Martina Paloheimo
Head Bridge-Builder & Special Events
Martina coordinates and develops our Peacebuilding & Conflict Resolution program at GIDT.
She also helps lead our cultural exchange program and works to help develop new projects & communication strategies. Her experience in conflict resolution and Indigenous issues around the world gives Martina a deep understanding of the needs and interests of GIDT and its mission in reaching out to partners, stakeholders, supporting organizations and connecting with communities.
She graduated from Dalhousie university with undergraduate degree in Philosophy and Environmental Studies, and moved to South America shortly afterwards. Ever since Latin America, sustainable development, and people have become her passion. Having done her Masters in International Peace Studies at Trinity College in Dublin, she focused on how to work towards solving the intersection of human rights and environmental issues through conflict reduction. From there her work has focused on Peace Process Design, Mediation, Training in Conflict Resolution & ADR Practices, Circle Keeping, Conflict Analyst, Reconciliation as well as Conflict Coaching. Martina has experience from her home locally in Toronto, and internationally as a mediator, conflict analyst and facilitator with Peacebuilders International, St. Stephens House, Lakou Lape in Haiti, the Glencree Center for Peace and Reconciliation & Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre.
Her greatest passion is working on issues that arise in environments and communities with resource development. With the International Conservation Fund of Canada, Martina conducted ethnographic fieldwork research of Brazil’s Indigenous tribe the Kayapo who protect the largest portion of intact natural rainforest in the world. Her work focused on an examination of how the urbanization and development of the Amazon is affecting Indigenous Communities as well as the ecology and conservation of the land. Though she also works actively in the fields of restorative justice, community mediation, reconciliation in Canada, international relations, violent conflict reduction and building resilient communities.
