From Reaction to Prevention Civil Society Forging Partnerships to Prevent Violent Conflict and Build

1
From Reaction to Prevention Civil Society Forging
Partnerships to Prevent Violent Conflict and
Build Peace

• Media and Public Relations Strategy
• January 2005

2
Strategy 4 components/3 audiences

• Public Relations
• Media Outreach
• July Conference Development
• Strategic Event

• United Nations (including UN agencies and UN
  Missions)
• New York City
• Global Community (Organizations and individuals
  working on conflict prevention, conflict
  resolution and peacebuilding at local, national,
  regional and international levels.)

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What is the GPPAC message?

• The urge to prevent conflict is common around the
  world.
• The international community and civil society
  must shift from a culture of reaction to one of
  prevention.
• Prevention is possible.
• The UN cannot do it (conflict prevention) alone.
• Civil society is an essential partner for
  conflict prevention and peacebuilding.
• Civil society is working and succeeding in
  preventing conflict. (people building peace)

4
Public Relations Getting the message out

• What has already been done?

• Global The creation of the GPPAC website, the
  bi-monthly newsletter, expanding database,
  on-going public briefings and presentations by
  Paul, ISG focal points and CPWG members.
• UN Partnership with UN Department of Political
  Affairs, letters of support from SG, UNDP, UNIFEM
  and relationship established with Department of
  Public Information
• New York Mobilization of a New York City
  campaign for conflict prevention.

5
Public Relations Getting the message out

• How do we build on what has been done?

• Global Focus on the website, announcements on
  listserves and relevant partner websites,
  regional meetings, creating a visual and
  rhetorical identity, increased outreach to
  on-line communities interested in our issues,
  frequent updates to GPPAC listserv
• UN More meetings with UN liaisons (1/25),
  briefings with different UN groups, announcement
  on UN website, additional regional briefings
  Latin America, Asia, Europe, Arab States,
• New York University briefings, identify New
  Yorkers building Peace to include in collection
  of success stories

6
Media Outreach Educating the Public ???

• Where do we stand?

• UN Connection established with Department of
  Public Information (DPI), proposal for a special
  issue of UN Chronicle.
• New York Ongoing media research, exploring
  alliances and collaboration opportunities with
  NGOs with media focus or capacity. (Quaker Peace
  Network, The Advocacy Project, Global Youth
  Action Network/Chat the Planet)
• Global Ongoing coverage of regional conferences
  and meetings.

7
Media Outreach Educating the Public ???

• What is the plan going forward?

• UN Discussion on working with NGOs/CSOs on
  conflict prevention and peacebuilding on CPRP
  network, briefing to NGO Thursday meeting
• New York Develop pitch letters and send press
  kits to NYC press, invite press to special events
  during conference week, send out proposals for
  interviews/articles/coverage in local radio,
  print media outlets
• Global Creating a press page for the GPPAC
  website, identify a contact person for press and
  media in each region, develop ideas and support
  GPPAC members in writing related articles and
  opinion pieces/conducting interviews, rework
  People Building Peace stories for articles,

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What will get the attention of the media?

• Success out of conflict stories
• Local and regionally human interest
• Links to global stories/themes such as Iraq, the
  Tsunami, the US condoned concept of pre-emptive
  war

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Media Outreach Educating the Public ???

• Elements of a press kit

• Pitch letter
• General press release
• Clippings of past press coverage on conference or
  GPPAC letterhead
• Business card
• Photographs
• GPPAC brochure
• Recent GPPAC newsletter
• List of focal points
• Calendar of upcoming events
• UN letters of support
• Photographs
• Flyer and brochure for People Building Peace

10
? July conference development

• Work with ISG to identify and invite VIPs to
  participate and speak at the conference
• Press accreditation
• Press check-in
• Conference media kits
• Interview schedules
• Daily conference newspaper
• Web casting of plenary events
• Panel on media and conflict prevention
• Training on CSO/NGO working with the media
• Press releases
• Two press briefings
• Final presentation of conference highlights

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Strategic Events???

• Launch of People Building Peace
• Dag Hammarskjöld 100th anniversary celebration
• Launch event and media briefing on Peaceboat
• Peaceboat gathering stories project
• Joint activities with IANSA
• Public rituals
• Art exhibition and a musical performance (or
  performances)
• Web events (blogging, special guests, moderated
  discussions)

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Resources
13
??? Resources

• GPPAC-ISG Media contact for each region
• The Advocacy Project
• World Culture Open
• Coalition of NGOs/CSOs working on conflict
  prevention media campaign for NYC
• Columbia University
• Quaker Peace Network

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I like to believe that people in the long-run
are going to do more to promote peace than our
governments. Indeed, I think that people want
peace so much that one of these days governments
had better get out of the way and let them have
it. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)