Looking back at 2024 and peace principles to continue to guide us in 2025
As we are approaching the end of 2024, it is time to take stock, celebrate achievements and efforts and reflect on how to best continue addressing the stumbling blocks in the path to peace in the new year. Ongoing wars, shrinking of civic space in many countries, widening inequalities and timid commitments and actions to address the climate crisis are some of the challenges we have continued to face this year. Despite these, at AP we believe that we must continue to build peace through dialogue and sustained partnerships, based on analysis of root causes of violence, lessons learned and determination to overcome multiple divides.
Our approach to peacebuilding is guided by the principles of dialogue, local ownership, partnership, diversity, inclusion, creativity and innovation, and the belief that peace is much more than the absence of war, and it requires the presence of social justice and cultures of peace.
These principles are at the heart of our projects and activities.
This is a summary of the main ones in 2024:
Bologna Peacebuilding Forum
AP organised the 6th edition of the Bologna Peacebuilding Forum “Peace Mediation at a crossroads” 15-17 May 2024 as a framework for dialogue and exchange between scholars and practitioners working on conflict resolution, peacebuilding and development.
🗓️ Save the date for the 7th edition: 7-9 May 2025!
Italy and Peace mediation
In May 2024 AP published the report “Italy and Peace Mediation” which analysed the unique role Italy can play as a mediator in both Europe, and on an international level amongst the transforming global context.
Digital Technologies for Peace
In 2024 AP published the report “Digital Technologies for Peace” which offered recommendations in enhancing the inclusion, especially of women, in peace mediation through digital technologies.
Focus: Somalia
AP supported the local ownership of peace efforts and analytical capacities in Somalia.
It published the report “Conflict Analysis in Garowe and Galkayo” (two key urban centers in Somalia’s Puntland and Galmudug states) which was developed with a Participatory Action Research methodology as part of the “Building Reconciliation and Peace through Inclusive Dialogue, Gender Equality, Sport and Protection of Cultural Heritage” (BRIDGES) project, in collaboration with CEFA Onlus and the Galkayo Education Center for Peace and Development (GECPD).
Focus: Tanzania
The project Amani Kwanza (“Peace First” in Swahili) project implemented together with Center for Youth Dialogue (CYD), Tanzania and supported by Chiesa Valdesi, aimed to strengthen Zanzibar’s community resilience to reduce youth radicalization and recruitment through facilitating collaboration between state and non-state peace actors.
Focus: Italy
From August to December 2024 the project MigrAZIONI di Pace with activities in Bologna and Ferrara supported the Bando Pace of Emilia Romagna Region (Italy) aimed to empower young migrants to become peace mediators, and facilitators of intercultural dialogue, helping to build community resilience and inclusion.
Other projects and activities
- AP believes in monitoring, evaluation and learning as fundamental activities in peace work as they allow analysis, dialogue if done in collaboration with all involved and the identification of lessons learned. In 2024 AP continued to conduct external evaluations of peace programmes with lead organisations in the field such as Search for Common Ground, Interpeace, USIP and Non-Violent Peace Force among others.
- AP contributed to awareness-raising and analysis through articles, our monthly newsletter and contributions to different media channels, including online newspapers such as Huffington Post Italy, TV broadcasts and social media.
- AP contributed to advocacy efforts and participated in various peacebuilding platforms such as the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office (EPLO) and chaired the Knowledge Management Group of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace and Security.
- Last but not least, in the last months of 2024 AP started the project “Towards a regional network of women mediators in the Horn of Africa” which aims to strengthen women’s participation in peace and security processes in the Horn of Africa, in line with the first objective of the fourth Italian National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security. We have an open call for participants: if you are a woman mediator in the Horn of Africa, send us your application!
A more detailed account of 2024 activities will come in our Annual Report, but at this point, we felt it was important to look back and highlight these collective efforts guided by peace principles. We believe these principles, together with our renewed commitment and hope, should continue to guide our actions in 2025.
We take this opportunity to warmly thank all those who have contributed to AP´s work this year and to wish you a joyful holiday season, and a peaceful 2025.
