Localisation is a foundational value for Interpeace. The organisation’s mission is anchored in the conviction that identifying and helping strengthen local capacity, ownership and leadership is the only sustainable way to manage conflict non-violently, creating enduring peace and strengthened social cohesion. Since its inception almost 30 years ago, Interpeace has championed localisation, basing its work on the existing capacities of individuals and societies to take the lead in shaping their own futures. The organisation has advanced this vision by implementing inclusive peacebuilding strategies. Engaging with all levels of society is one thing, but Interpeace goes further to establish and improve social connectivity and to empower women and men affected by conflict to become agents of change.

This year’s annual report illustrates our commitment to enhancing the local capacities of people to rebuild trust and consolidate peace. Our work has allowed us to witness how individuals, communities and institutions in all the countries where we work are designing creative solutions to address their many challenges. To support these efforts, in 2022 Interpeace’s country-based and global teams involved over 100 000 people directly and trained 25 000 individuals to drive change in their own communities and institutions. Interpeace also continued to expand its network of decentralised peacebuilding structures, creating local and sustainable capacity. In 2022, the organisation’s highly localised in-country programming supported 256 local infrastructures for peace in 12 countries and worked on 106 conflicts.