Saturday, June 18, 2011

Executive Director’s Welcome Message

Welcome to the Somali Institute of Peace (SIPR’s) blogspot and website. By browsing this site, we hope that you will become familiar with the work that SIPR and our colleagues do together to fulfill the goals of SIPR. We will have plenty of “success stories” to share with you and you will find some of them in the section titled “Publications and News.”

Somali Institute for Peace Research is a community-based nonprofit organization, based in the United States that works toward reconciliation in Southern Somalia. SIPR is committed to promoting and restoring peace and sustainable development in Somalia.

The organization strives in building trust between policy-makers, academics, and the military and civil society. Employing internationally recognized Somali consultants, SIPR combines detailed knowledge with an understanding of political decision-making, and many years expertise in facilitating constructive dialogue. We use a combination of innovative publications, expert roundtables, residential consultations and engagement with opinion-formers and governments in order to develop and promote sustainable development strategies.

I appeal for all to join and support us in our endeavors for making Somalia and this world a better, safer and freer place. Be a part of Change, be a pioneer of Change, and be a responsible citizen and leader on your own right. Each of us is special and can bring a unique contribution to Somalia. Be a Peace Maker, Human Rights Defender, Humanitarian, Philanthropist, Environmentalist, and Social Activist, a leader or so on! The Choice is yours!

Again, I welcome you to the Somali Institute of Peace (SIPR’s) blog and website.

Sakawdin Mohamed, MS, MPA
Executive Director

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Somali Institute of Peace Research (SIPR) Welcomes the UNPOS’ Statement on Promoting Peace and Dialogue

Press Release:
No. 01/11

MINNESOTA, 03 June 2011—Somali Institute of Peace Research (SIPR) today welcomed a statement by SRSG Opening Remarks to ICG conference in Kampala for promoting dialogue and inclusiveness.

"Ambassador Mahiga’s statement is in line with the peaceful culture and aspirations for millions of Somalis in and around the world,” said Sakawdin Mohamed, SIPR's Executive Director and Co-founder. "If peace is intended to be a reality in Somalia, the Somali leadership must arrive at an understanding to make the Mogadishu meeting a landmark success for all Somalis.”

Somalia has been in a perpetual state of anarchy since the civil war began there in 1989 and over 20 years Somali violence have resulted a lot of victims and hardships for Somalis. The absence of peace in Somalia has created an environment which facilitates the creation of issues such as piracy, a problem that extends the violence and disruption beyond Somalia’s borders. "The truth is there for everyone to see," he said. "The time has arrived to resolve Somali problems with a homegrown solution, and to involve the genuine or the true stakeholders of peace in Somalia.”

The absence of peace followed by the lack of political commitment, Somalis risk to loose all of the little progress that is being made thus far. Ongoing fighting continues to generate internally displaced persons and refugees. Over 1.49 million Somalis are displaced by the lack or the absence of peace. Continued political stalemate will continue to increase the Somali sufferings.

The sad reality that exists in Somalia is, “According to the most recent country-wide needs assessment, 2.4 million people, one in three Somalis, are in need of humanitarian assistance. This is a 20 percent increase in the number of vulnerable compared to the second half of 2010. More than 55,000 people have been displaced due to the drought and the fighting since December 2010. As rain performance was not adequate in most of Southern Somalia, including the main maize producing regions, Somalia is expected to slide deeper into a crisis leading to an increase in the number of Somalis in need of assistance from the current 2.4 million.” SRSG statement!

SIPR plans to mark the World International Peace Day on September 21, 2011. This year's SIPR theme for the event is “May Peace and Coexistence Prevail in Somalia”. The objective is to draw public attention to the plight of the peace-loving people of Somalia and to provide an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. The International Peace Day was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly.

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Interactive / Social Media Project Intern / Virtual, work from home, and/or Ottawa, Ontario

Peace & Conflict Planners Canada Inc.
Position: Interactive / Social Media Project Intern
Term: 3-6 months


Remuneration: Unpaid internship; potential for future employment

Location: Virtual, work from home, and/or Ottawa, Ontario

Project Description:


Project Identigenesis® strengthens and enhances local economies andcultures to counter the negative results of state failures, includingtransitioning economies, weakening cultures and identities, and failedinstitutions. Democracy is supported through Project Identigenesis®because it provides a voice for people. Part incubator/innovationcentre, community public space and online portal, Project Identegenisis® is a world's first that creates physical/virtualarchitectural spaces representative of the advanced technological erain which we currently live. Project Identigenesis® incorporates thelogic of "Effects Based Approach to Operations" designed withstability, peace and economic strength as the end-state objective.


