September 28, 2025
Shamil’s Corner
This has been a brutal year for peace and stability. From the public murder of Charlie Kirk and the polarizing responses it elicited both in and beyond the US, to the intensifying Israeli offensive in Gaza that continues to advance in spite of near-universal global opposition, spiraling conflict dominates our headlines and social media feeds. This erosion of trust is evident in even more mundane ways: 38% of people surveyed now trust chatbots more than their political leaders, and a survey of workplace trust conducted annually by Development Divisions International revealed the lowest-ever level of trust between employees and their immediate supervisors: just 29%.
Amid this breakdown of trust, there is a striking and hopeful countertrend: a growing hunger from leaders, activists, and community organizers for tools, tactics, and approaches they can use to turn this trend around in their own circles. Demand for the leadership-development programming that we are designing and just beginning to pilot has surged—from Latin American military officers to Swiss corporate executives, from union leaders and South African mining executives to Obama Foundation Fellows. Across sectors and cultures, people are seeking ways to rise above polarization, build trust, and navigate conflict constructively. And our teams are uniquely qualified to respond. Over the next five years, we’re placing a great deal of emphasis on meeting this exploding demand—accelerating the emergence of leaders who are not only comfortable with but effective at engaging conflict in a constructive way.
While the challenges are distressing—sometimes overwhelming—they are also fueling this surging demand and the expanding ray of hope it represents. People feel trapped in a false binary—either “join the fight between good and evil” or disengage entirely. We stand for a third path: principled engagement rooted in authenticity and values that nevertheless resists polarization and uses proven approaches to build—together—a better future for all. This is what Search’s frontline peacebuilders demonstrate every day, and it offers the greatest promise to rescue humanity from the downward spiral we see manifesting—from our workplaces and national politics to the halls of the United Nations.
International Program Highlight
Every day, ordinary people are working to build bridges and help people find common ground amidst conflict. They work tirelessly and often without much attention. This summer, Search launched Common Ground Heroes to shine a spotlight on these peacebuilders and the difference they’re making in their communities.
Nominations were submitted from across the globe, and we’re thrilled to announce our Common Ground Heroes for 2025. As you read more about their work, we hope it inspires your own peacebuilding.
Kitti Murray | United States
Kitti is the founder and CEO of Refuge Coffee Co. in Clarkston, Georgia—known as the most diverse square mile in the US. Kitti launched this coffee and community hub in 2015 with the intention of employing refugees and immigrants, who comprise 70% of the staff and receive 12 to 18 months of barista training.
Kitti has generated a powerful ripple effect throughout the Clarkston community. Together with her late husband Bill, she has curated an environment of inclusivity and support, backed by over a million dollars in community investments since 2015—demonstrating how business can be a force for peace.
Abdullah Abdulqader Al Bakri | Yemen
A community leader and peacebuilder from southern Yemen, Abudallah has dedicated 15 years to promoting peace through youth empowerment, women’s rights advocacy, and cultural initiatives. He founded the Aden Foundation for Arts and Sciences, using arts and cultural heritage to counter violence and build community unity.
His key achievements include creating the “Safe Communities” peacebuilding program that trains youth in conflict mediation, and launching “Voice of Memory” to preserve cultural heritage digitally. His grassroots approach to peacebuilding has directly helped hundreds of people and influenced broader public dialogue toward greater tolerance and inclusion in conflict-affected Yemen.
Abubaker Sekatuka | Uganda
Abubaker’s peacebuilding journey began with personal tragedy: losing his sister, Nakato, who lived with cerebral palsy and died from preventable malaria. Her passing inspired him to build a world where disability, trauma, or poverty don’t define destiny.
He founded Sharing Circles, a youth-led movement that centers trauma healing, critical thinking, and inclusive dialogue. Through this platform, he supports youth, refugees, and people with disabilities in Uganda to tell their stories, reclaim their agency, and implement projects that address social exclusion. His trauma-informed approach to peacebuilding, especially through his book Herd Trauma, has become a cornerstone for local healing and reconciliation. All of Abubaker’s work reflects his fundamental conviction: “Healing is a form of resistance, and inclusion is the most radical act of love.”
Daniel Adeyinka | Nigeria
Growing up in Nigeria, Daniel witnessed how a lack of peace education fueled division. This inspired him to establish the Daniel Damilare Peace Foundation to empower individuals through technology, research, education, and advocacy. Through the foundation, which works actively in Nigeria’s most conflict-affected areas, Daniel draws from his conflict resolution expertise to mediate organizational conflicts pro-bono.
Daniel has built a team of passionate peace advocates, conducting outreaches in schools, IDP camps, juvenile prisons, and security organizations. In the past year alone, Daniel has brought peace education to over a thousand youths and elderly people. His vision is a continent where insurgency is no longer seen as lucrative and people take responsibility for peace.
Zaidel Katembo Ngolo | Democratic Republic of Congo
In 2009, Zaidel became a community radio host, leading programs on social cohesion. After being trained as a conflict-sensitive journalist by Search for Common Ground, he improved his programs to help communities resolve differences peacefully.
Zaidel co-founded FIRD, a network that amplifies women’s and youth’s voices in rebuilding peace and promoting sustainable development in conflict-affected communities in eastern DRC. He also helps lead a local association focused on socioeconomic recovery for violence survivors, and is heavily involved in implementing the UN Security Council’s Resolution on youth participation in the region. Through radio journalism and community organizing, Zaidel has been instrumental in fostering dialogue and recovery in his rural community.
As we champion the incredible work that Search’s frontline peacebuilders are doing in places like Sudan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan, we celebrate the ways these Common Ground Heroes are building peace in their own communities.
Planning for Peace
This October is National Family History Month, a time to honor the stories, values, and traditions that shape who we are. It’s also the perfect moment to reflect on the legacy we want to leave for future generations. One of the most meaningful legacies any of us can leave is a world where peace triumphs over division.
Estate planning is a powerful tool to support that vision. Whether you’re 25 or 75, estate planning is about more than assets—it’s about ensuring that your values live on, and that the people and causes you care about are supported. Today, you can take a meaningful step toward leaving that legacy. Create your will for free through FreeWill and ensure your plans bring peace of mind for you and your family, while creating a lasting impact for generations to come.
Our team can walk you step by step through the process. Simply reach out to [email protected] to schedule a call.
