Leading From Your Life's Passion: Fuel for Tough Times
 
Drawing on her 25 years as a human relations professional and business consultant, In 1992 at the United Nations, Virginia Swain created and introduced a unique public engagement process, the Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation to Develop Political Will. in 1992. The process combines mediation, counseling, mentoring, community-building, cross-cultural conflict management, human rights and international relations education. The Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation has been described as inspiring and timely as well as having the potential to lead to the maturation of human society into a genuine planetary family. It has been praised by diplomats, policy makers, business people, peace activists, theologians and scholars. Virginia's masters thesis project at the United Nations, Celebration of the Children of the World, was the inaugural project of the Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation.
 
Virginia also developed a new leadership model to guide the delivery of the Peacebuilding Process, Reconciliation Leadership. The work has evolved to address the crisis in leadership and development in the United States and abroad for post-conflict peacebuilding to provide a inter-cultural and interdisciplinary approach to global challenges.
 
The Reconciliation Leadership Certificate Program and the Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation are a multi-faceted process and is an exponent of the new language of international collaboration.
 
Since 1989, in collaboration with many diverse individuals and groups on four continents, Swain has developed, taught, and/or facilitated various aspects and applications of the Reconciliation Leadership process, through: Organizing reconciling environments and celebrations at various events (e.g. Celebration of the Children of the World at the United Nations in New York, The United Nations Conferences: Environment and Development, UN Conference on Economic and Social Development, Copenhagen 1996, Commission of Sustainable Development Co-Chair, Financing Agenda 21 Task Force, New York, 1993; International Rio de Janeiro, 1992; Global Liturgy, Parliament of the Worlds Religions, Chicago, 1993); Utilizing the Peacebuilding Process of Reconciliation with individuals and groups suffering from abuse of human rights (e.g. in collaboration with others to establish collaborative relationships to end violence in the inner city (Buffalo, 1995), consultation with refugees from the former Yugoslavia (Boston, 1999 and ongoing), consultation with Rwandan genocide survivors (New York, 1998, Boston, 1999), training now being implemented in Rwanda by Rev. Erisa Mutabaazi, mediating with students at Burncoat Senior High School through a partnership with the Attorney General Tom Reilley and Worcester Community Action Council Consulting and training since 1986, Swain has worked with over 250 large and small businesses, non-profits, women's groups, and religious organizations, promoting community building, communication, and spiritual renewal.
 
Virginia is an active participant in the International Organizing Committee of the State of the World Forum Millennium 2000, Global Education Associates, and CIVICUS; World Alliance of Citizen Participation and is a member of many other organizations related to education, vocational and life planning, community building, organizational development and world peace.
 
For a complete listing of our services, go to www.global-leader.org