SHATIL

Renowned Conflict Resolution Expert Visits SHATIL

Peter Huncik, a professor of psychology in Slovakia and expert in conflict resolution, visited SHATIL in June to gain firsthand knowledge of the ethnic tensions pervading Israeli society.

In the mid 1990s, when ethnic conflict raged in neighboring Yugoslavia, Professor Huncik founded and directed the Sandor Marai Foundation, an organisation that conducted research and programs aimed at reducing ethnic conflict in his native region of southern Slovakia, an area with a significant Hungarian minority. Huncik -- himself of Hungarian extraction -- assembled local individuals with influence in their communities and conducted workshops to sensitize them to treatment of the "other." His programs contributed to lessened ethnic tensions and led to his implementing the model elsewhere in Eastern Europe and in Asia.

SHATIL has engaged Professor Huncik as an expert consultant on a number of projects, notably the Mixed Cities initiative that deals with special issues in Israel's Jewish-Arab cities, and the anti-escalation campaign. During his visit, Huncik visited the Galilee town of M'ghar, the site of clashes between Christians and Druze earlier this year, and addressed a gathering of prominent local figures from both communities. Professor Huncik also met with Jewish and Arab residents of Lod to discuss his methodology. Both audiences responded enthusiastically to Huncik's approach, which relies heavily on psychology and symbolic activities.

Professor Huncik's visit generated national media coverage: Reshet Bet radio aired segments of an interview with him on their International Hour in which he discussed studying application of his model to the Israeli context. His visit also provided him the opportunity meet Haim Omer, a psychology professor who plays a central role in SHATIL's anti-escalation project.

SHATIL will continue to nurture the nascent relationship with Professor Huncik and foresees many opportunities to collaborate with him on conflict transformation initiatives.