Publications

Poetry makes us human. Poetry, through words, reduces our experiences to their essence and, at the same time, uplifts our souls to their highest.

Read the Critical Reflection

Read about the challenges and opportunities of new information and communication technologies in peacebuilding.

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While some argue that any religion has the potential to cause violence, others point out that religion is never the sole cause of conflict and that it can have a peacebuilding effect. Numerous contributions to this issue maintain that the attribution of a conflict to purely religious factors is often a gross over-simplification, if not an actual falsification of the true causes of a conflict. Such a simplified view can hinder peacebuilding.

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Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century and is becoming increasingly associated with conflicts. However, it would be wrong to assume that there are wars or conflicts that are caused by climate change alone. Climate change acts more so as a threat multiplier or a conflict driver – in other words, it adds more fuel to the fire. This is happening in various ways. For example, climate change is making resources scarce and therefore increasing competitive pressure. It is also destroying livelihoods, forcing people to migrate in certain circumstances. Alternatively, it is weakening state institutions by causing extreme weather events such as drought or flooding.

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Volunteers often put their heart and soul into promoting peace. Their dedication isn’t just a job, it’s their life’s mission. This often involves a mix of professional and volunteer dedication. Sometimes even to the point where it is difficult for people to set their own boundaries. This intrinsic drive is, however, also coupled with expectations. Volunteers want to do meaningful work in which they can get involved.

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Cambodia held parliamentary elections on July 29, 2018. Any opposition was stifled beforehand. The victory of the Cambodian People’s Party was therefore hardly surprising. Is Cambodia now heading towards a one-party system? What impact does this election have on tensions within the country? To what extent are elections and violence connected in a general sense and how can riots be prevented? Are there technological solutions that can make elections fairer and thus more peaceful in future?

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On 3 July 2018, at a press conference civil society announced the publication of their country report on the implementation of the 2030 Agenda in Switzerland. Chapter 11 (p. 58) of the report is dedicated to SDG 16 “Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions”. On 20 June, Switzerland published the official country report on the matter.

Press release: German, French, Italian
Civil society report: German, French, English

Since the conflict in Ukraine, many people have been talking about the return of the Cold War. Relations between the East and the West have become entrenched. At the same time, new priorities are cropping up on the OSCE’s agenda, such as migration and terrorism. In the midst of it all is civil society.

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In the KOFF annual report 2017 we discuss why art is important in war regions and why we need more women in peace processes. The focus is on the people who make these projects possible at all.

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This desk study analyses the nexus between peace and migration by providing an overview of the literature and debates on the topic, and drawing on examples from research and practice.

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