On 09/05/2025, CGE Erfurt e.V. ran a Live Action Role Playing Matrix simulation, as part of the Soft Skills 4 Democracy project. The activity explored in details the crisis negotiation and conflict management skills, based on the Niger Delta conflict scenario. Which centered on a catastrophic oil pipeline explosion near Koluama, Nigeria, which had triggered a humanitarian and environmental emergency affecting tens of thousands of residents. The main goal of the simulation was to help participants better understand, and actively practice, the soft skills needed to navigate complex crises. These included negotiation, communication, ethical reasoning, teamwork, and strategic decision-making. The exercise aimed to highlight how diverse stakeholders, with conflicting interests, can collaborate under pressure to address urgent humanitarian and environmental challenges.
At the heart of the session was a multi-stakeholder negotiation simulation. Participants assumed different roles: representatives of the Nigerian Federal Government, local Niger Delta communities, militant factions, oil companies, military forces, environmental NGOs, and international observers. Each group had unique priorities and limited trust in others, mirroring the real-world tensions in the aftermath of the pipeline disaster.
The simulation began with group discussions to assess priorities and formulate strategies. Then, participants came together around a negotiation table to debate responses, propose solutions, and manage competing demands. Through this interactive exercise, they experienced firsthand the challenges of balancing immediate humanitarian needs, environmental remediation, security concerns, and political pressures.
Following the negotiation, participants reflected on the exercise, sharing insights on conflict resolution, communication under stress, and the role of empathy and ethics in decision-making. Many highlighted how stepping into the perspectives of different stakeholders helped them understand the complexity of real-world crises and the importance of cooperation and dialogue.
The project SoftSkills4Democracy (Pr. nr. 2024-1-DE04-KA154-YOU-000234648) is funded by the Erasmus+ foundation.
