Approach

Understanding the Conflict

Pii begins by spending significant time with local thought leaders in order to understand the elements of the conflict, the roots of the discord, and the keys to its solution.

Convening the Advisory Council

Pii then convenes an advisory council to brainstorm and give feedback on the project's scope, themes, messages, and the media to be used. The advisory council is integral to the long-term sustainability of Pii's work, providing inspiration, guidance, hands-on expertise, and ongoing support. Support can include contact with other potential Pii partners and participation in the long-term planning in the region.

The advisory council helps Pii actively explore relationships with those people and agencies whose work, expertise, or funding ability is compatible with Pii's. Partners begin to emerge to help sustain the initiative.

Launching the MIFC

The actual program is developed simultaneously with the advisory council's work. We create a suite of messages for specific media (TV, print, school curricula, etc.) and the messages are put in place. Ongoing reaction to the messages and resulting behavior change are measured as part of the process.

Ideally, as the MIFC is launched, local sponsors of the media begin to provide funding. Media programs are expensive. Although Pii self-funds the MIFC through development and launch, we seek local funding partners in the government, non-profit, and educational communities to help sustain the programs over time.

Measuring Success

Pii's greatest success may sometimes be to simply elevate the dialogue, embracing respect for different viewpoints and replacing prejudice and stereotyping with analytical tools. Although the effectiveness of the messages in changing young people's attitudes toward the differences of others is measured, the ultimate success of the initiative will be less violence in future generations.