Each of the 39 volunteers have recently completed initiatives in Ghana, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Libya, Palestine, Macedonia, Nigeria, Tunisia and Uganda, with each considered to be leading change in their local communities.

The advanced training was designed to build upon skills gained through their respective programmes with Generations For Peace’s facilitators seeking to develop their knowledge of monitoring and evaluation, conflict transformation theory, facilitation, programme design and storytelling.

Speaking after the conclusion of the training Prince Feisal Al Hussein, founder and chairman of Generations For Peace, reflected upon the role of the organisation in aiding those affected by the worsening conflict in Syria including the vast number of refugees fleeing from the nation.

“How do you stop the problem of the refugees is ultimately by stopping the violence because currently they are fleeing violence and destruction?” mooted the International Olympic Committee (IOC) member.

“The other issue is how do we try to accommodate refugees and make sure they are welcomed in host communities to make them feel as though there is some degree of normality in their lives.

“For instance we have been doing a lot of projects in Jordan and Lebanon, working with schools and community centres that looks at trying to build social cohesion and that has been very important.

“We have in the past year or so been quite focused on that as there are 1.4 million Syrians in Jordan itself and Lebanon has almost 1.5 million and these aren’t countries that have a lot of resources available to be able to cope.

"We are working in those communities to help them to overcome the very traumatic experience.”

It is hoped that the advanced training will continue to develop programmes which are designed to harness the energy of team sport games and the creativity of art and role-plays to support young refugees and their new community to interact and build new relationships.

With the training seeing the volunteers share knowledge, success stories, challenges, lessons learned and best practices, Generations For Peace are confident their future programmes will have a greater impact and help refugees to overcome trauma, isolation and fear.

Prince Feisal and Fadi Awni Abu Shamat, head of corporate marketing and retail for Samsung Electronics Levant Company, presented four awards to recognise accomplishments in four “drivers of change” categories - innovation, quality, impact and sustainability.

Volunteers from Kyrgyzstan received the innovation award for their Isfana Art For Peace Programme, while the quality honour was given to volunteers implementing a Sport for Peace Programme for Children in Tetevo, Macedonia.

Ghanaian volunteers were presented with the impact award for their “Catch Them Young” programme with volunteers working on the “Violence in Schools” programme in Tulkarem, Palestine, were given the sustainability award.

Related stories
September 2015: HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein calls on international sport community to help ease refugees' plight
March 2015: Samsung renews long-standing partnership with Generations For Peace
November 2014: Generations For Peace agrees two-year partnership with UNICEF
September 2014: Generations for Peace mark International Day of Peace by adopting social media hashtag
June 2014: Generations For Peace granted tax exemption status in the United States