Linking Peacebuilders: Key Network Organizations in the Field

Dear Colleagues

As the conflict resolution and peacebuilding field has grown an increasing number of organizations and associations have been formed to help share information, exchange best practice, work on conflict advocacy, etc. Some organizations are more practitioner focused and concentrate more on organizations, while others are more for individuals and possibly more academic and research focused (and a number combine both approaches).

What I would like to start is a listing of some of the key network organizations in the field around the world and then ask you to help add to the list. I do not want to list individual organizations or institutions, only those that provide a networking, coordination or information sharing function. Some of these networks may only be open to select members, but most are open (although some charge a membership fee).

NETWORK ORGANIZATIONS (MORE ORGANIZATION FOCUSED)

The Alliance for Peacebuilding is a coalition of diverse organizations working together to build sustainable peace and security worldwide. Members of AfP are directly engaged in applied conflict prevention and resolution. They provide negotiation and mediation services, train negotiators, facilitate communication to break down barriers, and help find solutions to the issues and pressures that otherwise drive groups and nations to achieve their objectives through violent force. Members also conduct research and provide evaluation and education. The role of AfP is to bring these organizations together for collaborative peacebuilding.

British Overseas NGOs for Development is the United Kingdom's broadest network of voluntary organisations working in international development. BOND aims to improve the UK's contribution to international development by promoting the exchange of experience, ideas and information amongst BOND members between networks of NGOs in the UK and internationally, with the UK Government, and between BOND members and other UK bodies with an interest in international development.


European Peacebuilding Liaison Office - EPLO is the platform of European NGOs, networks of NGOs and think tanks active in the field of peacebuilding, who share an interest in promoting sustainable peacebuilding policies among decision-makers in the European Union. EPLO aims to influence the EU so it promotes and implements measures that lead to sustainable peace between states and within states and peoples, and that transform and resolve conflicts non-violently. EPLO wants the EU to recognise the crucial connection between peacebuilding, the eradication of poverty, and sustainable development world wide and the crucial role NGOs have to play in sustainable EU efforts for peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and crisis management.


The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict - The Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) is a world-wide civil society-led network aiming to build a new international consensus on peacebuilding and the prevention of violent conflict. GPPAC works on strengthening civil society networks for peace and security by linking local, national, regional, and global levels of action and effective engagement with governments, the UN system and regional organizations.

INTERACTION - InterAction is the largest coalition of U.S.-based international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) focused on the world’s poor and most vulnerable people. Collectively, InterAction’s more than 165 members work in every developing country. Members meet people halfway in expanding opportunities and supporting gender equality in education, health care, agriculture, small business, and other areas.

The United Network of Young Peacebuilders (UNOY Peacebuilders) is a global network of young people and youth organisations active in the field of peacebuilding. Our main areas of action are networking, training, empowerment for action/support to youth projects, campaigning and advocacy, and practical research on the role of youth in peacebuilding. UNOY Peacebuilders is a non-political, non-religious, non-governmental organisation that welcomes youth peace initiatives/ organisations and young peacebuilders regardless of gender, ethnicity, social class, religion, or any other distinction. The vision of UNOY Peacebuilders is Youth committed to building together a world in which peace, justice, solidarity, human dignity and respect for nature prevail and the mission statement is to link up young people’s initiatives for peace in a global network of young peacebuilders, to help empower their capacities and to help increase the effectiveness of their actions.


West African Network for Peacebuilding - Goal is to enable and facilitate the development of mechanisms for cooperation among civil society based peacebuilding practitioners and organizations in West Africa by promoting cooperative responses to violent conflicts; providing the structure through which these practitioners and institutions will regularly exchange experience and information on issues of peacebuilding, conflict transformation, social, religious and political reconciliation; and promoting West Africa’s social cultural values as resources for peacebuilding.

ACADEMIC/PRACTITIONER ORGANIZATIONS (MORE INDIVIDUAL FOCUSED)

Association for Conflict Resolution - is a professional organization dedicated to enhancing the practice and public understanding of conflict resolution. ACR represents and serves a diverse national and international audience that includes more than 6,000 mediators, arbitrators, facilitators, educators, and others involved in the field of conflict resolution and collaborative decision-making. They sponsor an annual conference that is held in the US. While the bulk of their membership is US based, there are some international members.

Catholic Peacebuilding Network - is a voluntary network of practitioners, academics, clergy, and laity from around the world that seeks to enhance the study and practice of Catholic peacebuilding, especially at the local level. The CPN aims to deepen bonds of solidarity among Catholic peacebuilders, share and analyze "best practices," expand the peacebuilding capacity of the Church in areas of conflict, and encourage the further development of a theology of a just peace. While it is a Catholic network, the CPN believes that authentic and effective Catholic peacebuilding involves dialogue and collaboration with those of other religious traditions and all those committed to building a more just and peaceful world.

Peace and Justice Studies Association - We are dedicated to bringing together academics, K-12 teachers and grassroots activists to explore alternatives to violence and share visions and strategies for peacebuilding, social justice, and social change. The membership is primarily US based. They maintain a listserv, newsletter, annual conference and more.


The International Association for Conflict Management - was founded to encourage scholars and practitioners to develop and disseminate theory, research, and experience that is useful for understanding and improving conflict management in family, organizational, societal, and international settings. They have an annual conference, publications, etc.

International Peace Research Association - Since 1964 IPRA has been pursuing interdisciplinary research into the most pressing issues related to sustainable peace around the world today. As a network of scholars, practitioners and decision-makers from all continents, we strive to stay at the cutting edge of the state of the art of peace. Has a bi-annual conference, networking opportunities, and more.

Salam Institute (and the Muslim Peacebuilding Network) - The Salam Institute is a nonprofit organization for research, education, and practice on issues related to conflict resolution, nonviolence, and development with a focus on bridging differences between Muslim and non-Muslim communities. The Salam Institute was founded by a group of academics and practitioners in the fields of conflict resolution, peace studies, Islamic and cultural studies, and international development.

Transcend - A Peace and Development Network for Conflict Transformation by Peaceful Means. Transcend - A Network for Peace and Development has as mission to bring about a more peaceful world, using action, training, dissemination and research to handle conflicts with non-violence, empathy and creativity, for acceptable and sustainable outcomes.
Transcend International is a peace and development network for conflict transformation by peaceful means. It was founded in 1993 by Prof. Dr. Johan Galtung and comprises today over 300 invited academics and practitioners in the field of peace-building from 80 different countries.