CAUX
SCHOLARS PROGRAM

brazil, 2025

about

The Caux Scholars Program (CSP) is an annual 21-day residential program, fostering peacebuilding, conflict resolution, restorative justice, and narrative transformation by providing practitioners with a unique and immersive learning experience.
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For over three decades, Caux Scholars Program (CSP) has shaped changemakers in Switzerland and India. This year, for the first time, we brought that experience to Porto Alegre, Brazil — an opportunity to reimagine the program in a new cultural landscape, enriched by the history and resilience of Latin America.

At CSP, we believe in the power of interconnectedness and the value of diverse perspectives. Our program brings together a global network of multi-sector experts, representing a rich tapestry of cultures, beliefs, languages, educational backgrounds, and religious affiliations. With over 1,000 alumni from 100+ countries, our community of scholars embodies the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity.
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The Casa Marista in Porto Alegre, with its serene and contemplative environment, offered scholars a space to reflect on their personal and professional journeys. It is a place where commitment to honest accountability, service towards building inclusive and just communities, and securing health and wellness practices for oneself and others is nurtured.

Critically, CSP aims to expand space for global South, diasporic, and indigenous methodologies and practices in peacebuilding and justice. We recognize the importance of inclusivity and equity in sharing world knowledge and fostering intergenerational peace and justice movements. Our scholars are at the forefront of growing innovations in restorative justice and conflict transformation models that speak to the times and inspire connectedness and collaboration.
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Through its comprehensive curriculum, immersive experiences, and commitment to transformative leadership, CSP empowers individuals to address complex conflicts, foster sustainable development, and create positive change in their communities. It inspires scholars to become agents of peace, justice, and reconciliation, shaping a future where conflicts are transformed into opportunities for a more inclusive, just, and harmonious world.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

To nurture individuals with the knowledge, skills, and mindset to become effective agents of peace in a conflict ridden world.

To provide interdisciplinary learning experiences that showcase a comprehensive understanding of a range of peacebuilding disciplines and practical approaches to conflict transformation in bringing sustainable peace.

To invite and involve peace workers from diverse socio-economic, national, and religious backgrounds. To be inclusive of all gender, sexual and racial identities. To make it accessible for activists coming from challenging financial backgrounds.

To foster a global network of peacebuilders and equip them with meaningful connections in the field.

To foster a global network of peacebuilders and equip them with meaningful connections in the field.

To create a safe space by encouraging self-reflection, promoting accountability, and fostering a commitment to building inclusive and just communities.

EDITION 2025

The Caux Scholars Program 2025 brought together an exceptional cohort of 17 scholars from around the world, representing Afghanistan, Belgium, Brazil, Eritrea, France, Germany, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Nepal, Tunisia, Turkey, the UK, the US, and Zimbabwe. This diverse group, hailing from varied socio-political contexts, carried with them rich experiences and a wealth of knowledge from their work in fields such as education, peacebuilding, arts-based activism, community organizing, and more. The unique blend of perspectives created a fertile ground for meaningful cross-cultural dialogues that helped all the participants to challenge, expand and transform each other's ideas.

Despite the vast differences in their backgrounds, all the scholars shared a commitment to creating positive social change. From the very beginning, the program was taking shape as a stage for collaborative learning, as the scholars were engaging with complex global issues. The discussions were a crucial learning opportunity for all, as each participant was bringing a unique cultural lens to the table. The report gives an overview of the entire program and sheds light especially on the transformative moments and experiences that shaped all participants' understanding of peace, conflict, and social justice.

TAKEAWAYS

PEACE

The Peace module was an invitation to explore and redefine what peace truly means. From the very first session, it became clear that there was no single, universal definition of peace. Some scholars saw peace as justice, others as healing and for some it was about coexistence despite differences. As the dialogue progressed, we all began to understand that peace is not a fixed destination but an evolving journey shaped by history and political narratives, but also personal experiences. While we never reached a singular definition, we embraced the complexity of peace, realizing that it is constantly unfolding—sometimes in harmony, sometimes in tension. The collective exploration reminded us that peace is not a passive state but an active, dynamic process that requires continuous engagement, self-reflection, and the willingness to hold multiple truths.

CONFLICT

The Conflict module challenged us to move beyond surface-level understandings and engage with conflict as an inherently transformative force. The principal takeaway for us was that conflict is not just about disagreements. It is deeply rooted in structures, histories, and identities.

