What do a UNESCO Artist for Peace, a trauma specialist, and a seasoned peacebuilder have in common?
More than you'd think.

At the Caux Arts & Peace Encounters, I moderated a rich and resonant session on Arts & Healing, featuring:
✨ Guila Clara Kessous, UNESCO Artist for Peace
🧠 Prof. Barry Hart, Expert in psychosocial trauma and peacebuilding
🕊️ Regula Gattiker, Peacebuilder and mediator

We spoke of theatre as embodied testimony, music as a bridge to shared humanity, and movement to rebuild trust — not only in others, but in our own skin.

As Secretary of State Alexandre Fasel reminded us, artists and mediators share more than we think: they both navigate tension, listen between the lines, and work not toward quick fixes, but toward laying the foundations for lasting peace. They don’t just “solve” conflict; they reframe it with imagination, empathy, and nuance.

To all those who believe the arts and culture are a luxury in times of crisis: think again.
They are the architecture of empathy.