WILLIAM URY: THE WALK FROM «NO» TO «YES» (00:00 – 07:53)
William Ury is a mediator, writer and speaker, working with conflicts ranging from family feuds to boardroom battles to ethnic wars.
Before you watch
1. Answer the question:
When do parties to the conflict usually resort to a mediator?
2. Study the vocabulary notes:
propensity for — tendency to a particular kind of behavior
While you watch
William Ury tells three stories in his talk. Give the gist of the stories and say what idea each of them illustrates. You may want to use the expressions in brackets to give a more extended answer.
| Idea | Story |
| (to look at the situation through fresh eyes, not all peace and light, human propensity for conflict) | |
| (the surrounding community around a conflict, to play a constructive role, to lose perspective) | |
| (to feel personally involved in the story, to have a personal stake in the story) |
After you watch
Discuss the following:
- How can the third side help solve a conflict?
- Can ordinary people contribute to the peaceful settlement of a conflict? Do ordinary people usually play a constructive or rather a destructive role in conflicts (ethnic,international, political, etc.)? Think of the examples to illustrate your position.