A joint UNITAR Peacekeeping Training Programme (PTP) and Scuola Superiore Sant'Anna training course on Mission Preparedness: the Psycho-Social Dimension of Peace Operations begins in Pisa, Italy. The week long training course (February 22 to February 26, 2010) is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office.

 

The course is intended to provide participants with an overview of variables possibly affecting the relationship between the individual and his/her social and working environment in a field operation. The modern complexities of peacekeeping are putting strain and stress on the individual person as well as on the peacekeeping team and organization. In a long-term perspective, peacekeeping missions aim at securing order and stability in their host communities. In the short-term, they may experience being unwelcome foreign intruders.

 

At the end of the course, participants will be able to describe the mission working environment and identify the specific challenges associated with it, recognize the personal and technical skills required to work effectively in a conflict-ridden, possibly hostile environment, and apply those personal and technical skills, not only within the working team but also vis-à-vis the hosting community.