The Mighty Heart: How to Transform Conflict

Conflict resolution may be one of the most pressing challenges that we face. How do we bridge deep divides? How do we bring together competing interests? Scilla Elworthy has been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize three times for developing effective dialogue between nuclear weapons policy-makers worldwide and their critics, when she was working with the Oxford Research Group, founded in 1982.  She also started Peace Direct, an organization to fund, promote, and learn from local peace-builders in conflict areas. What can she tell us about what is needed to transform conflict?

Elworthy points to one, perhaps surprising, element that has the capacity to transform conflict. She calls it the mighty heart. What she means is very practical and down to earth. In her new book and  online course, she describes what she has learned in decades of deep engagement with some of the most intense conflicts on our shared planet.

In this week’s Radio evolve, Thomas Steininger speaks with Scilla Elworthy about ‘courageous conversations,’ anger as a fuel for transformation, and the role of inner Presence in the face of raging conflict.