In this blog, Practice Development Advisor Lauren Emmerson reflects on her recent trip to Poznań in Poland for the 13th International Conference of the European Forum for Restorative Justice. She reminds us of the power of healing from harm through dialogue, and the complexity of dual identity for those who have both caused harm and been harmed.
The 13th International Conference of the European Forum for Restorative Justice, Echoes of Restorative Encounters: Voices, Evidence, and the Ripple Effects of Restorative Justice in Action opened with two powerful and moving plenaries. Vasilios Ioakimides, Professor of Historical and Comparative Social Work at the University of West Attica, Greece, spoke compellingly about the imperative of positioning social work practice within historical learning and recognising its power to resist oppression and offer restorative healing. He drew on international examples including those close to home in Ireland relating to infants who lost their lives in mother and baby homes.
The second plenary welcomed Sulaiman Khatib and Chen Alon, founders of Combatants for Peace, who spoke so movingly about their respective identities as Palestinian and Israeli soldiers (Sulaiman spent 10 years in prison from the age of 14). Their hard-earned camaraderie and shared message of non-violent resistance being the only way to achieve peace was incredibly moving. Their image of hope for healing through connection and conversation, in the face of deeply held and identity-defining division, visibly moved the entire auditorium. From his prison cell, Suliaman reflected upon drawing inspiration from other oppressed peoples and heroes from around the world, such as Nelson Mandela, accessed via books. However, it was Chen’s statement “I was born into a story” that stopped me in my tracks. Chen spoke of the guiding inner narrative he told himself, passed down by his grandparents and those before them, whenever cracks appeared in the rationale of his actions as a soldier; the powerful pull of identity in the face of cognitive dissonance. Eventually, he told us, the cracks got so wide and bright he could deny them no longer. Absolving himself of his military role, he too then required to serve time in prison. Both men spoke of the challenges and resistance they experienced within their own families and communities when they wished to engage in dialogue with the ‘other side’. They also touched on their and their communities’ dual identities as both victims and causers of harm.
Later in the programme, Pamela Morrison and I had the privilege of presenting Nuggets of Wisdom: Children and Young People’s Perspectives on Restorative Justice in Scotland (Morrison & Emmerson, UK), a workshop drawing from CYCJ engagement work with children and young people in Scotland aged 8-25 across a variety of settings, including youth groups and a Young Offenders Institution. Each group provided enlightening views on issues relating to restorative justice, shame, empathy and healing. A common theme throughout was the importance and influence of relationships. The youngest group expressed a preference for multiple facilitators, which provided the children with more options for relational connection and support during an RJ process. For the young men in custody, resistance and backlash from their peers and communities, was highlighted as a potential barrier to them engaging in dialogue with those they had harmed, or the loved ones of those they had harmed. As was the duality of identity when those they had harmed had previously harmed them. Listening to Chen and Suliaman talk about the resistance they were met with from family and community when wishing to engage with the ‘other side’, alongside their complex identities of both causers and experiencers of harm, reminded me often of this group who took time to share with us their views on justice, shame, empathy and healing. None of us are lone individuals when navigating the rippling impact of harm or supporting others with pathways to healing.
The conference, featuring 330 delegates from 35 countries, provided opportunity for the global restorative community to come together to inspire and learn from each other. CYCJ made new international connections, which will support the work of the Centre in continuing to improve access and quality of RJ provision for children and young people in Scotland. Alongside colleagues from Community Justice Scotland, we presented a new poster outlining learning from our recent Test Case Project Summary report and enjoyed the innovative work on display from fellow posters; including Ukraine’s Juvenile Restorative Justice Programme – Oleksandr Baranov (Ukraine), focused on RJ development in Ukraine through the state legal aid system, from pilot initiatives to a systemic integrated model, and Restorative Justice in Schools: Experiences Conducted by the Restorative Justice Practices Team in Sassari University – Federica Maggio, Giovanni Natale, Gian Luigi Lepri and Patrizia Patrizi (Italy), which highlighted restorative approaches as a guiding framework for strengthening relationships and addressing conflict in schools.
As the conference wrapped up, we travelled home inspired and feeling more connected with and informed by the global restorative community. Our work developing next steps for RJ in Scotland continues. Book your place here to join us on 27 August to hear more about our recently published report Next Steps for Restorative Justice in Scotland: Stakeholder Insights and Pathways Forward which highlights the need to consider RJ as a whole family approach including developing greater understanding of parent and carers’ needs to support their children to access RJ. And keep posted to CYCJ socials for activities unfolding on this year’s RJ Week (15 – 21 November 2026), themed on Rebuilding Communities Through Restorative Justice, which will provide welcome opportunities for us here in Scotland to consider how we best utilise restorative justice to support healing and togetherness in addressing harms caused by and experienced by our children
The post From Harm to Hope: Reflections from the European Forum for Restorative Justice Poznań, Poland, 11-13 June 2026 appeared first on Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice.
Source: Raising Youth Justice – Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice Read More
