Film Festival in Colombia

As part of the Creating Safer Space project “Community Strategies for Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) in South-West Colombia” the research team, under the leadership of Dr Natalia Campo, organised the 1st International Festival of Participatory Video and Community-based Cinema at the Universidad Autónoma de Occidente (UAO) in the city of Cali, Colombia, between 15 and 16 November 2023.

The festival received 178 applications from 25 countries and its academic agenda included a series of in-person workshops on UCP strategies with community members from the three sites of the project: Buenaventura, Caldono and Lerma, as well as a conversation with Prof. Beatriz Arias about art-based strategies for UCP.

A massive thanks to our UAO-based colleagues and generous hosts of the festival: Prof Jesus Alfonso Florez, Dr Campo, Jimena Andrade and Dr Adrian Alzate; and to the students of Dr Campo’s module Participatory Video and Community-based Cinema, who made a tremendous contribution to the festival. A well-done to our local partners from Buenaventura, Caldono and Catatumbo, whose films were shortlisted. To the winners of the festival, a massive congratulation. You can read more (and see pictures) about the Festival and the winners here:

https://www.instagram.com/festivalcineando/?hl=es
https://www.facebook.com/festivalcineando
https://filmfreeway.com/IFestivalInternacionalCineAndoconmigenteVideoParticipativoyCineComunitario


Pilot Projects in Participatory Evaluation and Learning

We are very pleased to announce three new Creating Safer Space projects. These projects will pilot a new participatory evaluation and learning methodology for Unarmed Civilian Protection and Accompaniment (UCP/A).

Creating Safer Space is aware of the sensitivities connected with UCP/A and how traditional methods of evaluation are often top-down or output-focused and therefore risk missing important nuances connected with civilian protection efforts. A group of practitioners and scholars have therefore discussed good practice approaches to evaluation, and developed principles that should inform evaluation design. More information is available here: https://creating-safer-space.com/participatory-evaluation-and-learning/

Creating Safer Space held a funding competition in Summer 2023 to pilot this approach to evaluation and learning, and we are happy to announce the three projects that received funding:

Contributions of grassroots organisations to the implementation of unarmed civilian self-protection strategies in violent urban contexts

Masterpeace Cali received funding for the project Contributions of grassroots organisations to the implementation of unarmed civilian self-protection strategies in violent urban contexts: Towards the security of diverse and vulnerable populations in socio-segregated environments. This project investigates the impacts of actions carried out by grassroots organisations in violent and socio-segregated urban contexts in the city of Cali, Colombia.

Assessing the impact of unarmed civilian protection in the South Hebron Hills between 2018-2023

Operation Dove / Operazione Colomba received funding for the project Assessing the impact of unarmed civilian protection in the South Hebron Hills between 2018-2023. This project aims to assess the impact of the ongoing collaboration between international volunteers and the Palestinian community in the South Hebron Hills, West Bank.

UCP and Migrants in the US / Mexico Borderlands

Meta Peace Team received funding for the project UCP and Migrants in the US / Mexico Borderlands. Using a participatory action research design, this project will engage with organizations serving migrants at the United States/Mexico border to develop tools for evaluating the impacts of unarmed civilian protection and accompaniment to protect migrants in the North American border region.


Toolbox for a Decolonial Perspective in UCP

We are very pleased to announce the publication of ‘A Toolbox for a Decolonial Perspective in UCP’. This toolbox seeks to highlight key aspects that can support decolonization processes advocated by Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) practitioners. It’s not a definitive or closed document, but rather a dynamic and open proposal intended to expand through discussion and exchange within our community of practice.

This toolbox was developed in the context of the meetings of the Decolonization Working Group of the UCP Community of Practice, led by Nonviolent Peaceforce. The elaboration of the toolbox was supported financially and by team members of the Creating Safer Space network. The toolbox is available in English and Spanish:

https://creating-safer-space.com/resources/toolbox-for-a-decolonial-perspective-in-ucp/