Strait Talk is a non-partisan dialogue program that seeks to transform international conflict by connecting young people from both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the United States and empowering them to strive for peace.
As we enter the 21st century, U.S.-China relations will set the pace for both global politics and economics. Often overlooked, Taiwan is the most contentious issue hindering the further development of the relationship between these superpowers. Sixty years into an unresolved conflict, the Taiwan Strait issue is now one of the most entrenched, emotional flashpoints that can trigger to a significant confrontation between US and China. Efforts must be put forth now to mitigate this tension, and to provide the space for people to live peacefully in both communities across the Strait.
Strait Talk is resolving the Taiwan Strait conflict in three steps:
Strait Talk is a bridge between grassroots youth advocacy and elite-driven network theory. Its process is based on the Interactive Conflict Resolution method, which has been used since the 1960s to facilitate dialogue between people engaged in apparently intractable conflicts. The basic goals of ICR are to create personal trust across conflict lines and to develop creative and workable ideas to help spur official dialogue.
Founded in 2005 by Brown University undergraduates, a second chapter was started at theUniversity of California, Berkeley in 2009. Further chapters were started in Hong Kong in 2011 as well as in Taipei. Student organizing committees at all universities hold an annual weeklong Symposium, inviting five outstanding university students from each of mainland China, Taiwan, and the United States to serve as delegates. The delegates engage in a dialogue led by an expert facilitator and, at the end of the week, reach consensus on recommendations to current leaders, with suggestions for possible areas of cooperation and resolution. Program alumni share their experience through high-level contacts and grassroots youth action after returning home. The program’s 130 (and growing) alumni delegates and organizers remain in contact online, hold frequent gatherings, and are carrying the project’s vision for peace and cooperation into positions of influence in diverse fields, including law, finance, diplomacy, government, academia, and civil society organizations.
Strait Talk takes no stance on the political status of Taiwan. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for free and open dialogue among youth on this issue. Each year a broad spectrum of viewpoints are represented in both our speaker panels and within each delegation.
A national Strait Talk organization was founded in 2008 as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt, non-profit corporation.
Strait Talks around the globe:
Strait Talk Brown: http://straittalkbrown.org
Strait Talk Hong Kong: http://straittalkhk.org
Strait Talk Taipei: https://www.facebook.com/StraitTalkTaipei
As we enter the 21st century, U.S.-China relations will set the pace for both global politics and economics. Often overlooked, Taiwan is the most contentious issue hindering the further development of the relationship between these superpowers. Sixty years into an unresolved conflict, the Taiwan Strait issue is now one of the most entrenched, emotional flashpoints that can trigger to a significant confrontation between US and China. Efforts must be put forth now to mitigate this tension, and to provide the space for people to live peacefully in both communities across the Strait.
Strait Talk is resolving the Taiwan Strait conflict in three steps:
- Identifying outstanding young people from the three communities
- Transforming them into active peacemakers through a dialogue experience
- Propelling them and their ideas to positions of influence through a high-level, inter-communal network
Strait Talk is a bridge between grassroots youth advocacy and elite-driven network theory. Its process is based on the Interactive Conflict Resolution method, which has been used since the 1960s to facilitate dialogue between people engaged in apparently intractable conflicts. The basic goals of ICR are to create personal trust across conflict lines and to develop creative and workable ideas to help spur official dialogue.
Founded in 2005 by Brown University undergraduates, a second chapter was started at theUniversity of California, Berkeley in 2009. Further chapters were started in Hong Kong in 2011 as well as in Taipei. Student organizing committees at all universities hold an annual weeklong Symposium, inviting five outstanding university students from each of mainland China, Taiwan, and the United States to serve as delegates. The delegates engage in a dialogue led by an expert facilitator and, at the end of the week, reach consensus on recommendations to current leaders, with suggestions for possible areas of cooperation and resolution. Program alumni share their experience through high-level contacts and grassroots youth action after returning home. The program’s 130 (and growing) alumni delegates and organizers remain in contact online, hold frequent gatherings, and are carrying the project’s vision for peace and cooperation into positions of influence in diverse fields, including law, finance, diplomacy, government, academia, and civil society organizations.
Strait Talk takes no stance on the political status of Taiwan. Our goal is to provide an opportunity for free and open dialogue among youth on this issue. Each year a broad spectrum of viewpoints are represented in both our speaker panels and within each delegation.
A national Strait Talk organization was founded in 2008 as a 501(c)3 tax-exempt, non-profit corporation.
Strait Talks around the globe:
Strait Talk Brown: http://straittalkbrown.org
Strait Talk Hong Kong: http://straittalkhk.org
Strait Talk Taipei: https://www.facebook.com/StraitTalkTaipei
