It is uplifting to be in Circle with many people, communities and organizations creating spaces for peacemaking and restorative justice. May the news and resources we share provide connection, encouragement and inspiration. You are not alone and you are loved.

This month, we are thrilled to share recent trainings and advancing initiatives for Vancouver becoming a Restorative City. We’re also excited to connect with colleagues around the world.

Resources that caught our attention are highlighted, including: Restorative Justice Art, what to do about toxic polarization, a twice-nominated Nobel Peace Prize documentary, and upcoming RJ conferences.

Enjoy the following highlights below:

Becoming a Restorative City
Restorative Neighbourhoods - Hastings Sunrise
Hastings Sunrise Peacemakers
Restorative Cities Working Group with EFRJ
Peace Circles & Restorative Trainings
Southern Gulf Islands Community Justice Program
BGC Okanagan
Resources
Upcoming Conferences

Vancouver Becoming a Restorative City

Our current focus is on:

Finalizing our inaugural Restorative City Framework. We met with senior City staff again and after more edits, the latest draft is now with our partners across multiple sectors for their final review. It’s coming!
⁠Collaboratively advancing our first restorative neighbourhood initiative in Hastings Sunrise - see below for details:

Restorative Neighbourhood Hastings Sunrise

We gathered local leaders again from many organizations. This meeting included building relations, updates and small group sessions utilizing world café with two guiding questions:

What is a restorative neighbourhood?

⁠What are we currently doing in Hastings Sunrise that could be considered restorative?

We are grateful for the productive, collaborative, innovative brainstorming and discussion!

“There are so many diverse people in this neighbourhood. People who have been here many generations and newcomers. The diverse fabric is its real strength.”

“The circle itself aids us in connecting and restoring.”

“We are planting seeds of connection, relationship and working in restorative ways.”

We will continue to have dialogue and build upon emerging ideas going forward.

Hastings Sunrise Peacemakers

Peacemakers continue to be the heartbeat of this initiative. They have been co-facilitating dialogue circles on various topics and are getting ready for the launch of a new restorative justice program for this neighbourhood.

Their recent training with Dr. Evelyn Zellerer dove deeper into the peace circle process. It focused on building further understanding and skills around transitions in a circle, effective questions, and facilitating with a talking piece.

“This was really great training! We dove deeper into the details and skills of facilitation. Lots of helpful learning and practicing.”

Thanking our partners Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House and Hastings Sunrise Community Policing Centre, and collaboration with Gillian Lindquist.

With funding from the City of Vancouver, Law Foundation and Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

Learn about Restorative City Vancouver

Restorative Cities Working Group with EFRJ

The Restorative Cities Working Group with the European Forum for Restorative Justice has begun a two-year journey!

Our founding director, Dr. Evelyn Zellerer representing Restorative City Vancouver Canada, is Co-Chair along with Jolan Van den Broeck, policy advisor at Halt, the primary Dutch juvenile diversion service, and representing restorative city initiatives in the Netherlands.

They facilitated the inaugural meeting and we welcome a diverse group with representatives from 12 countries! Navigating time zones between Australia – Europe - North America is challenging, but we did it with the generosity of members getting up super early and staying up late. The introduction round was inspiring.

Their next meetings will focus on collaboratively creating a workplan, honouring the work that's been done thus far and focusing on the implementation of restorative cities.

The publication, “A Journey Around Restorative Cities in the World”, is available to download.

Peace Circles Training

Southern Gulf Islands Community Justice Program

The participants who completed our “Peace Circles: Deeper Dive” training hosted by the Southern Gulf Islands Community Justice Program deserve a round of applause!

We gathered on beautiful Pender Island to dive into all things circle, including learning all about suitability and preparation, facilitator role playing, and lots of rich learning dialogue with facilitator Dr. Evelyn Zellerer.

(we hope you also love her photography! This sunset is from her hike; self-care and connecting with the land are vital.)

“I now understand the magic. And the underlying logic of everything. What makes circles different. This excites me greatly. Thank you for this voyage of discovery.”

“Circle for me is hope. We’re in a world that’s really screwed up. Circles are the only real tool that I know of that’s effective, connects people, creates real understanding, gives meaning and leads to change.”

Gratitude also to Jim Peacock for bringing us together and to Ben and Roland at Lifeboat Academy for hosting and nourishing us, and for being on the unceded traditional territories of the W̱SÁNEĆ people and Coast Salish First Nations.

BGC Okanagan

Thanking and congratulating the wonderful group of staff, youth workers, counsellors, and restorative justice volunteers with the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Okanagan for completing “Peace Circles: The Fundamentals” training!

Dr. Evelyn Zellerer was impressed with how deep this group went during their first Circles training. Special thanks to Jenn Paquette for her fabulous hosting.

"We laughed hard, cried, and learned lots!” - participant

Respectfully acknowledging the traditional unceded territory of the Syilx/Okanagan People whose land we gathered upon.

Learn about Peace of the Circle Training

Resources

Combatants for Peace offers a documentary "There is Another Way", they were nominated for two Nobel Peace Prizes and are a grassroots movement of Israelis and Palestinians who refuse to surrender to violence and injustice.

Also join a live broadcasting of the 20th Israeli-Palestinian Joint Memorial Ceremony on April 29.
They show that another path is possible for them, for us, and all humanity.

A timely episode of Nonviolence Radio: When Toxic Polarization Becomes a Civil War – And What We Can do About It.

Hear from international peacebuilder, mediator and scholar John Paul Lederach who offers practical wisdom. He draws upon his latest book - another resource to also check out: “The Pocket Guide for Facing Down a Civil War"

Restorative justice art is where creativity meets healing and transformation.

It’s art that integrates the fundamentals of restorative justice - like co-design and equity - with practices, particularly circles.

Restorative Justice for All International Institute does a fabulous job of offering summaries PLUS they share books, e-courses, training manuals & more resources!