MEET OUR TEAM
Leadership Board
Maria Paula Unigarro Alba
Maria Paula is a political scientist with more than five years of experience in the field of peacebuilding and conflict resolution. She has worked as consultant for NGOs in Bolivia designing pedagogical resources on conflict transformation directed at indigenous communities. She performed as Program Coordinator for Creative Learning, in such role she developed educational programs for the International Peace and Security Institute (IPSI), including summer trainings on peace and security issues in Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the USA. Before joining Creative Learning, she was part of the research team that analysed the proposals made by civil society for the most recent peace process between the Colombian National Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).
Maria Paula believes in the power of peace education to forge empathetic, caring and critical citizens, and thus, peaceful societies.
Michael Minch
Founding member
Michael taught at Utah Valley University until his retirement in 2021. There he founded and directed the Peace and Justice Studies Program. In addition to teaching conflict analysis, conflict transformation, peace, justice, and reconciliation theory and practice; he taught political theory and ethics. Michael also directed a number of study abroad and field research programs, taught, and conducted peacebuilding work in various locations around the globe, including Haiti, Northern Ireland, the Balkans, Central Asia, Russia, and West Africa. He is the author of journal articles, book chapters, the author of a book in democratic theory and co-editor of an ethics textbook. He is currently at work on a book that explores robust cosmopolitan democracy, morality, peace, and sustainability as intrinsically related in a necessary whole. He is the co-editor of the book series, Peace Studies: Edges and innovations (Cambridge Scholars Press).
Shekhe Danladi
Shekhe has spent most of her life in conflict zones in northern Nigeria, where she has become a dedicated educator and peacebuilder. Specializing in working with children affected by conflict, she provides not only education but also a home and emotional support, serving as a mother figure to many. Her deep belief in the transformative power of education drives her work.
Shekhe has designed peacebuilding curricula that focus on healing and relationship-building. Her approach emphasizes embracing individual complexities and encouraging creative collaboration as a means to reimagine and construct peaceful communities. With her compassionate approach and innovative teaching methods, she inspires hope and transformation in the lives of those impacted by conflict.
Shekhe holds masters degrees in Parasitology, Science Education, and International Peacebuilding, which enrich her holistic approach to education and conflict resolution.
Gal Kleinman
Founding member and Director
Gal, the son of a holocaust survivor, founded EGP in 2013. Gal has witnessed the tragedies of war first hand and came to realize that each one of us is born into a certain social background, swirl of forces and systems that makes us who we are, including our identities, values, beliefs and behaviors. And that the key to a peaceful world is educating for peace.
Gal is the author of a novella titled "Snail & Boy". A story about peace, love and freedom.
Gal’s passion is to bring about a peaceful world, of people sharing the world in peace.
Juan Felipe Carrillo Gáfaro
Juan Felipe is a specialist in peace education, peacebuilding and diversity & inclusion with a bachelor’s degree in history and a PhD in political science from Sciences Po Lyon. He has worked as education project leader for different institutions and is currently honorary member of EGP.
Juan Felipe has many years of community work and teaching experience, enjoys giving trainings and seminars on his topics of expertise, and strives to find ways to improve people’s well-being through education, non-violence, and conflict transformation.
Board Member OPENINGS
EGP is announcing exciting opportunities to join our working board. EGP greatly appreciates the time and commitment of our board. Board member positions are an opportunity to make a real and meaningful difference in our world.
We are especially interested in those with skills or experience in fundraising and those with skills or experience in communications.
If you would like to learn more about board membership or you would like to apply for board membership please go to our contact page.
Associates
Teodora Tomescu
Director of Communications
Teodora has a Bachelor degree in Social Anthropology, and volunteered in two NGOs during her student years and engaged in intercultural exchanges and projects in Germany, Romania and Russia, teaching high school students and facilitating discussions about world issues and intercultural understanding.
She has experience in the fields of Marketing and Customer Care, and a strong passion for creative art.
Teodora is a firm believer that making the world a safer place starts with each individual and that education is the very foundation for achieving world peace.
Edgar Buryahika
Project Our Global Village
Edgar is the Founder, Youth for Peace and Development Uganda (YOPEDU), a non-profit organization in Uganda. YOPEDU works towards building a culture of peace loving among the youth. He is involved in peace Education and other activities that directly or indirectly affect peace, aiming at a generation of peace loving youth and responsible citizens who will in future turn into peace loving leaders. He is a program Associate of Hiroshima Peacebuilding Center 2019, and Equator Peace Academy an associate of CEDAR.
