What is Media for Peace?

How can the media be used for peace? Through an exhaustive and exciting process that we share with our partners. Drawing insights from different disciplines, we work cooperatively to instil values, strategies and actions which – through media – further the cause of peace in our communities.

Since 2009, the Xchange Perspectives e.V. (XcP) team has been delivering workshops and training, producing movies, music videos and reports, building radio stations and capacities in Africa, Europe and Asia. 
 
All these activities are based on a framework initially developed by Dominik Lehnert, and refined by Leila Bendra-Lehnert and Dominik. The Media for Peace framework is the backbone of every action carried out by XcP. 
 
Implementing Media for Peace actions means that our work, as practitioners, is grounded in five essential values: Unity, Diversity, Transcendence, Empathy and Commitment.

In practical terms, this means that we are all-inclusive and encourage participation. Being all inclusive does not only mean giving everyone an equal opportunity to participate but also to make sure that we take extra care of those who find it challenging to take part, investing time and effort in creating an environment where they feel safe and included. This is a positive step towards building unity in our communities. 

The other side of the Unity coin is Diversity. By being aware of our and each others’ identities and acting equitably, we ensure that our differences are positively harnessed. Diversity breeds creativity, which when coupled with a constant search for excellence, leads us to transcend conflicts and bridge divides.

Being empathic towards one another is a value that has been hailed time and time again; however, in practice, we are often swayed by self-interest and competition. Practising empathy in our work means that we follow the principles of nonviolence, not in a passive form but pro-actively, always opening channels of dialogue, actively listening before taking pro-active all-inclusive actions.

Sustaining these efforts daily, in our work and in our personal lives allows us to continue our search for excellence. We are responsible for what we create, we nurture our positive actions, and we remain committed to laying the foundations of peace in our communities. 

A Media for Peace process triggers reflections on what we mean by peace, conflict and violence, and how these understandings affect and apply in our day-to-day work and life. 
 
We then observe and analyse our current media landscape prevalent in our communities and globally. 

This is followed by an introduction to a theory on how the media can be used for peace, and the practice thereof, through the different stages of social change.