CMG Annual Report 1998

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LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Dear Friends,

     I am proud to submit to you the 1998 Annual Report of Conflict Management Group (CMG). Last year was particularly exciting for a number of reasons.
     In 1998, after thirteen years of notable accomplishments, CMG opted to evaluate its programs and establish a new strategic plan to ensure continued success in the future. We are now in the process of implementing the five-year strategic plan that will truly place this organization as a world leader in the field of Conflict Management. As part of this effort, a new internal regional structure was created to provide greater depth to our programs in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Canada, Europe/Former Soviet Union and the United States.
     The strategic plan and regional structure allow us to focus attention on projects where CMG's resources can make the biggest difference. This approach enables CMG to engage in our mission with greater efficiency and impact. In addition, we have made the development of long-term programs an organizational priority. CMG has made a significant investment in establishing a full-fledged Finance and Development Office. The results of these investments will be carefully measured over the period of the plan and adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure the most effective delivery of CMG services.
     One of the greatest achievements for CMG in 1998 was the acquisition of the "Roger Fisher House" in Cambridge. This historic house, named in honor of CMG's Founder, Professor Roger Fisher, will serve as our Headquarters. It will be a wonderful legacy to Roger's untiring efforts to improve the skills with which people deal with their differences and, ultimately, to improve the prospects for future generations.
     Our successes in the realm of programs were many and quite noteworthy as you will read in the following article. Through strategic interventions in areas of conflict, skill building programs, and research, CMG was able to use, test and expand its methodology to bring about positive change.
     I am very grateful to the staff of CMG for all of their hard work, creativity and dedication. And, we have a lot more work that needs to be done. As the newspaper headlines show, conflicts are mushrooming at an alarming rate and de-stabilizing large sections of our world. Even as we become a more effective organization, we can only meet the growing demand for our services with the help of concerned citizens and supporters like you.
     I thank all of you who have provided financial support for CMG's programs and the acquisition of the Roger Fisher House. I hope you will continue to assist us in 1999 and beyond.

It is my privelege to present the 1998 Annual Report to you.

Robert Ricigliano

Executive Director

The Roger Fisher House

ACHIEVEMENTS IN 1998

     1998 was a successful year for CMG on many fronts. We worked on numerous projects in the three core areas of our mission: strategic assistance, capacity building and theory development. CMG served people in Africa, Europe, the Former Soviet Union, Latin America, Asia, Canada and the U.S. Following are brief summaries of our work in the different regions.

EUROPE

     In Cyprus, we continued our participation in a long-term study examining the causes of protracted conflicts and the potential approaches for getting these conflicts "unstuck." The project is in partnership with the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD) to develop concrete steps for promoting bi-communal understanding and reconciliation between Cypriots.
     CMG held community-building workshops for Greek and Turkish Cypriot students studying in the United States. Sponsored by the Cypriot-American Scholarship Program and AMIDEAST, this multi-year project succeeded in bringing together Cypriot students who otherwise would never have the opportunity to share with each other their experiences. In partnership with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and IMTD, CMG designed a project to improve Greek-Turkish relations.
     CMG conducted a Facilitated Dialogue project in collaboration with the Mediation Network of Northern Ireland to assist the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) to improve police/community relations in Northern Ireland. Newly elected members of the Irish Assembly were also trained by CMG in negotiation skills in conjunction with the Irish Institute at Boston College.
     CMG Board member Landrum Bolling visited Serbia to conduct diagnostics and explore the possibility of organizing an informal joint brainstorming session between the various parties involved in the situation in Kosovo.

FORMER SOVIET UNION

     The Georgia - South Ossetia Dialogue Project was started in 1995 following an invitation by the President of the Republic of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze. In April of 1998 CMG staff traveled to Tskhinvali and Tbilisi to conduct diagnostics and meet with participants in the project. In July 1998 a joint session was held in Barcelona, Spain to discuss and examine various constitutional models, and to learn from the Spanish model of center-periphery organization. A follow-up trip to Georgia was undertaken in November to analyze the impact of the diagnostic session and to conduct research about possible interventions in Abkhazia and the North Ossetia-Ingushetia conflicts.

CANADA

     CMG conducted training programs for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), the Department of National Defense, and Ontario Hydro. A workshop on Difficult Conversations was presented to the Canadian Centre for Management Development. Negotiation training was also provided for various divisions of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Falconbridge.

UNITED STATES

     In the Urban Peacemakers project designed to teach conflict management skills to at-risk urban youth in Roxbury, Massachusetts, CMG is teaching Youth Peer Leaders to take over the training component of the project. Based on the success of this project, CMG has been contracted by the Chicago Police Department to assist in improving relationships between youth and police in Chicago.
     CMG trained cadets and instructors at The Citadel in South Carolina in advanced communication and negotiation skills to help them address issues involving gender and the introduction of female cadets to the Academy. CMG is also involved in a pilot training program in partnership with the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS) to assist their regional bodies with negotiation and process design skills. Innovative training on collaboration and relationship management was provided to executives at Pillsbury/Haagen Dazs and IBM.

