Spotlight on Active Global Citizen and AFS Global Conference Speaker: Janie Dumbleton

Janie Dumbleton is an expert in religious peacebuilding. She works at Tanenbaum, a nonprofit that  works in health care, work places, schools, and with religious peace actors in conflict zones, to normalize difference and illuminate ways to appreciate religious and other differences. Janie’s focus is on Tanenbaum’s Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding Program, which gathers a network of religiously motivated peace builders in conflict zones throughout the world.  Her work supports the work of religiously motivated peace actors working across all UN Sustainable Development Goals.

How your work helps global citizens?

At Tanenbaum, we are the conveners of 28 living Peacemakers in Actionin 23 conflict areas. We select two every other year through a global nominations process. They are the real heroes, the real examples of global citizens who work at the community level for peace.

I strive to tell the Peacemakers’ stories through books and now podcasts, I work to shed light on the importance of religious actors throughout the world and their integral role in conflict transformation at all levels – community, national, international.

My work at Tanenbaum also helps global citizens by empowering students to work within peacebuilding. I hope that students see the Peacemakers in Action Networkand the work of these peacebuilders within the books and podcasts as inspiration for pursuing a career or life of peacebuilding.

How does your work address the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?

It’s important to acknowledge that the UN SDGs give us a common framework for discussing the work of global citizens. Simultaneously we must acknowledge that not all global citizens working in these areas are aware of the framework. For example, my colleague Yeny in El Salvador doesn’t necessarily see her work through this lens, but her work addresses multiple UN SDGs. She views her work as simply doing what she is called to do in this world.

All of the UN Sustainable Development Goals are interconnected. Without accomplishing goals #1 and #2 (ending global poverty and ending hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture), it’s difficult to get to the goal #16 (promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and Inclusive Institutions at all levels).

The 28 Peacemakers in Actionwork within most of the UN SDGs. To me, peacebuilders and religiously motivated peace activists are the individuals who move us toward these goals.

Why would you recommend attending the AFS Global Conference?

I wholeheartedly recommend attending the AFS Global Conference. It’s a unique opportunity to interact face-to-face with likeminded (and maybe not so likeminded!) global citizens who lift one another up to build a better world. Exposure to global education and encountering difference only makes our work better and our hearts fuller. The AFS Global Conference will allow me the space to problem solve with young global citizens and learn from fellow attendees. The solidarity that comes with this kind of global gathering empowers me within my own work and will surely empower attendees in the same way.

Connect and network with Janie as well as other Active Global Citizens and leading 21st century education stakeholders at the AFS Global Conference: Active Global Citizenship—and How to Educate for It, 9-11 October in Montreal.   

Register for the AFS Global Conference