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EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation 2022

Mediation in a challenging international environment:
building partnerships for sustainable peace

DATE: 26-27 October, 2022

LOCATION: Martin’s Brussels EU, Boulevard Charlemagne 80, Brussels 1000, Belgium and online (see location)

The European Institute of Peace joins mediation partners CMI-Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Conciliation Resources EU Mediateur, EEAS Mediation Support Team (ISP.2), European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO), ERMES III – European Resources for Mediation Support (ERMES), and Particip on the event’s steering committee.

Please sign up to attend the event.

The Institute has been involved in the setting up of the following panel at 14:00 on Wednesday 26 October in collaboration with Conciliation Resources :

Transformative mediation & inclusive peacebuilding: Engaging with non-recognised actors and armed groups. Integrating ‘State’ and ‘Non-State’ mediation processes.”   

Panelists:

Olivia Caeymaex, Conciliation Resources EU, Director

Veronique Dudouet, Berghof Foundation, Senior Advisor

Fatima Maiga, Founding Member and President of the Coalition des Femmes Leaders Nord, Sud et Centre du Mali (NSC)

Mshelia Birma Wayuta, Researcher and Peacebuilder; Transitional Justice and Community Engagement

Jean Marc Mazio, Representing the European Institute of Peace (EIP), Former Head of Programmes, Stabilization and Reconstruction Plan for Eastern DRC (STAREC), Ituri

Steven Spittaels, European Institute of Peace (EIP), Team Leader, Great Lakes Region

Event background:

The 2022 EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation (CoP) takes place as the EU peace mediation is facing unprecedented challenges. A war is waging at the doorstep of the European Union, while numerous other violent conflicts continue or risk outbreak in different regions of our interconnected world. The Russian invasion of Ukraine has had a major impact not only on the European but also on the global peace and security architecture on hard power and defense. All this leaves the mediation practitioner community with many questions as to the place and role of peace mediation and dialogue.

In this era, enhancing the potential of partnerships in peace mediation is particularly pertinent.
This should entail reinforcing existing and building new partnerships for joint and complementary mediation approaches that contribute to lasting peace.

Organised since 2019, the CoP is an annual event, convening EU and international actors, policy makers, mediation practitioners, experts and representatives of civil society from around the globe. It allows discussions on the current state and the future of EU mediation and enables knowledge exchange and constructive reflections on challenges and lessons identified, with the aim of formulating concrete recommendations for continuous improvements.

The first CoP took place in person, while the 2020 and 2021 editions migrated to the virtual format amidst the covid pandemic. This fourth edition, on 26-27 October 2022, takes place in a hybrid format, with both physical (in Brussels) and online participation. Since May 2022, a Steering Committee convened by the EU Mediation Support Team has led the preparations of the event.

In light of new challenges, the event will allow for highlighting the importance of mediation and dialogue support as key tools of EU foreign policy. Importantly, it will enable gathering concrete recommendations from the practitioner community on how to further enhance EU mediation, in particular the implementation of the 2020 Concept on EU Peace Mediation and the EEAS Peace Mediation Guidelines.

For more info, please consult the full programme and follow on social media using the hashtag: #CoP_EUPeaceMediation_2022