鈥淲e sought to bring together a cross-section of restorative justice practitioners, theorists and innovators,鈥� said , co-director of the Zehr Institute and the project鈥檚 leader. 鈥淪ome of the invitees were world-recognized in the restorative justice field, but others were invited to ensure that diverse and often-unheard voices would be represented.鈥�

One-third of the 36 participants were from populations that are under threat socially and economically in their regions of the world. The genders were equally represented. One person was under age 21, though two other young adults had been expected to attend.

Conversing about RJ’s ‘revolutionary intent’

The idea behind the unusual mixture of invitees was to foster provocative conversation about the possibilities for restorative justice (RJ), particularly for addressing structural injustices, said Stauffer.

In the prospectus for the three-year project submitted to the funder, , the organizers wrote: 鈥淥n the social margins, there is growing research and experimentation with RJ as a tool for addressing structural harms and injustices. This project will explore and document these emerging practices in order to recapture the revolutionary intent of RJ.鈥�

The organizers called attention in their prospectus to what they viewed as the danger of RJ settling into a 鈥渟ocial service practice鈥� centering on 鈥渞epair at the micro-interpersonal level.鈥� Instead, they wished to highlight the ways that RJ can 鈥減rovide a coherent framework for transforming macro-social structures that cause harm.鈥�

Aware that many of the 36 attendees at the first consultation would not have prior relationships with each other, the organizers devoted about half of the five days to exercises and facilitated conversations designed to establish trust and a common basis for exploring future possibilities. Senior graduate students at 黑料正能量鈥檚 served as facilitators for the process.

Tough questions

First, the attendees prepared a history line of RJ, then they explored identity, power and privilege in the field. On the third day, they embarked on a discussion of best practices.

鈥淲e accepted the challenge of bringing together a highly diverse group, especially given that many of the participants are international leaders in the field, [being] accomplished researchers, authors, practitioners and facilitators in their own right,鈥� Stauffer said.

鈥淭he challenge was heightened because the group grew beyond the original envisioned size of 20 to 25,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e needed to go well beyond 25 to have a true cross-section of voices, but it was difficult to develop coherence among three dozen people with strong opinions, especially in only five days.鈥�

Yet the participants were largely positive in their final evaluations, he said, indicating that they had not regretted investing a workweek in wrestling with each other over tough questions, such as the extent to which RJ should be viewed as a social movement, as opposed to simply a set of restorative practices.

Stauffer did not pretend to be neutral on this last point. In his opening remarks to the group, he referred to the U.S. penal reform movement having been 鈥渃o-opted.鈥� In contrast, he said he hopes RJ continues to grow into a social movement in North America, with the aim of 鈥渢ransforming deep structural conflicts and injustices.鈥� Toward this end, North Americans have much to learn from their international brothers and sisters about 鈥渓arge-scale applications鈥� of RJ, he said.

Agreement on RJ’s core values

For a social movement to be successful, Stauffer told the group, it requires political opportunity, resource mobilization, a framing message, and critical mass (or a 鈥渢ipping point鈥�).

On the last day, in a final small-group presentation, a participant observed that the 36 attendees had largely agreed during the week on RJ鈥檚 core values, but not necessarily on how to practice restorative justice.

This first consultation will be followed next year by a public conference attended by up to 120 people. Next time, Stauffer said, his organizing team will work to create a conference format that moves participants more quickly into discussions on the future of the field, with a view of moving into a research and writing phase in the final year of the project.

Participants in the consultation

The 36 participants were:

1. Aaron Lyons, Fraser Region Community, Justice Initiatives, Canada
2. Ali Gohar, Just Peace Initiatives, Pakistan
3. Barb Toews, University of Washington Tacoma / Designing Justice+Designing Spaces, USA
4. , Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量
5. Brenda E. Morrison, Centre for Restorative Justice, Simon Fraser University, USA
6. Carl Stauffer, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量
7. Carolyn Boyes-Watson, Center for Restorative Justice, Suffolk University, USA
8. Catherine Bargen, Restorative Justice Coordinator Crime Prevention and Victim Services Division, Government of British Columbia, Canada
9. Dan Van Ness, Center for Justice and Reconciliation, Prison Fellowship International, USA

10. , Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量 and Atlanta (Ga.) consultant, USA
11. Fania Davis, executive director of Restorative Justice for Oakland (Calif.) Youth, USA
12. Cameron Simmons, youth worker with Restorative Justice for Oakland (Calif.) Youth, USA
13. Gerry Johnstone, University of Hull, UK
14. , Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量
15. Jeanette Martinez, Circle of Justice LLC, New Mexico, USA
16. Jennifer Graville , Community Conferencing Program, KBF Center for Conflict Resolution (Md.), USA
17. Jodie-Ann (Jodie) Geddes, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量
18. Josh Bacon, James Madison University (Va.), USA
19. , 黑料正能量
20. Katia Ornelas, Independent Consultant, Mexico
21. , (STAR), 黑料正能量
22. Kay Pranis, Circle Trainer, USA
23. Kim Workman, Stout Research Centre for New Zealand Studies, Victoria, University of Wellington, New Zealand
24. Linda Kligman, Vice President for Advancement, International Institute for Restorative Practices, USA
25. Lorenn Walker, Hawai鈥檌 Friends of Restorative Justice, USA
26. Lorraine Stutzman Amstutz, Mennonite Central Committee, USA
27. Mark Umbreit, Center for Restorative Justice & Peacemaking, University of Minnesota, School of Social Work, USA
28. Matthew Hartman, Clackamas County Juvenile Department, Restorative Justice Coalition of Oregon, NW Justice Forum, USA
29. Mulanda Jimmy Juma, Africa Peacebuilding Institute, St. Augustine College of South Africa
30. Najla El Mangoush, Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, 黑料正能量
31. Robert Yazzie, Chief Justice Emeritus of the Navajo Nation, USA
32. Seth Lennon Weiner, Porticus, New York, USA
33. sujatha baliga, Impact Justice, USA
34. Susan Sharpe, Advisor on Restorative Justice, Center for Social Concerns, University of Notre Dame, USA
35. Theo Gavrielides, The IARS International Institute and the Restorative Justice for All Institute, UK
36. , Strategies for Trauma Awareness and Resilience (STAR), 黑料正能量

The facilitators were led by project manager , and included CJP graduate students Janine Aberg, South Africa; Michael McAndrew, USA; Jordan Michelson, USA; Mikhala Lantz-Simmons, USA; and Ahmed Tarik, Iraq.

鈥淐olbert said precisely what I think about cynicism nine years ago,鈥� Dionne, a syndicated columnist for The Washington Post, told the crowd. 鈥淐ynicism masquerades as wisdom, but it鈥檚 the farthest thing from it.

鈥淐ynics always say 鈥榥o,鈥� but saying 鈥榶es鈥� begins things. Saying 鈥榶es鈥� is how things grow,鈥� he continued. 鈥淐ynicism isn鈥檛 realism, because realism accepts people as they are.鈥�

Hundreds of students and thousands of family members and friends crowded into Yoder Arena at 黑料正能量 to watch the university鈥檚 97th annual commencement ceremony.

A total of 486 degrees and certificates were handed out. Of those 486, 370 were undergraduate degrees 鈥� including 139 adult degrees 鈥� 106 were graduate degrees and 10 were certificates in pastoral ministry studies. . A total of .

黑料正能量 also awarded a posthumous honorary degree on behalf of Ruth C. Jones of Verona, who died in June at the age of 40 while enrolled in the adult degree completion program.

Jones was finishing a bachelor鈥檚 of science in nursing and was employed at Augusta Health, where she had worked for 15 years. Her husband, Nicholas, received her diploma on her behalf.

Throngs of people filled the 3,600-capacity arena, packing the bleachers and seats on the floor, the track circling above the arena and a theater that showed a live broadcast of the ceremony.

Dionne, 63, who also is a professor in the Foundations of Democracy and Culture at Georgetown University, titled his address 鈥淐ynicism Isn鈥檛 Realism: Letting Joy Surprise You.鈥� In it, he highlighted what he said is the importance of finding the good in everything and everyone, staying humble and continuing to learn.

Remember, Dionne told members of the graduating class, you can always learn something from everyone.

鈥淭he smartest people on this Earth are never, ever the know-it-alls,鈥� he said. 鈥淭he truly ingenious people 鈥β� are constantly amazed by how little they know.鈥�

He also took time to acknowledge the sacrifice and help from parents in guiding their children to graduation.

鈥淚 always disliked the phrase 鈥榮elf-made,鈥欌�� he said. 鈥淣one of us is self-made. It鈥檚 a biological and spiritual absurdity.鈥�

Other speakers included Najla El Mangoush, a master鈥檚 graduate from Benghazi, Libya, in the university鈥檚 conflict transformation program; Kimberly Groff, a graduate from Ephrata, Pa., in the adult degree completion program; and undergraduate students Emily Shenk, of Goshen, Ind., and Jordan Luther, of Martinsville.

Speaking to the class, Luther compared the new graduates to a box of crayons.

鈥淪ome of us came from five minutes away down the road while others grew up 5,000 miles away,鈥� he said. 鈥淥ur identities are like a 64-box of crayons, filled with subtlety, diversity and compassion; colors to create portraits of peace and transcendence in your community and in your world.鈥�

Dionne graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Harvard University and a doctorate from Oxford University, where he was a Rhodes Scholar. In addition to writing columns for The Washington Post and serving as a professor at Georgetown University, he is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution. He lives in Bethesda, Md., with his wife and three kids.

Before concluding his speech, Dionne said to the roomful of graduates: 鈥淐ommencement is the beginning and not an end. Never stop learning.鈥�

Courtesy of the Daily News Record, April 27, 2015

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