SUDIA has been contracted by the World Bank and the Darfur-Darfur Dialogue and Consultations (DDDC) to implement a Future Search Training workshop in Khartoum. The training will develop the capacity of the DDDC, its various stakeholders and partners and impart techniques and skills that contribute towards increased participation, transparency and the overall effectiveness of the DDDC process and its partners. The training will introduce the Future Search Method to participating agencies as an effective and highly successful consultative and planning method increasingly being used around the world by companies, organizations and communities.
As the conflict in Sudan Western Region of Darfur continues and thousands continue to suffer – the 2006 Darfur Peace Agreement which provided great hopes of an end to the conflict continues to come under increasing pressure. Nonetheless progress is being made along some components of the DPA most notably on the Darfur - Darfur Dialogue and Consultation (DDDC) process, an autonomous and non-politicized process, mandated to enable communities from Darfur to voice their opinions and views to achieve sustainable peace and reconciliation in their region.
The realization of the DDDC was mandated to a preparatory committee (Prepcom) which was to conduct inclusive and extensive consultations among stakeholders in the Darfur conflict, facilitate drafting a broad agenda, and organize a Conference, where representatives will meet to discuss the challenges of restoring peace, overcoming divisions between communities, and resolving existing problems to build a common future in Darfur.
Ahead of the Prepcom being formed a DDDC Secretariat working under the United Nations African Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) was operationalized to (a) undertake initial consultations as a preparatory exercise to identify common ground issues that the DDDC PrepCom would consider when established, and (b) facilitate the selection of members of the Prepcom.
Since its inception in 2007 the Secretariat has been engaged in dialogue with a broad range of stakeholders in Sudan and abroad. The goal of these consultations was to solicit views, build trust and find ‘common ground’ amongst the various conflicting stakeholders. These initial consultations have resulted in a number of achievements, including identifying relevant individuals and organizations, familiarizing stakeholders in the Darfur conflict about the consultative process and soliciting their views.
As the DDDC Secretariat and various partners continue to expand their outreach, developing capacity and imparting methods and skills that facilitate increased participation, transparency and group interaction is critical to the continued success of the DDDC. Within this context SUDIA will be organizing a training workshop to introduce the Future Search Method as a highly successful consultative and planning method used around the world by companies and communities. More specifically the training will contribute to strengthening the capacity of the DDDC Secretariat as well as other relevant partners by equipping them with the Future Search method as a tool which may be used to (1) identify and validate common ground issues as well as create neutral spaces for the emergence of other issues, (2) build trust and increased ownership of the DDDC process, and (3) develop commitment to implementation of any resulting action plans.
The training workshop is being organized and facilitated by the Sudanese Development Initiative (SUDIA) and the Future Search Network (FSN), a voluntary world-wide Network offering public, non-profit and NGO future search processes and training and is scheduled to be held in Khartoum, Sudan in late September – early October 2009 and attended by 40 participants.
What is Future Search
Future search is a PLANNING MEETING that helps people transform their capability for action very quickly. The meeting is task-focused. It brings together 60 to 80 people in one room or hundreds in parallel rooms.
Future search brings people from all walks of life into the same conversation - those with resources, expertise, formal authority and need. They meet for 16 hours spread across three days. People tell stories about their past, present and desired future. Through dialogue they discover their common ground. Only then do they make concrete action plans.
The meeting design comes from theories and principles tested in many cultures for the past 50 years. It relies on mutual learning among stakeholders as a catalyst for voluntary action and follow-up. People devise new forms of cooperation that continue for months or years.
Future searches have been run in every part of the world and sector of society.
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