TRANSLATIONS:
Executive Summary FR | DE | NL | RU
The visibility of violent conflict from all over the world in our daily digest of news and media creates a sense that violence – or the threat of violence – is ever-present, when in fact, it is peace that is the norm. Building Peace Together makes the case for peacebuilding and provides a myriad of tools that can be used by actors across the board.
The report encompasses advice and guidance on peacebuilding principles, conflict sensitivity and due diligence, all necessary for any engagement. With 80 real-world examples of peacebuilding “tools,” as well as extensive reflective exercises, Building Peace Together is a practical reference for inclusive, long-term responses to today’s security challenges. Our report is aimed at peace practitioners, policymakers, and citizens with a commitment to more peaceful societies. The peacebuilding tools are categorised in 11 sectors resembling a government ministries such as justice, environment and education.
The report argues that peacebuilding requires an in-depth understanding of context, of the nature of the conflict dynamic and a conjuction of actions across a wide range of sectors. It enables any actor to see their engagement through a peacebuilding lens and makes peacebuilding everyone’s business.
For more detail on launch events for Building Peace Together, see below.
Building Peace Together in the words of peacebuilders
Launch Events
Check here for information on new events, as and when they occur.
PAST EVENTS
15 March: Launch event at Quaker House Brussels
QCEA launched Building Peace Together at an event at Quaker House, which provided an opportunity to discuss the report in the context of peacebuilding work by governments, the EU and civil society.
The panel featured:
Opening Remarks: François Cornet d’Elzius, Belgian Representative to the Political and Security Committee to the EU
Jan Reinder Rosing, EEAS PRISM
Ben Moore, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO)
Olivia Caeymaex, QCEA
Moderator: Andrew Lane, QCEA
19 March, European Parliament Library Reading Room, Brussels: “Preparing for Peace or Preparing for War: Redressing the balance”
QCEA and Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Molly Scott Cato organised an event that discussed civilian responses to security challenges.
The panel featured:
Moderator: Molly Scott Cato MEP, Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance
Ben Moore, Assistant Director, European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO)
Pekka Haavisto, President, European Institute for Peace (EIP)
Olivia Caeymaex, Peace Programme Lead, QCEA
21 March, Friends House in London, Hilda Clark Room
QCEA and Quaker Peace and Social Witness (QPSW) organised an event at Friends House in London that offered an opportunity to discuss why peacebuilding is needed and how it can be implemented.
The panel included:
Opening remarks and moderation: Marigold Bentley, Head of Peace Programmes and Faith Relations, QPSW
Olivia Caeymaex, Peace Programme Lead, QCEA
Julian Egan, Head of Advocacy, International Alert
Charlotte Morris, Senior Conflict Adviser Research and Evidence Division, DFID
Respondent: Tobias Wellner, East Africa Programme Manager, QPSW
20 April, The Helix, Dublin: “Building Security: Trust or Fear”
QCEA, Dublin City University (DCU) Institute for International Conflict Resolution and Reconstruction (IICRR), and the Dublin Monthly Meeting Peace Committee organised a conference bridging academics, policy makers and civil society to discuss the new security environment and the changing roles and responsibilities. Panelists included representatives of NATO, INTERPOL, SIPRI, DCU, QCEA and EPLO.
14 June, The Hague: The Implementation of National Security Strategies: How to ensure national ownership for legitimacy and long-term impact?
QCEA and the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) organised a launch event of Building Peace Together in the Hague that provided an opportunity to discuss the implementation of the Dutch Security Strategy 2018-22 in relation to issues of ownership and ensuring long-term impact. Representatives from the EU External Action Service and the Dutch Ministry for Foreign Affairs were on the panel along with GPPAC and QCEA.
13 – 14 June, Berlin: FriEnt Peacebuilding Forum
QCEA was invited to take part of the panel discussion on EU-Foreign- Security/Development Policy.
10 December, Berlin: “Putting the German guidelines into practice: Civilian instruments at the forefront”
QCEA, the Evangelische Kirche BerlinBrandenburg-schlesische Oberlausitz (EKBO) and the European peace church network Church and Peace organised a launch event of Building Peace Together in Berlin. It was an opportunity to discuss how the German government and civil society can work together to implement the German Policy Guidelines on Preventing Crises, Resolving Conflicts and Building Peace. Representatives from civil society, the German government, and German parliament were on the panel along with QCEA, EKBO and Church and Peace.
PRAISE FOR THE REPORT
What is particularly welcome is the way this report shows the very wide range of approaches and actions that are possible. That, alone, is likely to prove a real source of inspiration.
– Professor Paul Rogers, University of Bradford
Peacebuilding is an art, not a science. It’s also an incredibly broad tent, covering a wide range of approaches, including diplomacy, dialogue, media initiatives, certain types of economic development, and many, many more.
– Phil Vernon, Director of Programmes (2004-17), International Alert
