Mohamed Farah reflects on APD’s extensive collaboration with Interpeace over the past three decades. He highlights key initiatives like Dialogue for Peace, Pillars of Peace and Talo Wadaag, which have focused on peacebuilding, conflict management, and strengthening state institutions in Somaliland.

Martina Zapf, a former Interpeace staff member, reflects on her decade-long experience with the organisation. She highlights Interpeace’s significant contribution to integrating peacebuilding into humanitarian and development work, particularly through the innovative approach of peace responsiveness.

Dr. Severin Kouamé recounts Interpeace’s initial work in identifying legitimate local leaders in Ivory Coast to spearhead peacebuilding, allowing structures like Indigo to emerge. He emphasises building local capacities and leadership as crucial for long-term peace and social cohesion.

Nené Konaté Traoré, an expert in decentralisation and governance, shares insights from her work with Interpeace since 2012. Highlighting a collaborative study with Malian experts, she discusses the need to mend the country’s frayed social fabric due to ongoing crises.

President Bernardo Arévalo de León reflects on Interpeace’s engagement in Guatemala following the three-decade-long armed conflict in 1997. He highlights Interpeace’s foundational principle that external actors can create enabling conditions, but local actors must lead and own the peacebuilding processes. President Bernardo Arévalo de León commends this approach as impactful and mentions how working alongside local colleagues across regions like Latin America and Africa inspired learning and shared insights for Interpeace staff, shaping their understanding of effective peacebuilding processes.

Cheick Fayçal Traoré discusses Interpeace’s peacebuilding efforts in the Sahel region since the early 2010s. He emphasises the importance of inclusive dialogue within communities to solve problems and find localised solutions. He also highlights the severe security threats and displacement crises facing millions in the Sahel region, requiring urgent attention and coordinated efforts from the international community.

The collaboration between Interpeace and the Pole Institute is a testament to their shared commitment to achieving inclusive governance for peace in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Nene Morisho highlights Interpeace’s collaboration in establishing cross-border dialogue platforms mediation commissions and facilitating conflict resolution between displaced groups and the communities hosting them.

Scott Weber, the former Director General and President of Interpeace, reflects on the organisation’s innovative spirit and highlights its role in sharing the Principles for Peace Initiative, the first-ever standards for peace processes, born from on-the-ground experiences. He also discusses Interpeace’s pioneering work on peace responsiveness, integrating peacebuilding principles across various sectors like humanitarian affairs and health.

João Boavida shares CEPAD’s two-decade-long engagement with Interpeace. Founded with Interpeace’s support in response to Timor-Leste’s 2006 crisis, CEPAD focuses on good governance and anti-corruption. Through the Programme of Research and Dialogue for Peace (PRDP), they mapped critical obstacles to sustainable peace and development in Timor-Leste and developed actionable recommendations. He highlights Interpeace’s role in establishing CEPAD and enabling collaborative research and dialogue to address the country’s challenges.

Renée Larivière outlines Interpeace’s approaches to fostering trust, including creating inclusive dialogue spaces, understanding conflict dynamics, and empowering local leaders. She also highlights key lessons, such as the time-intensive nature of trust-building, the critical roles of youth and gender dynamics in conflict and peace, and the need for adaptable, courageous journeys without quick fixes.

Interpeace began its work in Rwanda in 2002. Apolinaire Mushinziman recounts Interpeace’s role in the foundation of the Institute of Research for Dialogue (IRDP), introducing innovative conflict resolution approaches. He emphasises Interpeace’s pioneering Participatory Action Research methodology, empowering local actors to identify challenges and solutions. This was achieved through fostering dialogue across diverse groups in the aftermath of the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi.

Ana Glenda Tager, who previously served as the Regional Director for Latin America at Interpeace, explains our work with the Colombian National Police as a prime example of inclusive engagement. Through surveys, dialogues, and capacity-building, Interpeace supported the development of a peacebuilding model to bridge divides between communities and the National Police, especially in conflict-affected areas.

Interpeace has been actively involved in Kenya since 2014. At present, we are focusing on mitigating the impacts of climate change, especially in the northern region, which is grappling with persistent social and economic disparities. This region faces additional challenges due to climate change, leading to heightened tensions over access to essential resources. Hassan Ismail discusses the connection between Interpeace’s peacebuilding efforts and the facilitation of community cohesion, dialogue, and arrangements for sharing natural resources amidst climate pressures.

As a founder of Tastakel, a non-profit organisation founded in 2015 by diverse Syrian women, Hind Kabawat passionately advocates for women’s participation in peace processes. She acknowledges her involvement with Interpeace as a source of valuable learning that informs her work in building the capacities of women peacebuilders and students.

Matthias Stiefel, the founder of Interpeace, reflects on the organisation's journey from its inception as a project in 1994 to its current status as a global peacebuilding institution. Drawing from personal experiences with the UN during the end of the Cold War, he discusses the changing nature of conflict and the need for a comprehensive understanding of its root causes.

Abiosseh Davis reflects on Interpeace’s key learnings over the past 30 years, categorising them into three areas: affirmations of our guiding principles, the evolution of our working methods, and new insights that shape how we support communities affected by conflict.  

Mencham Borja Funy elaborates on Voz di Paz’s long-standing partnership with Interpeace since 2007. Voz di Paz, initially an INEP programme and later an independent NGO, has collaborated with Interpeace in peacebuilding efforts focused on youth and women’s inclusion in decision-making, good governance, justice, health, and conflict prevention and management in Guinea-Bissau.

Dr. Ilke Dagli-Hustings details Interpeace’s and SeeD’s joint efforts in developing innovative, evidence-based solutions for societal healing, fostering resilience, and advancing the field of evidence-based peacebuilding. She outlines the ethical and responsible nature of both organisations’ approaches.

Interpeace has had a four-year partnership with Youth Without Borders, a Yemeni civil society organisation. Focusing on the Youth, Peace, and Security (YPS) agenda and community resilience, Maged Alkholidy highlights our collaborative work in capacity building, empowering and advocacy work in raising critical issues with decision-makers and the international community.

Itonde Kakoma highlights the foundation of Interpeace amidst global upheaval and its dual focus on policy change and community engagement. He honours contributions to peacebuilding, mental health advocacy, while paying tribute to influential leaders and colleagues.