Bianca Cseke's Page

What motivated you (or your organization) to become involved in peace and conflict resolution?

While studying Political Science and International Relations, the way the professors emphasized on the real politik as being the "only way" forward made me realized that the this could not, and should not be the only answer to many questions that the world is facing today. At the same I became a volunteer with PATRIR and discovered the Gandhi Peace library, that made me realize that there are a lot of different ways of engaging with the problems that are affecting societies in a more human oriented ways.

Please feel free to provide a short bio about yourself or the work of your organization (no more than 3 paragraphs)

Bianca Cseke has a B.A. in International Relations and European Studies since 2004 ('Babes-Bolyai' University). She is also studied Political and Administrative Sciences Faculty. One of her major interests regards the way in which the collective mentality has been transformed by the totalitarian system in Central - Eastern Europe. She has joined the Romanian Peace Institute in April 2006 and worked as administrative assistant until October 2007. Starting November 2007 she worked with CReDO (Republic of Moldova, Chisnau) as the coordinator of the Music for Peace Festival 2008. She is also the team member of Moldova Country Team within PATRIR coordinating IMPACT project – “Making visible the socio-economic costs of the conflict and the benefits of a sustainable peace in Moldova-Transdniestria”. Bianca is serving as a member in the Council of Directors of PATRIR starting 2008. Starting 2008 Bianca is assisting in teaching at the European Peace University a 40 hours course for Master of Arts Course ‘Designing Peace Initiatives’. From 2007 Bianca has started her training activity in the field of peacebuilding, conflict transformation and gender. She also volunteered in the Pro Democratia Association - Cluj-Napoca club (September 5 2005 – October 2007) and during 2005 and beginning of 2006 she has been a member of the Managing Committee of the mentioned club. The fields that she is interested in are peacebuilding and conflict transformation, gender, post-soviet conflicts and working with youth.

Please list the countries and/or regions in which you (or your organization) have direct and significant expertise

Moldova-Transdniestria, Romania, Black Sea Region

What is your current country of residence (or location of your organization)?

Romania

What is your current job (and organization) and/or where and what field are you studying?

project coordinator Black Sea Region Programme, PATRIR

What is your personal or organizational website?

http://patrir.ro

What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)

http://www.berghof-center.org

What is one of your favorite websites in the field? (please provide one answer per box)

http://www.iicp.at/

Which are your primary sectoral areas of expertise (or the primary sectoral areas of your organization) ?

Civil Society, Conflict Resolution, Education, Facilitation, Gender, Organizational Development

Which are your primary skills areas(or the primary skill areas of your organization)?

Budgeting, Capacity Building, Communication, Program Design, Research, Training

What are some of your current areas of research (if any)?

Deep culture and "frozen conflicts" from the post-soviet and Easter European post-communist spaces. The way the so-called communism modify the collective mentality. Reconciliation and therapy of the past processes with regard to Romania and its ethnic groups. Gender and peacebuilding.