Edgar holds a MA degree in Conflict Analysis and Inclusive Development, which exposed him to refugee issues and peace building. He has over 10 years of experience as a journalist. He teaches his native language at University of Saint Joseph Mbarara (USJM).
Wes P. Davison
Project Our Global Village
Wes has a seven-year background in teaching, facilitating, and designing youth education and leadership programming in four countries. A MA graduate of the American University in International Peace & Conflict Resolution, his research centered on gender equality and peace education. He also volunteered for 27 month with the Peace Corps in Ukraine as an English Educator, working with students, teachers, and NGO community leaders offering USAID camps for youth with themes such as public and sexual health, mental health and trauma support, gender equality, human rights, and LGBTQIA+ rights. Wes also volunteered with two self-directed 6 month English teaching experiences in rural schools in both Colombia and Poland, despite having little Spanish/Polish language or organizational support. Wes draws his excitement from working on grassroots projects, and views "development" from the core of the community itself-the people. Wes believes in empowering the human capital of any social community, connecting positive peace, and addressing systemic injustices to build more equitable and empathetic societies.
Samy Giacomel
EGP’s web designer
Samy is a web entrepreneur and always strives to give the best of himself to accompany his clients and help them realize their projects. And most importantly: in a good mood! 🙂
Samy has recently joined the EGP adventure and considers it an opportunity for him to work on a project of this type that he considers to be of general interest.
Samy lives in Heidelberg, Germany with his wife and 2 children.
Jean Paul Iranzi
Project Our Global Village
Jean Paul is a genocide scholar and a passionate peacebuilder. He was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo but was raised in Rwanda. Born and raised in the two countries that experienced mass atrocities, Jean Paul’s dream for peace is unstoppable.
His educational background includes a M.A in Holocaust and Genocide studies at Stockton University in New Jersey. He also has a B.S in Chemistry from University of Rwanda in Rwanda.
Before pursuing his M.A studies, Jean Paul became a founder and a leader of various youth organizations in Rwanda. He also volunteered in many NGOs in Rwanda, and engaged in projects focusing on youth empowerment, public speaking, Human rights, and peacebuilding.
Jean Paul believes that engaging young people in peacebuilding and genocide prevention is an important tool in creating a hopeful future.
Okechukwu Livingstone Ikefuama
Project Our Global Village
Okechukwu is a dedicated advocate for sustainable peace, security, and development. His Ph.D. thesis focuses on the intersection between maritime piracy and national security in the Gulf of Guinea. He boasts invaluable experience in community engagement, peace advocacy, and organising training and workshops in his areas of interest.
In 2023, Okechukwu founded Paths to Good Governance International -PGIN an organisation keen on good governance, nonviolence, sustainable peace, and security in Africa with a major focus in border areas. He also serves as the administrator for the Society for Peace Studies and Practice. His interest in peace education made him join Our Global Village team.
He enjoys traveling, immersing in nature, reading, and embracing new experiences.
Christopher P. Davey
Christopher holds a doctorate in Peace Studies and International Development from the University of Bradford. His research focuses on identity, narrative and emerging perspectives on genocide, and includes fieldwork with Banyamulenge soldiers in central Africa and within the diaspora. He is interested in evaluating the development of narrative analysis as a qualitative study of participation in genocide, and the overlap of mass violence, identity and climate change. His work extends to reconciliation and memory around legacies of violence. Chris is an experienced diversity and inclusion specialist and has worked on decolonizing workplaces and using the concept of intersectionality in this context.
Julie Lillie
Project PeacEd Gateway
Julie Lillie is a dynamic peace & justice centered educational consultant with over 16 years of experience in teaching, strategic planning, leadership, coaching and professional learning facilitation. Founder of The Peace Pad, she is dedicated to creating peaceful people and projects and believes peace & justice education is for everyone - at every age and stage of life! Julie is also author of Empowering Peace and Justice Education and a powerful speaker, content creator and curriculum & digital learning designer. Believing deeply in the power of our collective action, she is highly collaborative and promotes peace, nonviolence and well-being in partnership with many people and organizations. Julie centers 'Five Peace Actions' and inspires folks world-wide to join together to live and work in alignment for just, positive peace. The 'Five Peace Actions' are: seek peace within yourself and others, reach out in service, protect our environment, respect diversity and be a responsible citizen of the world.