August 28, 2025
Shamil’s Corner
Whenever I have the opportunity to speak at an event or with a group, my favorite moment comes when people have the chance to ask about what matters most to them—practical questions about Search’s work, or existential questions about whether peace is actually possible. This fall, we’re hosting two opportunities for you to ask your own questions.
On Thursday, September 18 and Thursday, October 16, join us at 12 p.m. ET for “Ask Me Anything: Behind the Scenes of Peacebuilding.” Alongside other key leaders, I’ll give updates from conflict zones, share insights about what it takes to build peace, and most importantly, I’ll answer your questions live. Want to know more about our work in a certain region? Want to know how our teams navigate various challenges? Want to know how we work from the highest levels of government to the grassroots level of community building? Bring your questions and insights, and join us for this interactive conversation.
Register here:
September 18
October 16
If you want to submit questions ahead of time, you can email them to [email protected]. I hope you can join us for one of these conversations. Ask me anything.
International Program Highlight
In 2019, Agarsha Manoharan somewhat reluctantly attended a cybersecurity-focused camp hosted by Search’s Sri Lanka team. “I didn’t even know there was a subject called cybersecurity,” she said.The program brought together more than 40 young people from regions where racially and religiously motivated hate speech on social media was widespread, training them to identify hate speech and fake news and equipping them to positively counter harmful content. Their skills were quickly put to the test in April 2019, when a local church was bombed on Easter Sunday, killing hundreds and injuring many more. As anti-Muslim violence was incited online in response, these youth actively helped slow its spread.
Sri Lankans still bear the wounds of the nearly 26-year civil war that devastated the nation. The war was waged along ethnic divides, and opportunities online to exploit these divides are rife. That’s why digital peacebuilding is a cornerstone of Search’s work in Sri Lanka and beyond. In one program, our teams trained 365 young people—58% of whom were women or from marginalized communities—how to counter dangerous speech online. We also worked to develop and implement 12 youth-led initiatives to address violent rhetoric online, generating positive content that received thousands of views and engagements on social media platforms. These youth are trained as cyber guardians, tasked with building peace in digital spaces.
For Agarsha, becoming a cyber guardian expanded more than her digital world. Before the camp, she planned to become a mechanical or aeronautical engineer. But after, she decided to build a career in cybersecurity. She sought out every resource she could find to nurture her budding interest in the field. As part of her continued engagement with the Cyber Guardian project, she submitted a successful proposal and was awarded a small grant to organize a cybersecurity training in her hometown of Badulla, where the topic was not well known.
In January of 2025, Agarsha finished her degree and began an internship with a company based in India. After six months, she began working for a backend service provider abroad. She credits Search’s role in helping her not only find a career, but providing opportunities to build peace in meaningful ways. “Search has a huge place in my life,” she said. The training not only helped her build skills, it helped give her the confidence she needed to pursue her career. Likewise, those around Agarsha deem her a trustworthy source. Friends and colleagues approach her when they encounter issues online, and she draws on what she learned at the camp to help them. She keeps an eye out for credible sources when reviewing digital materials, and reports harmful content like hate speech whenever she encounters it.
Cyber guardians like Agarsha serve as frontline digital peacebuilders, stopping the spread of violence before it starts. Search for Common Ground is there to support them as they do.
Planning for Peace
As August comes to a close, we want to remind you that it’s National Make-A-Will Month, a perfect moment to create peace of mind for yourself while shaping a more just and peaceful world for generations to come.
Whether it’s supporting Sudanese women leaders at the Geneva peace talks or empowering young people in Sri Lanka to engage with their government, your legacy can help transform how people deal with conflict.
When you make your will, you can:
- Protect your loved ones.
- Direct your assets to the people and organizations that matter most.
- Create a lasting legacy of peace and justice worldwide.
Our partner, FreeWill, makes it simple. You can write or update your will in just 20 minutes, completely free of charge.
This year’s U.S. foreign aid cuts ended many of Search’s programs, making your impact more important than ever. For more than 40 years, we’ve stood with people in conflict. By including a gift in your will, you carry that legacy forward, building sustainable peace for future generations.
There’s still time this August to invest in peace for the world and for yourself.
Have you already included Search in your will? Please let us know so we can thank you and welcome you into our Legacy Peace Society.
