EPISODE NOTES

This episode gets to the heart of what our project, War Stories Peace Stories, is all about: How do you talk about peacebuilding in a way where people will pay attention and feel compelled to take action?

Our guest Elizabeth Hume is Executive Director of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, the umbrella organization for NGOs working on conflict resolution, bridge-building, and reconciliation in the US and around the world. And she says, peacebuilders have been doing a poor job of communicating with the public—too academic, and not connecting with issues that concern everyday Americans. 

A few years ago, Liz called on our other guest, Andrew Volmert, for help with this messaging problem. Drew is Senior Vice President of Research for the FrameWorks Institute, a think tank that helps non-profit organizations reframe social issues to gain broader public understanding and acceptance.

Drew and his team surveyed thousands of Americans to find out how they think about peace and peacebuilding, and how they’d respond to new ways of framing the issue. They came back with insights that peacebuilders, as well as journalists covering peace and conflict, can learn from.

Download the FrameWorks Institute’s reports on reframing peacebuilding:

Building the Bridge to Peace: A Messaging Guide for Peacebuilders

Communicating about Peace and Peacebuilding: Challenges, Opportunities, and Emerging Recommendations

Follow Liz Hume on Twitter: @Lizhume4peace

Follow the FrameWorks Institute on Twitter: @FrameWorksInst