Alliance for Peacebuilding (AfP) is a trusted and neutral platform where we create safe spaces, including public and closed-door conversations, for collaboration, learning, and cross-sectoral programming to address peacebuilding sectors. AfP’s flagship platform for catalyzing cross-learning and partnerships is PeaceCon, our annual conference and the largest global gathering of peacebuilders held in the United States.
PeaceCon brings together leaders from government, multilateral agencies, grassroots and global NGOs, donor institutions, private sector, academia, and youth constituencies alongside one another for dialogue, cross-pollination, and collaboration.
Each year we host researchers, MEL experts, academics, faith actors, and FBOs at PeaceCon to provide a platform for shared learning, improve peacebuilding DM&E, and advocate for greater support for MEL and inter-religious action (IRA).
At PeaceCon we develop dedicated tracts for Evidence, IRA and regional issues to reserve space for critical conversations with peacebuilding practitioners, researchers, and policymakers. PeaceCon@10 is no different. Below you can find a list of relevant, Evidence, IRA and Regional Sessions.
Regional MEl Sessions
At PeaceCon@10 we are expanding the conference to be inclusive of regional conversations by creating special regional sessions focused on DM&E. These sessions are co-hosted with the help of local organizations from respective geographic regions and will highlight regionally relevant peacebuilding issues, in a time slot that most aligns with the region.
These sessions aim to bring together implementers, practitioners, academics, organizations, and donors with a specific geographic focus, so that those facing similar regional challenges and contextual factors can discuss innovations that will hopefully inspire solutions and best practices.
The regional sessions will be hosted on Zoom and will have a separate event registration for participants to keep the session free for all attendees. All those registered for PeaceCon@10 (such as yourselves) do not need to complete a separate Zoom registration.
PeaceCon@10 REgional MEL Tract
PeaceCon@10 Evidence Tract
Connecting Our Evidence: Creating Alignment in Measuring Peace and Conflict
L&E @PeaceCon2020
PeaceCon2020 featured the launch of AfP’s Regional MEL Sessions, in addition to our dedicated L&E and IRA tracts.
PeaceCon Middle East Regional Session
The proliferation of misinformation, disinformation, and hate/extremist speech, conspiracy theories rampant on new media and digital communication platforms, has added new dimensions to existing challenges related to pluralism, diversity and social cohesion in the Middle East. While new media and digital communication technologies has helped augment social interactions it has created an information landscape that exacerbates polarization and conflict.
PeaceCon 2020 Latin American Regional MEL Session
Este 2020, la pandemia de COVID-19 ha enfrentado los procesos de construcción de paz en América Latina se han enfrentado a una situación sin precedentes. Con la imposición de medidas como el distanciamiento físico y el traslado de diversas actividades a la virtualidad, las personas y organizaciones dedicadas a la construcción de paz en la región han tenido que recurrir a la creatividad para garantizar que su trabajo se mantenga en pie y, al mismo tiempo, se salvaguarde la salud e integridad de las y los beneficiarios. Con una brecha digital innegable, una desigualdad inocultable y un historial de represión del gobierno hacia sus comunidades agrícolas e indígenas, quienes construimos paz en la región hemos tenido que echar mano de diferentes herramientas para llegar a todas las partes involucradas en conflictos que van desde la disputa de tierra y territorio hasta rencillas ideológicas desatadas, y alimentadas, por la misma pandemia.
Creating a “Safe Space” for Dialogue and Diplomacy
Digital technologies play a growing role in efforts to facilitate dialogue. Conflict parties and conflict stakeholders increasingly use digital technologies, and especially social media, to further their agendas and interests. Mediators and dialogue practitioners can respond to this trend through digital inclusion. The need to make use of digital technologies to broaden participation has been particularly amplified through the COVID-19 crisis, which drastically reduced opportunities for conventional, “offline” mediation and dialogues. The need to move towards digital environments has created situations where people will not meet with people they have never met. This interactive workshop will explore the challenges a digital environment poses to the concept of safe and brave spaces.
What Does it Mean to Measure Violence? Navigating the Conflict and Violence Data Landscape
How do we measure violence or conflict? Is it the number of homicides? Battle deaths? What are the implications of using certain indicators over others to inform programming and policy? A lack of clear data on the scale and nature of violence and conflict can be a critical barrier to the effectiveness of peacebuilding efforts, whether the task at hand is analyzing the conflict, designing programs, informing policy, or evaluating the effectiveness of our interventions. This session seeks to explore challenges in the current conflict and violence data landscape and to highlight considerations and approaches to enable more widespread and effective integration of these data into peacebuilding efforts.