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PeaceWorks: An entrepreneurial approach to peace-building.

Posted on Sep 18th, 2006 by Peace Through Commerce : Peace Promoter Peace Through Commerce

PeaceWorks "fosters coexistence through business". What does this mean? Talk about innovative business models with an investment in social change! Their mission as a "not-ONLY-for-profit company" is undergirded by the Theory of Economic Cooperation, which assumes:

Profitable economic cooperation initiatives can cement relations between rivals in the same way that common-place business partners profit from exchange in today's market place.

In this manner, business can enable the conditions necessary to achieve long-lasting social understanding and prosperity in conflict regions around the world. PeaceWorks acts at the catalyst for economic interdependence.

Applying their beliefs and values to their business strategy, the vision-driven entrepreneurs at Peaceworks strive for a holistic understanding of their impact on individuals, communities, the environment, and the world at large. Check out their Cooperation Eco-System, which actually deals with one of the main psychological reasons for the prevalence of conflict-- namely, the mental assumption that people in India or Burma or Australia are "other", which then allows us to de-humanize them or to assume they do not want the same things that we want (i.e. friendship, meaning, love, security, freedom, peace, and prosperity, among other things).

Commercial Cooperation
Businesses profiting from joint ventures gain a vested interest in maintaining and cementing these valuable relations.

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Regional Participation
Peoples and countries prospering under these cooperative activities gain a stake in the system, furthering stability.

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Human Interaction
People working together under conditions of equality learn to shatter cultural stereotypes and humanize their formerly evil enemy

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Job Creation and Export Led Growth
We connect local producers and manufacturers, creating profit opportunities for the region as a whole. The rising volume of exports and the subsequent job creation stimulates local economies and contributes to a rise in the standard of living.

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Employment & Technology
Increasing output through exports generates economies of scale and reduces costs, making ventures in conflict regions more competitive. Export initiatives with overseas partners also benefit from transfer of better systems, enhanced professionalism, technology transfers and technical know-how.

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Peace Building
As groups learn to work together, cultural stereotypes are shattered and the enemy is demystified and humanized.

The Peaceworks Foundation gives a percentage of their profits to OneVoice, a movement to empower Israelis and Palestinians seeking nonviolent solutions to the conflict in the Middle East.

Posted by Visionista
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