IPP Balanza: 8 januar 2010

Balanza IPPers had a good discussion the other night on if the expectations of the participants are being met. There were diverse understandings of what is an IPP and different viewpoints to the questions. Are we here for the community or for ourselves? What is the balance between these two? How much do we need to concentrate on what we think is important for the community and how much to focus on our questions?

IPP is an educational program, as are all CISV activities. We are not here to save the world. We are here to understand the complex realities of Arauca and to learn how community justice is used in solving daily conflicts here. However, this does not mean that IPPs do not have an impact on communities. They do, and often very important one. There might be unexpected results that one could not have imagined but they turn out to be essential. Here in Tame, just our presence is already making a difference. This is an area where there are very few foreigners and we, as a big international group, are making a huge impact by supporting the mediators and their conciliation efforts.

Before going to my first IPP, I had not realized that IPP is such a comprehensive learning experience. The official educational content might teach you something, but the biggest learning in my opinion comes from the daily life during the program, the encounters with locals, the discussions one has waiting for something to begin, whether in Colombian or Egyptian time. Some of the learning one can reflect on already during the program, but a lot of one understands only after some time. I believe we all, the staff and the participants, are in the middle of a fantastic experience that is giving us a lot for the future life.