Each scholar had a personal account of conflict, whether from their communities, nations, or inner struggles to share. As we unpacked different theories and real-world case studies, we realized that conflict is not inherently negative or something to be feared; rather, it holds the potential for growth by enabling a deeper understanding of the issues. Through difficult but necessary conversations, we examined how conflict manifests, the power dynamics at play, and the ways narratives shape our responses.

More than finding solutions, we learned to sit with discomfort, ask relevant questions, and recognize conflict as an opportunity to reimagine socio-political relationships. In the end, we walked away with a shared awareness that conflict is not the opposite of peace, but rather a doorway to transformation.

JUSTICE

Similarly to the Peace module, the Justice module pushed us to explore the many layers of what justice truly means—who defines it, who has access to it, and how it is pursued in different contexts. From legal frameworks to restorative and transformative justice models, we explored how justice is often shaped by power and privilege. Each scholar carried stories of justice denied, delayed.

Our task then was to discuss the complexities of seeking fairness in an unequal world by asking difficult questions like, “Is justice about punishment or healing?”, “Can true justice exist without accountability?” or more importantly, “How do we move beyond retribution toward repair?”.

We learnt that justice demands tremendous courage to challenge oppressive systems in peaceful ways. It also demands humility to listen to those who are most affected. More than seeking answers, the module urged us to hold space for contradictions and prepared us to embrace the ongoing work of justice.

NARRATIVE

In the Narrative module, we dug beneath the surface of the stories we tell about ourselves, each other, and the world. We began to see narratives not just as reflections of reality but as powerful tools that shape beliefs regarding identity and belonging.

Whose stories are heard and whose are silenced? Through dialogue and reflection, we began to uncover the dominant narratives that uphold systems of oppression. We gradually began to grasp that there is liberating potential in counter-narratives that we often overlook in our daily lives. The highlight of this module was when the scholars shared stories of community struggles and their personal journeys of navigating the web of narratives revolving around these struggles. Collectively they weaved a rich tapestry of truths that can offer new ways of seeing. We didn’t just analyze stories— we inhabited them, questioned their origins and imagined what healing could look like if the silenced perspectives in these stories could be given a voice. In this unfolding, we were reminded that narrative is a site of resistance.

By reshaping the stories we carry, we begin to reshape the future itself.

Theatre

In this module, participants explored how theatre can serve as a powerful tool for transformation. Led by experts Francine Kliemann and Silvia Balestreri Nunes, the module integrated immersive storytelling and the Theatre of the Oppressed to engage participants in embodied forms of expression that unravel the complexities of conflict and power.Over two dynamic sessions, the group explored how theatre creates space for transformation by encouraging participants to move beyond the role of passive spectators and become active spect-actors. This approach allowed them to examine their own relationships to conflict, while also challenging the traditional structures of oppression.

Additionally, through exercises like Image Theatre, where participants physically embodied moments of tension, and Forum Theatre, where they collaboratively reimagined alternative outcomes, the group engaged in deep reflection and co-created new possibilities for action. The module underscored the significance of embodied knowledge and the power of collective creativity in driving social change. By the end of the workshop, participants had gained both practical tools and a renewed sense of agency in using theatre to reshape the narratives around them.

Trauma

The Trauma module was one of the most tender and courageous parts of our journey together. We entered this space with care, knowing that trauma lives not only in individuals but in communities, histories, and systems. With the STAR model as a guide, participants unpacked how trauma affects the body, mind, and relationships, learning to recognize common trauma responses like fight, flight, freeze, fawn, and flop.

We also watched films like The Insult, Origin, and documentaries on Sierra Leone’s reconciliation process, grounding theory in lived experience. These stories helped us understand how trauma shapes conflict. Further, through the guidance of our facilitators, we explored how trauma shapes behavior, relationships, memory, and even our capacity to hope. We spoke of inherited pain from colonial wounds and personal ruptures while naming the unnamed. Rather than seeking to “fix” or rush to resolution, we once again prioritised holding space for ourselves and for one another.

We discovered that healing begins with presence, with the intent of creating safety. Most importantly, this module invited us to understand trauma not only as something to survive, but something that, when approached with compassion, can be transformed. In that space of shared vulnerability, something powerful happened: we began to reclaim our wholeness.

