CSI's work was originally inspired by "A Research Report Prepared for the Carr Center for Human Rights Supervised by Lieutenant-General the Honourable R.A. Dallaire." BUILDING CONSENSUS An international conference hosted by the University of Winnipeg, in August 2006, brought together some of the world's most experienced practitioners and researchers from a wide variety of disciplines: humanitarian, military, academic, police, child protection and former child soldiers - to determine the core principles and approach to be adopted by the project, as well as to identify the gaps in current approaches to child soldier issues. RESEARCH AND COLLABORATION IN ACTION Ghana Simulation: A unique week long role-play exercise was held in Kofi Annan International Peace-Keeping Training Centre in Accra, Ghana in July 2007 - bringing together 50 participants from diverse international backgrounds to build collaboration, consensus and ideas on how to stop the recruitment of child soldiers. Important lessons learnt have been incorporated into the CSI Field Guide. Multidisciplinary Workshops and Academic Consultations: As part of the development of the CSI Field Guide, CSI has been conducting a series of workshops to provide a unique space for diverse individuals and groups to work together - to identify practical techniques, tactics and procedures to be used by peacekeeping missions and other field practitioners to stop recruitment, secure the release of children and to prevent their re-recruitment. To date, these workshops have been held throughout Canada and the US and have included representatives from the police, human rights community, the humanitarian community, legal experts and specialists from such fields as Disarmament, Demobilization and Rehabilitation (DDR), children, gangs, culture, gender and religion. Quote from a workshop participant: "...one of the most interesting and thought provoking conferences I have ever attended." -- Eric Beinhart, Associate Director for Africa Programs, The International Criminal Investigative Training Assistance Program (ICITAP), U.S. Department of Justice. In addition, the CSI Field Guide continues to be researched, developed and reviewed through a regular consultative process with leading international academics and practitioners. FIELD RESEARCH AND TRIAL Regional Executive Seminar on Security Forces and Child Soldiers in Botswana In December 2009, CSI brought together 32 participants from South Africa, Mozambique, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Angola, the Gambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, and Sudan. Representatives of these countries came from offices of the President, Ministries of Defence and Security, Prison Services, Militaries, Peace Support Training Associations, the African Union, the Institute for Security Studies, and Police Services. For three days, participants attended presentations, engaged in dialogue and working group sessions on the role of the military in address "Regional Executive Seminar…”) Round table discussion with former child soldiers In August 2009, Dalhousie University’s Centre for Foreign Policy Studies hosted a round table discussion with former child soldiers from Sudan, Sierra Leone and Cambodia to seek their input on what needs to be incorporated into training for security forces. AWARENESS RAISING CSI is working to raise awareness of the need for greater action to stop the use and recruitment of child soldiers. In 2009, CSI hosted speaking engagements with Lieutenant-General The Hon Romeo A. Dallaire (Retired), UNICEF advocate and author of “A Long Way Gone”, Ishmael Beah, and Kon Kelei, a former child soldier from Sudan, now an international peace activist with War Child Netherlands.