Global Negotiation

Global Negotiation, formerly the Global Negotiation Project and now under the Harvard Negotiation Project, is headed by Director William Ury and Associate Director Joshua Weiss. The project engages in a number of activities at the global, international, and intrastate conflict levels including: research and writing, teaching and training, and peacebuilding projects. Below is a list of the principal peacemaking initiatives and projects GN is currently working on to different degrees.

Beyond its research, the project sponsors conferences and workshops, publishes an annual directory of dispute resolution course offerings and internships in the Greater Boston area, prepares bibliographies of literature in the field, and facilitates the exchange of ideas between scholars and practitioners.

Abraham Path Initiative

The purpose of the Abraham Path Initiative is to establish a geographical route in the Middle East retracing the footsteps of Abraham. As the father of monotheism and the physical or spiritual forefather of Jews, Christians, and Muslims, Abraham is the unifying point for over three billion people who consider themselves part of the family of Abraham. It has long been a dream of many - including the late Pope John Paul II - to walk in the footsteps of Abraham. The Abraham Path Initiative will include historical and cultural sites in which pilgrims will be encouraged to ponder and discuss Abraham's universal messages of respect, justice, peace, and hospitality toward all. One component of the project is to develop activities in other locales around the globe in which people might simultaneously experience activities related to Abrahamanic concepts and ideals. For more information please see the Abraham Path website - www.abrahampath.org.

The e-Parliament

The e-Parliament has been created to address two major problems facing humanity: a global democracy gap and a problem-solving gap. The project links national members of parliaments and congresses from around the world via the internet and other technological mediums in a virtual forum to address global or transboundary issues. The e-Parliament continues its work on an energy efficiency campaign calling for a one-watt global goal for energy usage by appliances in standby mode. This concept has already generated legislative initiatives in Brazil, Norway, and the European Union. Through the project's on-going "ideas bank," members are sharing effective ways in which different national legislatures have addressed comparable problems. In September 2005 the e-Parliament held its first global hearing on space weapons. For more information please see the e-Parliament website at www.e-parl.net.

Both And Project

The purpose of the Both And Project is to shift the national conversation away from destructive debate toward creative problem solving by demonstrating a new framework for constructive interaction in the broadcast media. Project leaders have been collaborating with partners from the Mainstream Media Project to train radio talk-show guests to demonstrate this new approach. Our trainees from many political and disciplinary realms have produced over 100 interviews nationwide. More recently, we have been conducting face-to-face trainings in the Both And framework for US organizations and groups. For more information please see the Both And website - www.bothand.org.

The Third Side

We continue our work on the Third Side - spreading the message via TV, radio, and through participation in different conflict resolution contexts. In their own individual capacities, people are working through an established and extensive network to disseminate and develop Third Side goals. The Third Side website - www.thirdside.org - was revamped in 2004 to better store and share ideas, tools, and stories of the Third Side in action. We are in the process of having the website translated into Spanish, a process that will be completed in early 2006.

How to Say No and STILL Get to Yes!

This project is focused on how a negotiator can deliver a positive no when necessary to protect one's interests while also preserving the relationship and the deal. A senior executive seminar based on a five-step framework has become very popular. Other trainings based on this perspective are also available to organizations around the United States and abroad.

The following is a list of the conflicts that Global Negotiation has worked on in different capacities, and to varying degrees, over the past few years in partnership with international organizations such as The Carter Center and The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva:

• Venezuela
• Aceh, Indonesia
• Zimbabwe
• Nepal