The beneficiary of the “Professional Media, Practitioners and Grassroots Joining Forces for Dialogue” project and winner of an individual competition held within the project, Lilit Paytyan, who is a historian by profession and represents the Young Historians Association, shared her knowledge and skills in nonviolent communication (NVC) through a board game and a workshop.
Lilit participated in several regional and international trainings on nonviolent communication organized by the Public Journalism Club. The knowledge and connections she gained through these trainings inspired her to promote the principles of nonviolent communication in Armenia.
Lilit Paytyan’s board game “Peacemaker” is an educational tool based on the principles of nonviolent communication (NVC). It includes various interpersonal, social, interstate, and intercultural scenarios. The game aims to improve negotiation skills and conflict management in non-formal educational settings.
Lilit Paytyan’s individual project also included an interactive workshop in the frame of “Mediation as an Alternative Approach to Overcoming Conflicts” 13th autumn school.
What did the participants learn?
During the workshop, participants became familiar with the core principles of nonviolent communication (NVC) and how they can be applied in the context of mediation. Special emphasis was placed on the four key components of NVC:
- Observation
- Feeling
- Need
- Request
The theoretical knowledge was reinforced through practical exercises, discussions, and simulation games, through which participants analyzed conflict situations.
According to Lilit Paytyan, the principles of nonviolent communication (NVC) help people rethink their responses and choose more constructive ways of communicating.
“I believe our efforts aimed at raising awareness of nonviolent communication and peacebuilding among young people must be of immeasurable scale. I consider this my modest but bold step on this path,” says Lilit Paytyan.
This initiative was made possible within the framework of the “Professional Media, Practitioners and Grassroots Joining Forces for Dialogue” project, implemented by the Public Journalism Club with financial support from the European Commission.
The project partner is International Alert.
