Dear friends,
It is with great pleasure that I can introduce you to the International Civil Society Network on Infrastructures for Peace (I4P). The network and website are launched today: www.I4Pinternational.org
Many countries lack capacities and structures to deal adequately with on-going and potential violent conflict. This has emerged as a central obstacle to the attainment of equitable and sustainable development. In recent years, the number of conflicts has been increasing once again. We need comprehensive, inclusive and long-term approaches to peacebuilding, which involves the main stakeholders. Infrastructures for Peace and Local Peace Committees can be important pillars to counter these dangerous developments or substantially reduce their impact.
These months, several interesting articles on I4P are released: in the new Peacebuilding Journal, the Berghof-Handbook Dialogue Series on Peace Infrastructures, in Pensamiento Propio and soon a whole issue on this topic of the Journal of Peacebuilding and Development. Our website will tell you how to find the articles on I4P.
Several local peacebuilding NGOs and practitioners felt the need to exchange experiences and best practices about this approach and make I4P more recognised:the network was born and counts now some seventy members. We have established an Interim Steering Committee with members from three continents.
I invite you to see our website and join our network if you are interested.
Best regards.
Paul van Tongeren
