and a blog on NK-Cross-sector work that builds bridges between decision makers, researchers, social media and young voices

Conflict Resolution and Communication Skills Trainings: this component equips participants with skills necessary for constructive communication and working through conflicts.

Setting up the Objectives and Ground Rules: This interactive session allows participants to set the tone for the workshops, giving them the opportunity to focus the workshop according to their interests Interactive formation of ground rules for communication.

Analyzing Historical Narratives : This session allows a joint reflection on the way each group views its own history and exposes gaps in the way each side views the narratives of “the other”. Allows to understand the roots of stereotypes, understand the context of the ‘other side’, take a critical look at one’s own narrative

Problem Solving Workshops: This approach developed by Harvard University Professor Herbert Kelman allows the participants to look beyond positions and understand the underlying needs, fears, concerns and hopes of both societies.

Conflict Mapping: Allows participants to view the history and the present dynamics of the conflict in one interactive map. By placing themselves in the conflict map, they are empowered through the demonstration of their proximity and power to the conflict as young leaders.

Joint Project Planning/Future-Centric Thinking: Conducted at the end of the workshop, joint project planning allows participants from the different sides to brainstorm and plan projects which they can implement together.

Dialogue and network building for young professionals

Alumni-led cross border and in-country activities

Conferences and research devoted to analyzing Nagorno Karabakh Conflict

Social Media and Conflict Resolution

Series of Dialogue and Project Planningevents:

May, 2007. Long Island, Maine, USA. 12 participants.

May, 2008. Saluda, North Carolina, USA. 14 participants

August, 2008. Catskills, NY, USA. 8 participants

May, 2009. West Virginia, USA. 14 participants.

June, 2010. Gudauri, Republic of Georgia, 16 participants

October, 2010, Tbilisi, Republic of Georgia. 8 participants

May 2009 and 2010. Conflict Resolution trainings in Baku and Yerevan. Over 50 participants

June 2009. Meetings with opinion makers in Yerevan and Baku to discuss the NK conflict and prospects for its resolution.

August 2009. Retreat and Dialogue in Georgia, organized and facilitated by Imagine alumni. 16 participants.

September 2009. Boston, USA. Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University. The conference brought together 16 Armenian and Azerbaijani diplomats, prominent researchers

The second conference will take place in the University of Cambridge in 2011.

Background

August 2009, Dialogue in Georgia: participants initiate development of a blog and Internet-based projects

September 2009, Fletcher Conference: idea of an analytical on-line publication devoted to NK emerges

2010: social media elements incorporated into all Programs of the Imagine Center

Social networking sites such as Facebook are used by participants across borders to stay in touch and generate discussion

Launched: on April 15, 2010. On-line Journal of Conflict Transformation: Caucasus Edition

Purpose: contribute to improvement of the NK peace process by providing a forum for independent analysis of the conflict and its resolution; encouraging cross-border dialogue

Structure: Includes an analytical and a blog section

Workshop for young professionals interested in blogging in Tbilisi –October 2010

Neutral Zone: new blogging platform for parallel posts on social and cultural topics

I said, You said – video project focused on stereotypes

Oral histories of women and other digital storytelling focused activities

Imagine 2050 - Fiction Book, Utopia on peace

Imagine 2011 – a new group of young professionals participate in dialogue, are trained in Social Media skills, get involved in cross-border on-line work

Thank You

Philip [email protected]