IN ADDITON

In this final set of tools, participants deepened their understanding of how to move from reflection to action. Through Public Narrative, they explored how stories—personal and collective—can become powerful vehicles for social change. By working with the Story of Self, Story of Us, and Story of Now, Scholars uncovered the links between identity, belonging, and urgency. They learned that when we tell our stories with honesty and clarity, we invite others into a shared purpose—one that can motivate movements and shift systems.

We also explored Nonviolent Communication (NVC) as a way of speaking and listening that centers empathy. In moments of tension, where conflict often escalates, NVC taught us to pause and distinguish between what we observe, how we feel, what we need, and what we’re asking. These simple but profound shifts opened up space for connection and understanding, especially in emotionally charged contexts.

In the following sessions on Community Organizing and Capacity Building, we turned our focus outward. How do we take these insights and skills into the world? How do we build collective power rooted in trust, and shared values?

We learned strategies to mobilize communities and strengthen the ecosystems around us. Whether through the metaphor of the caterpillar’s “imagined cells” or the real-world work of organizing, we saw how transformation often begins from within, but it is sustained through collective action.

Field Visit

The Caux Scholars Program had the privilege of visiting Restinga Velha, a neighbourhood in Porto Alegre, Brazil, where we were warmly welcomed by the members of Ponto de Cultura Africanidades. The visit began with an introduction to the community’s history, rooted in the displacement of people during the 1960s Military Dictatorship. Restinga was formed as a result of forced relocations, and despite early hardships, the residents organized to build their own homes and claim their rights. Over the decades, through resilience and community action, Restinga has become a symbol of collective resistance with initiatives like the Participatory Budget and the establishment of the Vila Restinga Community Center.

During our visit, we experienced a vibrant Capoeira performance, a Brazilian cultural expression that has roots in African resistance. Despite facing stigmas, the dance continues to be a symbol of strength and resilience. We also had the chance to learn and participate in Maculelê, an Afro-Indigenous dance associated with Capoeira, highlighting the rich cultural heritage of the community. Our visit culminated with a tour of Estação Cidadania, a cultural and educational hub that, though initially built with the promise of growth and opportunity, now suffers from neglect and restricted access. The stories shared by the community’s leaders emphasized their ongoing struggle for basic rights and recognition, offering us a profound understanding of their fight for dignity and the preservation of their history. This field visit underscored the enduring spirit of a marginalized community and the continued resistance against systemic injustice.

ACADEMIC DIRECTOR

DR. DAVID ANDERSON HOOKER

Dr. David Anderson Hooker PhD, JD, M. Div. is the Founder and Principal Narrator for Counter Stories Consulting, llc. Counter Stories engages as a conversation and visioning partner with international, national and local civil society organizations, religious groups, organization leaders, and social entrepreneurs to craft narratives of their preferred futures and align organizational structures and internal practices in furtherance of their constructed narratives.
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For almost 40 years, Hooker has served as mediator, restorative circle steward, facilitator, community builder, scholar, and advocate. Hooker’s primary focus is in the role of narratives for the transformation of multi-party disputes and post conflict community reconciliation, especially those conflicts where race, gender, class, religion, and other socially constructed variables significantly impact the disputed context. Hooker is the author of The Little Book of Transformative Community Conferencing, co-author of Transforming Historical Harms and author of several chapters and articles considering the roles of narratives in identity formation and multi-generational trauma, and restorative justice.

Hooker is formerly a Professor of Conflict Transformation and Peacebuilding at the Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies at the University of Notre Dame (2016-2021) and Senior Fellow for Community Engagement Strategies at the J. W. Fanning Institute for Leadership at University of Georgia (2010-2015).

GUEST FACULTY

FRANCINE KLIEMANN

Francine Kliemann is an immersive experience designer and the founder and director of Platô, a company dedicated to creating participatory and immersive experiences in education and community settings. Her work explores innovative approaches to learning and human connection through imagination and play. At Platô Cultural, Francine leads the creation of immersive learning adventures that transform education by integrating storytelling, new technologies, and social impact. One of the company's flagship programs, School of the (Im)Possible, is an award-winning immersive learning adventure focused on climate change for primary school students. Recognized with grants from the International Teaching Artist Collaborative (ITAC) and the British Council, the initiative was showcased at COP27 and won the Ashoka Green Changemakers Challenge.