ASIA

     Working in collaboration with the University of Montana, CMG is designing and delivering a 6 day pilot program on conflict management to the Foreign Affairs College, Beijing. This program will be the first of its kind in China and the curriculum includes material on both Chinese and Western approaches to negotiation and conflict management.
     In partnership with the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the National University of Singapore (NUS), CMG is designing a conflict management program in Singapore. The program will be based at the NUS and will be the first of its kind to be offered in the ASEAN region.
     CMG continues to present courses in negotiation theory and practice for graduate students in the School of International Studies at the EWHA Womans University in South Korea.

AFRICA

     In Burundi, CMG designed a conflict resolution training program to impact people at the grassroots level in cooperation with the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI).
     CMG helped the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) in Ghana to prepare for a Collaborative Analytical Problem-Solving (CAPS) workshop by developing a training manual and curriculum.
     The Organization of African Unity (OAU) engaged CMG to provide a comprehensive skills training program for its Mechanism for the Prevention, Management, and Resolution of Conflict.
     In Angola, with the assistance of USAID, CMG designed and implemented a program entitled Community Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution to examine how interest-based negotiation theory might be applied in a country newly emerged from a devastating civil war.
     In Burkina Faso, CMG partnered with CECI to provide a comprehensive four-day training program to the staff of the Mediateur du Faso, an independent agency set up by law in Burkina Faso charged with managing conflicts between citizens and the government administration.

LATIN AMERICA

     CMG played a significant part in the historic signing of the Ecuador/Peru peace agreement in October of 1998. This agreement ended a 50 year border dispute and resulted in an outpouring of economic aid to the region.
    In Guatemala, CMG partnered with CECI to provide conflict resolution training to leaders at the grassroots level, and worked with the Commission for National Conciliation in Colombia to help initiate the peace process. CMG also played a role in conducting a comprehensive analysis of the key stakeholders of the Ministry of Education in Ecuador to help the Ministry build coalitions to initiate and pass measures to improve education.
    CMG trained officials of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in negotiation skills, and assisted them further by helping clients who receive funds from the IADB to better manage conflicts and improve their negotiation skills.
    CMG works closely with CMIIG (Conflict Management Inc. International Group) in Latin America. They collaborated on projects involving BanaMex, Venezuelan Petroleum Company and Grupo Financiero Serfin.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


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Return to CMG Publications
LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Dear Friends,
I am proud to submit to you the 1998 Annual Report of Conflict Management Group (CMG). Last year was particularly exciting for a number of reasons. In 1998, after thirteen years of notable accomplishments, CMG opted to evaluate its programs and establish a new strategic plan to ensure continued success in the future. We are now in the process of implementing the five-year strategic plan that will truly place this organization as a world leader in the field of Conflict Management. As part of this effort, a new internal regional structure was created to provide greater depth to our programs in Africa, Latin America, Asia, Canada, Europe/Former Soviet Union and the United States. The strategic plan and regional structure allow us to focus attention on projects where CMG's resources can make the biggest difference. This approach enables CMG to engage in our mission with greater efficiency and impact. In addition, we have made the development of long-term programs an organizational priority. CMG has made a significant investment in establishing a full-fledged Finance and Development Office. The results of these investments will be carefully measured over the period of the plan and adjustments will be made as necessary to ensure the most effective delivery of CMG services. One of the greatest achievements for CMG in 1998 was the acquisition of the "Roger Fisher House" in Cambridge. This historic house, named in honor of CMG's Founder, Professor Roger Fisher, will serve as our Headquarters. It will be a wonderful legacy to Roger's untiring efforts to improve the skills with which people deal with their differences and, ultimately, to improve the prospects for future generations. Our successes in the realm of programs were many and quite noteworthy as you will read in the following article. Through strategic interventions in areas of conflict, skill building programs, and research, CMG was able to use, test and expand its methodology to bring about positive change. I am very grateful to the staff of CMG for all of their hard work, creativity and dedication. And, we have a lot more work that needs to be done. As the newspaper headlines show, conflicts are mushrooming at an alarming rate and de-stabilizing large sections of our world. Even as we become a more effective organization, we can only meet the growing demand for our services with the help of concerned citizens and supporters like you. I thank all of you who have provided financial support for CMG's programs and the acquisition of the Roger Fisher House. I hope you will continue to assist us in 1999 and beyond.
It is my privelege to present the 1998 Annual Report to you. Robert Ricigliano Executive Director	The Roger Fisher House

