Events People seeking a peaceful solution to violent conflict often face the need to engage with groups involved in armed struggle. Conciliation Resources’ engaging armed groups project provides resources and support those confronting this challenge. Throughout 2005 we held various events on this topic. In December 2005 CR and Wilton Park, a leading UK centre for the discussion of international policy questions jointly organized a conference on ‘engaging armed groups in peace processes’. Attended by 70 experts the conference focused on learning from the accumulated experiences of engaging with non-state armed groups, and identifying the challenges to be addressed to find durable settlements to armed conflict. Read the conference report [pdf download] In July 2005 more than 250 people gathered for a public seminar at the Royal Court Theatre in London on ‘Engaging with terror: understanding the politically violent’. The event offered a rare chance for the public to talk to those once involved in armed political violence and resolving conflicts. In May 2005 we launched our Choosing to engage: armed groups and peace processes (Accord issue 16, 2005) in the USA on Washington’s Capitol Hill in collaboration with the Stimson Centre, a Washington-based policy think-tank. Presenting our key findings and policy briefing from the project, issue editor Rob Ricigliano outlined the case for engagement with armed groups to an audience of congressional staff, researchers and representatives, NGOs, academics and the diplomatic corps. Speakers also included Elisabeth Reusse-Decrey from Geneva Call, an international NGO working with armed groups to ban landmines, and Jason Small from the Sudan Unit at the US Department of State. Another event, for UN staff and UN missions to discuss the project findings, was chaired by HE Peter Maurer, Swiss Ambassador to the UN. The speakers were Celia McKeon from Conciliation Resources and David Petrasek from the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue. In March 2005 we organized a panel discussion, ‘From violence to voting: armed groups and peace processes’ for the International Summit on Democracy, Terrorism and Security organized by Club de Madrid. More than 400 world experts attended the summit. The panel was chaired by Dame Margaret Anstee, former UN Under Secretary-General and the speakers were:
Read the summary of the panel discussion. In July 2004 an international joint analysis roundtable workshop on 'Engaging armed groups in peace processes' was attended by government and armed group representatives, intermediaries and donors. Participants were able to exchange and reflect with other people with direct experience of creating and putting into practice various strategies to address the challenges. Read the workshop report and recommendations.
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