Another project, Arctic Lighthouse, is an artificial reality (AR) game about climate change for primary and secondary students, extending the world of School of the (Im)Possible. The project received the Unity for Humanity Award and is set for official launch in 2025. Francine's work is deeply rooted in research, which drives the creation of her projects. She has been a featured speaker at numerous international conferences. Francine is also an active member of global networks such as the Community Arts Network (CAN), ASHOKA, ITAC, Catalyst 2030, and the Learning Planet Alliance, where she contributes to advancing education and social impact through art and immersive experiences.

SILVIA BALESTRERI NUNES

Silvia is one of the original members of Theatre of the Oppressed - Augusto Boal. She is a Full Professor in the Department of Dramatic Arts and in the Graduate Program in Performing Arts at the Institute of Arts of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS). She holds a PhD in Psychology from the Center for Studies and Research on Subjectivity at the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (2004), and a Master’s degree in Psychology from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro.

Her master’s dissertation focused on Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, examining the discourses and themes that intersect with the practice. Her doctoral thesis revisited Boal’s theatre through the lens of the work of Italian multi-artist Carmelo Bene, exploring how these artistic approaches might contaminate and enrich one another.

She has tremendous experience in the fields of Arts, with an emphasis on Theatre and Psychology, and works primarily with the following themes: performing arts and nomadic thought, Carmelo Bene, Theatre of the Oppressed, and research in performing arts. She has also served as coordinator of the Graduate Program in Performing Arts at UFRGS and of the National Forum of Graduate Program Coordinators in Arts/Performing Arts (2011–2012). Additionally, she was also head of the Research Commission of the Institute of Arts at UFRGS from May 2015 to May 2017. She currently serves as Head of the Department of Dramatic Arts at UFRGS

TESTIMONIALS

One day, our professor, David, shared a lesson that has stayed with me ever since: “People aren’t the problem; the problem is the problem.” That deceptively simple insight unraveled many of my preconceptions about conflict. The program did more than deepen my academic foundation, as it equipped me with a global lens to examine conflict transformation. Now, I am eager to take this new perspective forward not only in my research but also in my teaching and academic engagements. The methodologies and techniques we explored have already reshaped my thinking by offering me tools to interrogate dominant narratives and rethink conflict transformation beyond binaries of right and wrong. If conflict is constructed through language, then transformation, too, must begin with words.

Inés Mokdadi
TUNISIA

My experience at the Caux Scholars Program in Porto Alegre, Brazil, exceeded all expectations. Though I remained in my home country, our diverse classroom and shared living space created a worldly microcosm. Day by day, the program gave me the skills for peacebuilding and social change while strengthening me as an activist. The experience has especially enriched my perspective as a lawyer by equipping me with new tools for cross-cultural understanding and ethical leadership. I am positive that this experience has enhanced my ability to advocate for justice and peace. Looking back, I couldn't be more grateful for this transformative experience that has fundamentally shaped my approach to peacebuilding and my vision for a more harmonious global community.

Victoria Kurkdjian Teixeira
BRAZIL

My 3-week program in Brazil on peacebuilding and conflict resolution was a life-changing experience. This experience was especially relevant and timely given Lebanon’s ongoing war in 2024-2025. The conflict between Israel and Lebanon, which began in 2023 and continues today, is driven by deep political tensions, regional influences, and economic hardships. My time in Brazil reinforced the idea that lasting peace cannot be achieved solely through political agreements or military action—it must also involve open dialogue and active community participation to build internal resilience against external threats.

Ishika Panta
NEPAL

My 3-week program in Brazil on peace and conflict studies was a life-changing experience. This experience was especially relevant and timely given Lebanon’s ongoing war in 2024-2025. The conflict between Israel and Lebanon, which began in 2023 and continues today, is driven by deep political tensions, regional influences, and economic hardships. My time in Brazil reinforced the idea that lasting peace cannot be achieved solely through political agreements or military action—it must also involve open dialogue and active community participation to build internal resilience against external threats.

Mohammad Ghabris
LEBANON

The minute I arrived at the center, it felt like home. People from all over the world carried the same worries as I did, struggling to find a place to channel all that drive and energy and to understand our place in the world. I have never experienced such a connection with people so different yet so alike, so far away and so close together. Through our early mornings of sitting in silence and just listening, and the inspiring classes that left me in awe every day, CSP ignited a light in me that I thought I had lost. It was a sober and serious yet playful and creative time of my life that I’ll always look back fondly as a deeply transformative reconfiguration of the narratives that shaped me, who I think I was and the world around me, as well as the impact I believe I have to make a difference in my life and others’.