ACHIEVEMENTS IN 1998 1998 was a successful year for CMG on many fronts. We worked on numerous projects in the three core areas of our mission: strategic assistance, capacity building and theory development. CMG served people in Africa, Europe, the Former Soviet Union, Latin America, Asia, Canada and the U.S. Following are brief summaries of our work in the different regions. EUROPE In Cyprus, we continued our participation in a long-term study examining the causes of protracted conflicts and the potential approaches for getting these conflicts "unstuck." The project is in partnership with the Institute for Multi-Track Diplomacy (IMTD) to develop concrete steps for promoting bi-communal understanding and reconciliation between Cypriots. CMG held community-building workshops for Greek and Turkish Cypriot students studying in the United States. Sponsored by the Cypriot-American Scholarship Program and AMIDEAST, this multi-year project succeeded in bringing together Cypriot students who otherwise would never have the opportunity to share with each other their experiences. In partnership with the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and IMTD, CMG designed a project to improve Greek-Turkish relations. CMG conducted a Facilitated Dialogue project in collaboration with the Mediation Network of Northern Ireland to assist the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) to improve police/community relations in Northern Ireland. Newly elected members of the Irish Assembly were also trained by CMG in negotiation skills in conjunction with the Irish Institute at Boston College. CMG Board member Landrum Bolling visited Serbia to conduct diagnostics and explore the possibility of organizing an informal joint brainstorming session between the various parties involved in the situation in Kosovo. FORMER SOVIET UNION The Georgia - South Ossetia Dialogue Project was started in 1995 following an invitation by the President of the Republic of Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze. In April of 1998 CMG staff traveled to Tskhinvali and Tbilisi to conduct diagnostics and meet with participants in the project. In July 1998 a joint session was held in Barcelona, Spain to discuss and examine various constitutional models, and to learn from the Spanish model of center-periphery organization. A follow-up trip to Georgia was undertaken in November to analyze the impact of the diagnostic session and to conduct research about possible interventions in Abkhazia and the North Ossetia-Ingushetia conflicts. CANADA CMG conducted training programs for the Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development (DIAND), the Department of National Defense, and Ontario Hydro. A workshop on Difficult Conversations was presented to the Canadian Centre for Management Development. Negotiation training was also provided for various divisions of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce and Falconbridge. UNITED STATES In the Urban Peacemakers project designed to teach conflict management skills to at-risk urban youth in Roxbury, Massachusetts, CMG is teaching Youth Peer Leaders to take over the training component of the project. Based on the success of this project, CMG has been contracted by the Chicago Police Department to assist in improving relationships between youth and police in Chicago. CMG trained cadets and instructors at The Citadel in South Carolina in advanced communication and negotiation skills to help them address issues involving gender and the introduction of female cadets to the Academy. CMG is also involved in a pilot training program in partnership with the National Conference of States on Building Codes and Standards (NCSBCS) to assist their regional bodies with negotiation and process design skills. Innovative training on collaboration and relationship management was provided to executives at Pillsbury/Haagen Dazs and IBM. ASIA Working in collaboration with the University of Montana, CMG is designing and delivering a 6 day pilot program on conflict management to the Foreign Affairs College, Beijing. This program will be the first of its kind in China and the curriculum includes material on both Chinese and Western approaches to negotiation and conflict management. In partnership with the JFK School of Government at Harvard University and the National University of Singapore (NUS), CMG is designing a conflict management program in Singapore. The program will be based at the NUS and will be the first of its kind to be offered in the ASEAN region. CMG continues to present courses in negotiation theory and practice for graduate students in the School of International Studies at the EWHA Womans University in South Korea. AFRICA In Burundi, CMG designed a conflict resolution training program to impact people at the grassroots level in cooperation with the Canadian Centre for International Studies and Cooperation (CECI). CMG helped the International Foundation for Election Systems (IFES) in Ghana to prepare for a Collaborative Analytical Problem-Solving (CAPS) workshop by developing a training manual and curriculum. The Organization of African Unity (OAU) engaged CMG to provide a comprehensive skills training program for its Mechanism for the Prevention, Management, and Resolution of Conflict. In Angola, with the assistance of USAID, CMG designed and implemented a program entitled Community Reconciliation and Conflict Resolution to examine how interest-based negotiation theory might be applied in a country newly emerged from a devastating civil war. In Burkina Faso, CMG partnered with CECI to provide a comprehensive four-day training program to the staff of the Mediateur du Faso, an independent agency set up by law in Burkina Faso charged with managing conflicts between citizens and the government administration. LATIN AMERICA CMG played a significant part in the historic signing of the Ecuador/Peru peace agreement in October of 1998. This agreement ended a 50 year border dispute and resulted in an outpouring of economic aid to the region. In Guatemala, CMG partnered with CECI to provide conflict resolution training to leaders at the grassroots level, and worked with the Commission for National Conciliation in Colombia to help initiate the peace process. CMG also played a role in conducting a comprehensive analysis of the key stakeholders of the Ministry of Education in Ecuador to help the Ministry build coalitions to initiate and pass measures to improve education. CMG trained officials of the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB) in negotiation skills, and assisted them further by helping clients who receive funds from the IADB to better manage conflicts and improve their negotiation skills. CMG works closely with CMIIG (Conflict Management Inc. International Group) in Latin America. They collaborated on projects involving BanaMex, Venezuelan Petroleum Company and Grupo Financiero Serfin.
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Return to top of this page [Home] [About CMG] [Achievements] [Services] [Project Profiles] [CMG Publications] [Contact Us] [Staff ] [Donate Online] [Site Map]		.