The Center for International Stabilization and Recovery (CISR) at James Madison University (JMU) and the Lebanon Mine Action Center (LMAC) hosted 29 landmine survivors for a week-long peer-support program in Hammana, Lebanon from May 8-15, 2011.

The program, Pathways to Resilience (P2R), was a workshop providing an innovative regional leadership and training program for survivors of landmines and explosive-ordnance injuries in the Middle East, and hosted participants from Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Yemen. The workshop helped survivors make meaning of past events, learn to manage emotions in new ways, find social support, personal strength and inspiration. Program activities promoted resilience using experience-based learning followed by reflective observation.

CISR has identified a need to facilitate the emotional and physical recovery of ERW and landmine victims, and train those survivors to help others in need within their countries of origin. “P2R provided a unique opportunity for participants to develop self-confidence, emotional and physical health, and life direction while empowering them to help other survivors using similar techniques in their own country,” says Dr. Ken Rutherford, Director of CISR. “The program had a profound impact on all the participants, and we hope to be able to implement additional P2R programs throughout the Middle East and other landmine/ERW-affected regions.”

As part of its commitment to addressing the harmful effects of landmines on civilians, the Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement (PM/WRA) in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs provided the grant to fund P2R.

P2R Schedule in Arabic

P2R Schedule in English

P2R Session Summaries in Arabic

P2R Session Summaries in English

Link to the location where P2R was held

Click here to download an information sheet about the training in English.

Click here to download an information sheet about the training in Arabic.