Hope Rising from a Sea of Inhumanity

Imagining a Compassionate Vision into Reality in Winnipeg's Community Safety Team

Abstract

Fostering hope in our divided world: Winnipeg's Community Safety Team was created with a ground-breaking vision of compassionate service to those most vulnerable in society while improving public safety. Drawing on Jean Paul Lederach's hopeful idea of the moral imagination, the author contends that hope can rise from the sea of inhumanity, if we develop empathy and the strength to carry it out. This article explores how seminal peace-keeping strategies such as sustained dialogue can empower networks to build collective peace. The paper also highlights the importance of protecting protectors, as this type of work carries a high risk of trauma for caregivers.