Category: Uncategorized

This is an incredible trio of videos is meant to address misunderstandings about refugees from the perspective of Syrian girls. Truly well done. Way to go Teen Vogue!

The Jeannette Rankin Peace Center presents “Beyond Us And Them: What is Possible?” a day-long “un-conference”.

When: Saturday, June 10, 8:30 am to 5:30 pm
Where: University Congregational Church, 405 University, Ave, Missoula

At the un-conference, four lightning speakers (Dustin Monroe, Quentin Robinson, Tricia Parks and Robert Rivers) will ignite the participants with their individual passions for peacemaking. Using Open Space Meeting Technology facilitated by Kris Bayer, JRPC members, friends, and community members will be invited to nominate and host any topic related to the theme. These will become simultaneous, fluid breakout sessions in which participants share ideas, inspire each other, and engage on the most powerful topics of interest. At the close, participants are invited to an evening reception in the UCC Courtyard with snacks and music. The event is free for JRPC members and $20 for non-members; lunch, snacks, and evening reception included. More information and online registration is at jrpc.org/beyond-us-and-them.

A key foundation of our work for peace is encouraging the dialogue and connections that build understanding among the huge variety of people on this planet. Our world is changing rapidly.  It demands that we learn to cut through the mounting divisions—both within and outside the choir—that keep us separated to meet the unquestionable challenges of the emerging future together. When divisions dominate—whether politics, economics, cultures, issues, or opinions—we remain stuck in a worldview that is destined to fail. The future includes all of us, so rather than focusing on being right and winning, we must put our efforts toward understanding all perspectives and search for the deeper truths that join us together. This critical time demands all our strengths to create the kind of solutions to meet the upcoming untold challenges. These are the conversations that matter.

We ask you to join us as we search for the courage, compassion, and respect to learn these skills, build these new connections, and imagine the world that is possible. And we are looking for folks from all persuasions, with all their concerns and interests, to join us so our conversations are deep and productive.

Most Syrians practice Islam. The Syrian culture is very conservative and a great importance is placed on tradition. Families are typically very close, and loyalty is demonstrated among social, ethnic, and familial groups (The Cultural Atlas).

Traditional greetings among Syrians usually involve a handshake between two men, using their right hands only. It is only appropriate for a man to shake hands with a woman if she extends her right hand first. A strong handshake is not valued in Syrian culture, and gentle pressure is used during the act (The Cultural Atlas).

Check out our page on Syria for more information about the country.

The country of Eritrea only recently gained its independence in 1993 after defeating Ethiopia in a thirty-year long battle for autonomy. Prior to being labeled an autonomous region of Ethiopia, Eritrea was under Italian control and then later British administrative control. After achieving independence in 1993, Isaias Afwerki was voted in as president. He has continued to rule as president since that time, making him the only president the young country has ever known (The World Factbook). For a great timeline of events in Eritrea, take a look at BBC News Eritrea Country Profile and our page on refugees from Eritrea.

The current population of Eritrea is estimated to be around six million, while the largest city, Asmara, has a population of 712,000. The geographic climate of Eritrea is very diverse. The fertile mountains provide great opportunities for agriculture, but are in direct opposition to the Red Sea coastal plain, known to be the driest place in Africa (infoplease).

Eritrean culture encompasses many of the native populations of the region. The cuisine is similar to that of other African countries in the area, and food generally consists of lots of vegetables on top of an injera. Food is typically eaten without utensils (Eritrean Cuisine).

By December of 2016 the first Iraqi refugee families arrived in Missoula, and currently a handful of Iraqi families have found a safe home here.

There have been over 3 million internally displaced people in Iraq, and with recent conflicts in Mosul, the number of displaced people only continues to climb (UNHCR Global Focus: Iraq).

The size of Iraq is comparable to the size of Montana, and the people who live there are commonly highly educated as higher education is free for Iraqi citizens. While many of the refugees we receive in the US are well educated professionals, their degrees often do not transfer here and they are usually initially unable to work in similar jobs as they did in their country (Refugees from Iraq).

The image of Iraq most commonly portrayed in the media is one of violence and conflict, but Iraqi culture and tradition is one of the oldest in the world and consists of tasty cuisine, competitive sports, traditional as well as modern music, and prized art and literature (Art and Culture). Common foods to be eaten in Iraq include dolma, biryani, and kebabs, and meals typically have a lot of stuffed vegetables, dates, rice and beans (Iraq Food).

Iraqi music is an important part of the country’s history and also plays a role in the culture of today’s youth. The country is known for three unique instruments: Oud, Iraqi Santur, and the Joza.

Check out our page on Iraq for more general information on the country and our new Iraqi neighbors!

Photography courtesy of the IRC

The MCAT recording of Soft Landing Missoula Presents lecture, “Eritrea: the Country, Culture, and Circumstance” is now available! Watch now.

Thank you all so much for your generous support during our Missoula Gives campaign! We exceeded our funding goal by over $500 and it wouldn’t be possible without all of you and the hard work of our volunteers. Thank you as well to the Missoula Community Foundation for organizing the event to create a day of giving for our community’s wonderful non-profits.

People from the DRC often speak multiple languages, the most common being Kikongo, Lingala, Tshiluba and Swahili. French is also commonly spoken in the African country (DR Congo Country Profile). Approximately 50% of the DRC population is Roman Catholic, and while Christianity is a dominant faith in the country, it is often combined with the Kimbanguist Church which was developed by a Congolese preacher in the 1920s. On the eastern side of the DRC there is a strong presence of the Muslim faith (Our Africa).

Music and dance are of great cultural importance in the DRC, and a common style of music called soukous arose from jazz and rumba in the 1940s. Check out the video below by Hold DRC for a lesson in traditional Congolese dance!

Shaking hands with your right hand is a common way to greet someone in the DRC, and same sex people holding hands is a common way of demonstrating friendship. Food is commonly eaten using only your fingers and popular foods are ugali, beans, rice, fish and lots of vegetables (DRC Customs and Culture). Check out our page on the DRC for more information!

We want to send out a huge thank you to everyone who joined us last night for our Soft Landing Missoula Presents! Eritrea event on March 8th, 2017! It was a busy night in Missoula and we so appreciate your joining us!

Special thanks to our fantastic sponsors UM’s African-American Studies Program, UM’s Political Science Department, and Montana Model UN, and to our two fabulous speakers: Kimberly A. Maynard, Ph.D. and Solomon M. Gofie, Ph.D. Thank you also to Missoula Community Access Television for recording the event. We will post their recording to our website soon.

In the meantime, watch the live stream recording here!