Mónica Salinas
MEXICO

Reflections

One of the great features of Caux Scholars is the community that is created. There was a moment where the class took a trip to a community in Porto Alegre where we danced together and aligned our hearts through drumming sacred rhythms. As I looked across the room, I thought of the many structural systems and oppressive ideologies that were designed for this moment to never happen. Yet, here we were from different cultures, countries, contexts, and communities dancing and connecting in shared humanity and diversity, weaving a new choreography of being on the dance floor of one shared planet. It was in this choreography and play that we all learned that beloved Community is best embodied as it is exhorted and encouraged. As Bell Hooks said, “To build community requires vigilant awareness of the work we must continually do to undermine all the socialization that leads us to behave in ways that perpetuate domination…I think we need to be wary: we need to work against the danger of evoking something that we don’t’ challenge ourselves to actually practice…Beloved Community is formed not by the eradication of difference but by its affirmation, by each of us claiming the identities and cultural legacies that shape who we are and how we live in the world.”

This cohort revealed both our challenges and beautiful capacity for embodying the radical belonging we seek. One of the distinct goals we held for this edition of Caux Scholars was equipping and preparing the class to have the practical skills to organize for the new future they envision for their community. I was honored to teach three sessions of this class on how to practically, spiritually, and strategically organize for structural change while keeping in mind that who we are becoming is also a revolutionary act. As I reflect on this cohort of wonderful, dynamic, and imaginable spirits, I am overwhelmed with a grateful feeling for an experience that truly cultivated change and redirected our spirits. I am beyond excited to continue to foster and expand this class of Caux scholars and our GAIN Alumni around the world with the opportunities and skills they need to continue to cultivate a new future.

Allan-Charles Chipman,
Executive Director, Initiatives of Change USA

Reflections

Working with a legacy program that has transformed thousands of lives over three decades is both humbling and inspiring each day. When I reflect on the rich history of the Caux Scholars Program, I am struck by the weight of responsibility that comes with stewarding such a transformative initiative. This legacy is not just something to preserve but a foundation upon which we continue to build.

The past three editions of the program have been a period of thoughtful evolution. We've undertaken structural changes that honor our founding principles while making the program adaptable to the changing needs of the world. Under the academic directorship of Dr. David Anderson Hooker, we have taken up this pressing task of redesigning the curriculum to meet the needs of our practitioners of peace work. Thus, our goal was to ensure our scholars receive training that is both deeply rooted in theory and immediately applicable in their contexts.

The modified syllabus and approach were first put into action during this year’s Caux Scholars Program in Porto Alegre, Brazil. This was the first step in our commitment to expand the program’s reach while remaining true to its essence. The decision to bring CSP to Brazil wasn't made lightly. It comes from our belief that the "Spirit of Caux", that unique atmosphere of honest conversation and collective action isn't confined to a single location but can transform lives wherever people gather with sincere hearts and open minds. As we prepared for this new chapter in Brazil, I carried with me the wisdom of those who shaped this program before us and the stories of hundreds of alumni who continue to build peace in their communities. Their collective impact fuelled my commitment to ensuring that the Caux Scholars Program continues to evolve and transform lives for decades to come.

On a personal level, witnessing scholars from diverse backgrounds-representing different cultures and beliefs come together in a space of mutual respect remains the most rewarding aspect of my role. Each cohort brings a unique perspective and challenges that keep refreshing and reinvigorating our approach. This year's wonderful cohort was no exception. As I witnessed all the scholars discover their potential as agents of change kept reminding me of my own journey with IofC which began in 2014. Knowing that these scholars are now a valuable part of our family and together we will all continue to contribute to a more just and peaceful world is a source of great joy and satisfaction for me.
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Rohit Valecha,
Director of lnternational Programs, Initiatives of Change USA

Thank you

Casa Marista Team and Staff
Fetzer Institute
Global Humanity for Peace Institute
Iniciativas de Mudança - Brasil
Initiatives of Change International
Inner Development Goals Foundation
Ismar Villavicencio
Ponto De Africanidade Restinga
Dr. Scherto Gill UNESCO

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