"When, as individuals, we stop recognizing our own power, we lose the ability to relate and survive as a species."

These are the words of Steve Olweean, founder of Common Bond Institute (CBI). A longtime activist and proponent of social change, Steve has a degree in Clinical Psychology, and his passion is applying what he has learned to foster community harmony; believing that personal empowerment is the core of peacemaking. We develop ourselves so that we can use our new-found tools and knowledge to interact with others and benefit society. The deeper we go in our search, the more we find the pearl of connectedness we have with each other.

Conference on Conflict Resolution (ICR), held in St. Petersburg, Russia, in conjunction with HARMONY Institute of St. Petersburg, is an extension of that belief—individuals coming together and acknowledging their own power for positive change in the world. The conference is an opportunity for participants to experience the conflict resolution modalities used by their peers, to hear what others need, and to identify the many ways they can contribute; to look within themselves and their communities and discover: This is what can I do! This is what I can offer!