Building an “Early Warning, Early Action infrastructure” to prevent violent conflict in the US, welcome to the Trust Network
This seems like a great idea for community mediators and peace activists to jump on board with in the US (and elsewhere): amassing their skills to map trouble-spots of polarisation and social antagonism, and intervening there to help better relations, before things blow up…
They’re called The TRUST Network, and here’s their offer:
The TRUST Network was founded in October 2020 in recognition of the rifts in our society and the harsh test to which our nation’s resiliency is being put.
In order to prevent violence, reduce division, strengthen our democracy, and address legacies of injustice, we are
growing a network of collaboration across sectors in the fields of peacebuilding, social justice, and democracy work;
establishing a first-of-its-kind citizen-run Early Warning Early Action infrastructure developed specifically for the United States;
connecting international and national-level expertise and advocacy to local initiatives that are convened by community mediation and justice centers on the ground, so that communities are supported in generating and self-determining solutions to their long-standing problems (in keeping with the intent of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 10).
Interrupting and mitigating violence is a critical goal. For a stable and thriving society we need even more — Positive Peace. Communities are peaceful where people feel safe and respected.
Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) is the organizational host. The National Association for Community Mediation (NAFCM) and Political Incident Reporting USA (PIRUSA) [formerly Election Incident Reporting (EIRUSA)] are key process facilitators. These three founding co-conveners are joined by a rapidly expanding partnership of, currently, 30+ additional organizations and networks, 25 local convening centers and several hundred individuals each of whom has training and/or experience in mediative, restorative or other nonviolent community-building practices.
What makes it possible to do so much is that we are connecting and interweaving capacities that already exist, and fueling them with information they might not otherwise have, for the greater efficacy of all. collecting the right information and getting it to the right people, at the right time, for the right response.
We’re particularly interested in the “Early Warning, Early Action” system. How does that work? Here they explain, as part of their seven goals
Goal 1: Create a sustainable Early Warning / Early Action system
The technical and human resource capacity for Early Warning Early Action
Included are online tools for reporting and tracking evidence of hate speech, incitement, and other forms of violence via text, images, voice, and video
Goal 2: Train and prepare responders
In a range of skills including unarmed civilian protection, de-escalation strategies, Inter-positioning, joint monitoring mechanisms, building safety teams, navigating high-level threats, facilitating difficult dialogues, and more
Goal 3: Prepare messages for dissemination across platforms
Involve experts in social media and mass texting with targeted messages from respected leaders
Goal 4: Leverage existing infrastructures
Within non-partisan civic organizations society looking to improve the civic space, to benefit from the competencies this network offers, through the coordination of the community-based dispute resolution members of NAFCM
Goal 5: Coordinate with key groups
Such as journalists, municipal and faith leaders, police and community safety professionals, civic organizations, all to sustain a vibrant voting process in which all voices are heard
Goal 6: Engage in violence interruption while building on local capacity
To address tensions and threats of violence
Goal 7: Ensure a lasting framework
For use well after the elections as a permanent and vibrant resource for citizens, governments, and communities