Our history

25 years of making peace possible

We began with just two second-hand computers and donated office space. Our first activities were with The Citizens Constitutional Forum in Fiji. We still work there, supporting the country’s return to a full constitutional democracy and helping address ongoing divisions within society.

Soon after this, we began working in war-torn Sierra Leone and Liberia, helping to mediate community-level conflicts.

Even as the organisation has grown to over 60 staff, working with over 70 partners, we are still committed to operating at a human scale. Our success is made possible by the trust we have earned through our long-term relationships, and the years of experience we have gained providing practical support to hundreds of people living with war and violence.

Our reach now includes the Caucasus, countries across East and Central Africa, the Horn of Africa, Latin America, South Asia, Southeast Asia and additional parts of West Africa and the Pacific. 

Early on we recognised there was a lot to learn about building peaceful societies by undertaking and sharing in-depth analysis of violent conflicts. Our publication series Accord was launched on this principle. The renown of this series has grown and it is now a common reference point for people working in peacebuilding around the world.

In this film, our founders Andy Carl and David Lord discuss their vision for Conciliation Resources when the organisation first began, what changes they’ve seen over the past 25 years and why they think peacebuilding is more important than ever.