I knew I would get to talk about peace journalism on this trip, but I never expected to hear the term so many times in one day. We visited PRIO (International Peace Research Institute, Oslo) this morning, where we met with Gina Lende, a researcher and senior adviser for the institute. After Gina brought us tea, coffee and sparkling water in the Peace Room, where we held our meeting, we began to get acquainted with each other and our respective projects. The end of our conversation shifted to Peace Journalism, and its growing role in conflict management.

PRIO’s mission focuses on conducting research that will be helpful in promoting a more peaceful world. Gina is now based in Oslo, but previously spent three years working at the PRIO Cyprus Center in Nicosia. This center focuses on researching “the Cyprus conflict and dialogue between the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities,” according to the 2006 Annual Report.

While Gina was familiar with the concept of peace journalism, she was unsure of its values and characteristics. So, the five of us got to explain to her it to her: the idea of proactive journalism in conflict zones; journalism that promotes uniting divided communities around a common narrative. She told us that PRIO is considering a media monitoring research project that would examine political issues in conflict zones and how those issues are portrayed in the media. The purpose would be to “start conversations in hot zones,” Gina said.

I found further encouragement to pursue my interest in peace journalism when Gina told us about a student who received a Fulbright scholarship to study peace journalism in the United States. This area of journalism, which has seemed somewhat abstract to me in my past research, came to life with Gina’s stories – people are actually using peace journalism!

Media play a huge role in areas of conflict: they have the power to convey messages to the public, and the nature of those messages shapes the perceptions people have about the conflict. Such messages have the potential to quiet or inflame the situation. The more I learn, the more I believe peace journalism can provide a positive media presence in areas of conflict.

Gina, her explanation of PRIO, and her interest in our dialogue/peace journalism work, gave a hopeful glimpse of how people are working to lessen the conflict in the world…and motivation to continue pursuing how I can be a part of this work!

We made it to Norway! After almost 12 hours of flying, we stepped off of the British Airways plane, got our passports stamped, and took a train into downtown Oslo. Sunshine and a light breeze greeted us as we walked to our hotel, a very swank spot near the waterfront. Our room on the sixth floor overlooks an indoor courtyard, which last evening was filled with the sounds of live opera singers.

We found dinner at a small deli on the corner of Karl Johans Gate, a main street leading to the palace. The streets here are so clean, littered only occasionally with a cigarette butt or forgotten soda bottle. At 7 p.m., people at outdoor cafes filled the streets with sounds of conversation and laughter as we wandered toward the water.

I am in Oslo for the first time, and am pleasantly surprised with how comfortable I feel in this city. My past travels have taken me to Paris, London, Rome, Florence and Sydney, and never before have I taken so quickly to a strange new place. Maybe I feel an affinity for this place because of my Norwegian heritage, or maybe it’s because the sunshine, breeze and slight chill in the air slightly resemble an early summer night in Tacoma. Whatever the reason, I am looking forward to my time exploring this beautiful city.

A view of the Oslo waterfront at 9 p.m.