Position Description:
Implement strategy and maintain social media presence for Project Identigenesis, a PCP Canada Project. Social media consists ofmaintaining presence on YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter andothers as appropriate.
As primary social media publicist for Project Identigenesis, you willwork with the Project Intern and use their research and projectoutline to write and post articles about industry trends and updatesin a conversational style. You will ensure blog content capturesreaders' interest while promoting the project and the company message.The intern will be required to take direction from executive staff andthe managing director of the organization. You will use online socialnetworking techniques for collaboration with people inside and outsidethe organization while promote the project and company objectives.
Duties And Responsibilities:
- Implement and maintain plan for organization's Internet presence toinclude management of online groups.- Perform continuous enhancements and modifications to blogs andsocial media outlets.- Build the Project Identigenesis online presence- Attract experts, partners and team members to Project Identigenesis- Assess new standards, technologies and trends, and formulate plansfor future enhancement to social media strategies.- Use latest syndication and blogging tools with HTML, when appropriate.- Ensure blog(s) are accessible from a variety of differentenvironments and push to other websites and discussion groups.- Respond promptly to blog comments and email- Provide metrics of traffic statistics, reports and blog commentfeedback to appropriate areas.- Research, write/edit and create layout for new articles and features.- Act as liaison between blog readers and PCP Canada.- Interface collaboratively with the web team to insure cohesivenessbetween blog(s) and corporate web site.- Perform other duties, as assigned.
Minimum Requirements:
Possess engaging "conversational" writing skills with a professionalposture. Must be computer and Internet/search engine savvy to performonline research. Must thrive in a fast paced, entrepreneurialenvironment. Must be proactive and have a strong desire to learnsocial media and apply practical learning to enhance internet presencefor the Project and for PCP Canada and related companies. Must work invirtual environment. Undergraduate university student preferred.Intern must be fluent in English.
Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities Required:
Technical
* Ability to evaluate new and evolving blog technologies.* Solid understanding of all sections related to the anatomy of a blogand WordPress* Ability to use syndication and pinging tools* Knowledge and understanding of current editing, authoring tools, andrelated blog technologies.* Ability to utilize computerized word processing, blogging andinternet software.* Knowledge and understanding of internet operations and functionality
Written
* Proofreading and editing skills.* Ability to create, compose, and edit written materials.* Ability to write simply with a conversational style* Writing should be informative, but not verboseSocial Networking
* Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability towork effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diversecommunity.* Present professional, but friendly posture with colleagues, network,and throughout the Internet* Provide management and key departments with intelligence from blogfeedback, metrics and external discussions related to online content* Collaborate with internal departments to enhance blog features and presence* Act as ambassador and liaison for company with the Internet communityBusiness Acumen
* Ability to include corporate objectives and mission throughoutsocial media engagement* Solicit feedback from company executives* Understand mission of company* Assist management in identifying opportunities, based on newdevelopments in social media* Maintain high ethics with social media, online content and daily work tasks


Submit your cover letter and resume to:John Meharg, Director of Research & Innovation mehargj@pcpcanada.com


About PCP Canada:Peace & Conflict Planners is a social enterprise company, with a focuson economic growth and cultural successes that accelerate thedevelopment of communities in transition within the peace and conflictcycle. PCP was incorporated in 2001.
We apply international best practices through innovations, researchand development, analysis, planning, implementation, management, andevaluation to improve the results of client projects.
Peace & Conflict Planners offers products and services supporting thefull spectrum of operations from peace to conflict. The company hasits roots in Armour Development, a large-scale land development andReal Estate company with over 40 years of success in Markham OntarioCanada. The company pioneered culture and economic developmentprojects, such as exceptional residential complexes, shopping courts,industrial parks, and recreational centres. Such pioneering helpedtransition Markham Ontario into an economic powerhouse and providedPCP with our foundational knowledge and praxis.


PCPs President, Dr. Sarah Jane Meharg, leads a consortium ofglobally-based expert practitioners with expertise along the spectrumof operations, including international development andhumanitarianism, defence and security, reconstruction, peacebuildingand economic development.


Our service sector encompasses the spectrum of intervention operationsand we are active in many aspects of our client projects' lifecycle,including innovations, research and development, analysis, projectplanning, implementation, management and evaluation. We apply advancedweb-based communication processes and new-use technologies in all ourprojects.
Our mission is to improve quality of life in Canada and abroad throughcultural and economic development along the spectrum of peace andconflict. We are growing our company and building national andinternational partnerships.


For more about PCP Canada, visit www.pcpcanada.com

Sunday, May 29, 2011

welcome to the blog

welcome to the somali institiute for peace research blog.