What we do: Accord
Former UN Under-Secretary General Marrack Goulding (right) negotiating the demobilization of the Contras with Comandante Franklyn, Nicaragua in 1990.
Source: Marrack Goulding
Since the end of the Cold War, peace processes have become a common way to end violence and forge new political, economic and social agreements to address the root causes of armed conflict.
Conciliation Resources believes well-documented peacemaking experiences offer crucial insights for peacemakers around the world. Information on how challenges have been dealt with elsewhere can prevent costly mistakes being repeated and stimulate more effective and fresh approaches to resolving armed conflict.
Documenting peace processes and initiatives
Our publication series, Accord: an international review of peace initiatives focuses on the experiences and reflections of people with direct or expert knowledge of peace processes, and analyses issues from a practitioner’s viewpoint.
We invite contributions from people with different political views and expectations to help us capture the complexity and contested nature of these processes. Each edition includes:
- detailed narrative and analysis
- full texts and summaries of peace agreements
- profiles of the main people and institutions involved
- a chronology of the peace process
Working with partners
Each publication forms the centrepiece of a project on a particular theme or conflict. These are usually developed and distributed in partnership with local peacebuilding organizations. Activities may also include:
- translating or adapting issues into relevant languages
- supporting partners to develop radio programmes and educational videos
- producing educational discussion packs with group learning exercises
- forums to discuss, identify and seek solutions to peacemaking challenges
Promoting learning and increasing understanding
Accord publications are distributed around the world to a carefully researched audience of primary parties to conflict, intermediaries, civil society groups, policymakers and the media. We share the lessons from each project through:
- an online version of each Accord issue
- events to discuss themes relating to peace processes
- a comparative learning project in Colombia and the Philippines
Informing and influencing policymakers
The findings of each Accord issue are summarized in short policy briefing papers, highlighting the key issues we believe should guide peacebuilding policy. We discuss these ideas with civil servants and political decision makers.