A training workshop on Non-Violent Communication (NVC) was conducted for 26 members of Local Inter Religious Committees (LIRCs) in Vavuniya to provide a conceptual overview of NVC, as well as hands on skills.

Participants were religious leaders, government officers, police officers and civil society leaders.

The workshop included analysis of case studies, presentations, group work and reflections with an emphasis on the skills and processes necessary for creative non-violent strategies.

The workshop shared the methods of communication that encourage compassionate responses to emotions and foster empathy instead of blaming and judging one’s self and others. The training was facilitated by a resource person from Center for Non-Violent Communication.

The participants learnt about universal needs and that when those needs were met, people experienced peace, joy, and love. When needs were not being met, they were frustrated, angry and fearful.

The participants were introduced the four step process to enable effective empathetic communication to manage conflicts.

“This workshop created a space to share our life experiences of violence. I now understand how I have made others feel uncomfortable, angry and sad,” A civil society activist from Vavuniya said.