EVANSTON, Ill. (Aug. 17, 2018) — Preventing conflicts from escalating into violent crises is 60 times more cost effective than intervening after violence erupts, according to the Carnegie Corporation of New York. A recent partnership between the membership service organization Rotary and Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) aims to bring community-based solutions to prevent conflict in more communities.
MBBI – an impact organization founded on the principle of people-centered peacebuilding – has been working with Rotary since 2013 to advance the common goals for peace. This new partnership will enable Rotary members to train with MBBI to sharpen their mediation, dialogue, and other conflict transformation skills. Rotary’s 1.2 million members, located in over 200 countries and regions, will help MBBI expand its network of trained mediators – potentially transforming conflict in communities not previously reached. MBBI’s members are at the center of a movement for global peacebuilding through advocacy, capacity building and consultations.
Rotary members take action to address underlying causes of conflict by providing access to clean water and sanitation, supporting education, preventing and treating disease, saving mothers and children and growing local economies. More than $221 million has been awarded over the past several years through The Rotary Foundation to support these programs. MBBI joins a list of Rotary service partners including Ashoka, Habitat for Humanity the International Agency for the Prevention of Blindness and Peace Corps.