In February, QUNO hosted our annual three-day gathering of peacebuilding leaders at Quaker House in New York. The previous year’s event had focused on efforts to articulate the ‘heart of peacebuilding’, resulting in a fresh affirmation of core principles and tools. Using that base, this year the group chose to survey the current and future global peacebuilding policy environments. Participants reflected on how the fields of peacebuilding, humanitarianism, and development relate and overlap, and the challenges that remain for working across sectors. Additionally, discussion centered on how bringing peacebuilding approaches and insights can support progress towards the shared peace goals across these areas of practice. 

We also facilitated a deep discussion with UN colleagues on the nature of accompaniment, and the role of external actors in walking alongside local communities and societies as they come together to use their strength and resilience to find a path to sustainable peace. 

The gathering was completed with an evening reception for the New York peacebuilding community, bringing together UN policy-makers, foundations, academics and NGO representatives with our core group of peacebuilding leaders.