frequently asked questions

If you want to do something against violent conflict, why don’t you tackle poverty?
Surely, this is the cause of most if not all violent conflicts?

Poverty is more than not having food or water. Poverty is the lack of access to what every person has a right to. Violent conflict is more than fighting for food, water, or justice. It is one of many states of how humans relate to one another.

Coexistence, too, is a state of how humans relate to one another. But more than this, it is part of the human condition. To put it bluntly: without coexistence, there would be no mankind, or would there? Looked at it from a personal perspective, everybody has the need for friendship, trust, and mutual understanding. Which requires acknowledging that there is common ground between people. And, does this common ground not mean that poverty is not an option for any person on this planet?

Hence, working towards the coexistence of people seems to be quite a sensible way towards creating a world that makes poverty history.

Why is the Internet so important to Breaking the Ice?

In recent years, social media platforms such as Facebook have had huge successes in attracting especially youth to liaise, communicate and find common interests. Today, this is a powerful example to show what is at the heart of the Internet: collaboration, the opportunities to link-up with other like-minded people.

Another topic has collaboration at its heart: coexistence. And it is this parallel that leads us to believe that we can build a viable social platform.

Already, there have been numerous activities to show how the Internet indeed bridges divides. For a popular example, have a look at http://peace.facebook.com

What is “peer-to-peer education” and why does it matter to Breaking the Ice?

People tend to learn better from people they know or can relate to, who have similar experiences and similar needs. If it is possible, to bring individuals together and to facilitate their conversation and exchange of ideas and wants, these individuals work towards mutual understanding and friendship – and to do so for a long time to come, since they engage themselves and friends constantly.

What does “Peace Economy” mean?

For a competent background on this, please see www.visionofhumanity.org

Do you see a “clash of cultures”? And if so, how do you deal with the “other”?

No – you give the answer to your question yourself: there is no “other” – who should that be? There are different communities with different histories and stories but who share a lot of things. They can acknowledge this without agreeing on what is the “right” story.

Think about two circles that already have an intersection (e.g. people living on the same piece of land or nearby). Sometimes, this caused a history or a presence of violent conflict. But what if the problem could actually be part of the solution? What if one looked at the intersection, saying: yes, there are differences and there are similarities, if only the fact that we would like to live on the same piece of land. Why not looking at these similarities, maybe enlarging the intersection into areas of culture or economical wellbeing?

You have big claims. How are you going to fulfill them?

We are not alone, we see ourselves as part of a movement to change the world towards a more peaceful society. There are millions of people in countless organizations working towards this. In fact, they always have. We hope that we can contribute, that’s all.

Are the stories you tell not only a different version of a reality show like “Big Brother”?

Yes, they are reality, and yes, they are the stories of real people. However, it is not us who tell the stories. We only provide the framework. It’s each and every person that tells his or her story. And, in listening to one another’s accounts, the need for coexistence and reconciliation emerges. Which is what we hope to portray.

How do you decide, which conflict you focus on?

Breaking the Ice focuses on cultural, ethnic, religious, political or socio-economic conflicts that are exemplary for today’s and tomorrow’s world and thus concern large numbers of people.

Is conflict bad?

No, conflict is one of the strongest drivers of change. Without conflict there is no progress. Violent conflict is bad. And must be overcome.