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To provide people with a better understanding of the nature of conflict and democratic principles
To increase communication between council members and villages residents
To decrease communal tension and pave the way for effective conciliation

The United States Agency for International Development Oce for Transition Initiatives (USAID/OTI) funded the "Building Bridges" project which took place from March till July 2008.
Primarily, the project aimed to provide assistance in establishing effective dialogue and resolving conflict on the communal level. Thus, PCDD initiated a series of workshops in six villages integrating members of municipality councils, community leaders and families, familiarizing them with the nature of conflicts, and equipping them with necessary tools for mediation, creation of a cooperative environment and conflict prevention.
Our participants were trained on principles and societal phenomena such as democracy, prejudgment, stereotyping and resolving conflicts. We carried out these trainings by conducting open discussions and exercises among residents of the villages in conflict to make peaceful negotiations almost second nature.
 
Over 110 attendees noticed real changes in their own behavior after the workshops, and violence decreased significantly after the project's time span elapsed.
Participants unanimously agreed that their understandings and convictions regarding resolving conflicts changed. They gradually became convinced that every problem has more than one solution.

The participants acquired communication skills that will assist them in resolving every day obstacles, be it with their own community or neighboring villages.

During the exercises, members of rival families realized that their disagreements have always been manageable. The training was so successful in fact, that we found ourselves celebrating the engagement of a young man and woman from two previously contending families!