Peace of Minds Academy In this new episode of the Peace of Minds Academy thirty Dutch youngsters investigate ways in which their lives are connected to those of girls and women in fragile and (post) conflict, and they experience how they can make a contribution from the Netherlands to lasting peace and gender justice. They do this by examining, on the basis of several problem statements, which Dutch actors and processes affect the lives of these girls and women, and especially how these impede their participation in peace processes. Participants subsequently develop strategies aimed at these actors - such as Dutch citizens, companies or the government - their influence to have to turn to contribute to sustainable peace and gender justice. In a varied program we bring the participants in touch with peaceactivists from around the world, and offer them the tools to improve their communication, strategic and research skills, and organize expert meetings including professionals, community organizations, businesses, policy makers, trendsetters and artists.

Between 2011 and 2013 the Peace of Minds Academy was carried out three times including once with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs through SBOS and twice with support from Oxfam Novib. Previous evaluations show that the 'learning by doing' method and the connection between theory and practice is experienced by participants and other stakeholders as innovative and instructive. We also see that this leads to a very concrete expression of global citizenship and continued involvement of young people with the theme. Peace of Minds recent editions have also shown that there is a significant group of young people in the Netherlands with an interest in thetopic of women, peace and security who are looking for ways to take action on this topic.

This year, Upact works from the beginning to the end together with two parties with relevant complementary expertise: WO=MEN and Butterfly Works. This close collaboration will allow us to improve the quality of the previous episodes, when we were dependent to a great extent on the goodwill and expertiseof many different people and the consistency was sometimes difficult to guarantee. With the successes and lessons learned in mind, we have chosen this year for a different angle and shifted the focus of the program of action "in the Global South" to the actions of actors here in the Netherlands.

The core group of thirty participants consists of a mix of young people between 18 and 28 years with different types of expertise, experience and educational backgrounds ranging from art and culture and technical studies to anthropology or conflict studies. The project thus reaches a group of students and their dependents that normally don't have a natural interest in or commitment to understanding the impact of development and conflict in other parts of the world, especially on women andgirls. They usually have a lack of understanding of how actors in the Netherlands both government and business, NGOs and consumers are also responsible for the underlying structural causes of conflict and social, economic and political inequality in the world. And that is exactly where the Peace of Minds Academy about. Participants will engage in doing their own research and unravel what typeand level of impact particular Dutch actors may have on (female) activists for gender justice and where relevant expose the underlying political, social and / or economic connections that often may worsen confllict and violence. They delve into the different kinds of perspectives that we have in the Netherlands to contribute to sustainable peace and gender justice strategies and examine what works well and why. They get inspiration and insights into the workings of campaigning or lobbying from various parties, such as theSilent Warehouse, creative agency Vandejong or Oxfam. They will use their research information to rapidly develop a targeted strategy to stimulate (a) particular Dutch actor(s) to use their leverage to improve certain situations in their operational contexts in the Global South with respect to women, peace and security. This can be a lobbying and media campaign or another innovative way in which (new) art forms, social media, an app or a playful action can be developed and deployed. During a public closing event several groups of participants present their strategies and compete with their strategy to be chosen as the winning strategy.