l’Alfàs del Pi hosts the REACT training of international peacekeepers

l’Alfàs del Pi successfully hosted the twenty-sixth edition of REACT, a training programme on peace processes and conflict prevention organised by the association Helsinki España.

The four-week-long programme finished on the weekend of June 26 with a closing ceremony that saw Isabel Muñoz, councillor for Cooperation and Volunteering of l’Alfàs thank delegates for their work and the difference they are and will make in the world.

REACT trains professionals from different fields interested in improving their knowledge in conflict prevention, crisis and post-conflict management, rehabilitation and development, as well as their practical skills for fieldwork in international peace operations.

This year 15 delegates from different parts of the world provided students with the knowledge and skills necessary to understand and analyse the main threats to international peace and security, the situations in which armed conflicts arise, their key actors and their impact on civilians.

In addition, participants’ capacities in conflict prevention, management and resolution, as well as the protection of civilians in armed conflicts are improved, and their competence and confidence in dealing with risky or critical situations is strengthened, as would be the case when working in peace missions.

Representatives came from Colombia, Ecuador, El Salvador, Mexico, India, Syria, Nigeria, Brazil, Cameroon, Pakistan, Palestine, Kenya, the United States and Spain to take part in the programme that started on May 30 and finished on June 26.

The seventh and final module, which includes simulations to learn how to deal with associated risks and other critical or emergency situations during mission deployment, will take place in Segovia.

REACT is the only training course of its kind in Spain. Created in 2003 with the aim of preparing professionals with diverse professional backgrounds interested in joining the Rapid Expert Assistance and Co-operation Teams (REACT) of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE).

To date, it has trained more than 500 people in the process of introducing different cultures to Spain, this time including visits to  Villa Romana de l’Albir Open Air Museum and the Serra Gelada Natural Park.

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