On 5 March 2025, the Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation piloted two foundational tools from the Peace by Piece toolkit, Definition of Conflict and the Conflict Pyramid, with a group of young people from Sport Against Racism Ireland (SARI). The three-hour evening workshop formed part of SARI’s Young Leader Employability Programme and was designed specifically for young people who have fled conflict zones and are now building new lives in Ireland. With this in mind, the workshop focused deliberately on interpersonal conflict, offering a safer and more personally relevant entry point for reflection than discussions about global conflict.
Starting with Shared Meaning: “What Is Conflict?”
The session opened with the Definition of Conflict activity. Participants worked collectively to develop their own definition, drawing on everyday experiences from misunderstandings at home to tensions in school or community settings. Rather than splitting into small groups, the entire cohort reflected together, which led to a rich conversation about the difference between conflict as a negative event and conflict as an expression of underlying needs or interests.
Many participants identified miscommunication, assumptions, and unmet expectations as common triggers. The facilitator observed that the group quickly understood conflict not simply as “fighting,” but as something fundamentally connected to human needs – a perspective aligned with conflict literacy frameworks used in peace education.
Going Deeper: Introducing the Conflict Pyramid
To build on this conceptual foundation, the facilitator introduced the Conflict Pyramid, explaining it through an accessible iceberg metaphor. The group explored how the “visible tip” of a conflict represents what is said or done, while the much larger “submerged” portion reflects feelings, beliefs, fears, and needs that remain unspoken.
Participants worked through a realistic neighbour-dispute scenario, identifying what each party felt, believed, and needed. This grounded example made the tool highly relatable, especially for a group navigating new cultural contexts and complex life transitions. Several young people commented that the exercise helped them recognise how quickly misunderstandings grow when needs go unexpressed, and how often people respond to the visible behaviour rather than the deeper causes of tension.
Reflections and Emotional Insight
During the debriefing, participants spoke openly about moments in their own lives when conflict escalated because emotions were not understood or articulated. Many recognised that they often react to behaviour without noticing the need behind it, both in themselves and in others.
They emphasised the importance of emotional regulation, active listening, and stepping back to consider what might lie beneath another person’s reaction. For young people who experienced displacement and upheaval, having tools to understand emotional triggers and interpersonal dynamics felt particularly meaningful.
Feedback and Key Takeaways
Feedback from the group was overwhelmingly positive. Participants appreciated that the session was practical, accessible, and directly relevant to their everyday experiences. They highlighted:
- the clarity of the iceberg/pyramid metaphor
- the relevance of discussing conflict in familiar scenarios
- the usefulness of identifying needs rather than reacting to behaviour
- the importance of having a safe space to share personal insights
Several participants expressed interest in applying these tools in school, sports settings, or with peers, suggesting a strong potential for ripple effects beyond the workshop.
Conclusion
The March 5th piloting session in Ireland demonstrated the value of combining conceptual clarity with reflective, youth-centred facilitation. By introducing conflict through shared meaning-making and then modelling a structured way to analyse conflict dynamics, the workshop helped SARI Young Leaders strengthen their emotional literacy and interpersonal conflict skills.
For young people rebuilding their lives after conflict, this session offered not just a methodology, but a meaningful space to reflect, connect, and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and others.
“The Missing Peace” project is co-funded by the European Union through the Erasmus+ Program (Pr. Nr.: KA220-YOU-055CD22D).
Reference:
- The Missing Peace – WP4.A3. – Piloting reports.