The Geneva Peacebuilding Platform is a knowledge hub that connects the critical mass of peacebuilding actors, resources, and expertise in Geneva and worldwide. Founded in 2008, the Platform has a mandate to facilitate interaction on peacebuilding between different institutions and sectors, and to advance new knowledge and understanding of issues and contexts related building peace. It also plays a creative role in building bridges between International Geneva, the United Nations peacebuilding architecture in New York, and peacebuilding activities in the field. The Platform's network comprises more than 4'000 peacebuilding professionals working on building peace directly or indirectly. The Platform ensures the continuous exchange of information through seminars, consultations, and conferences, and facilitates outcome-oriented dialogues on peacebuilding practice.
What is the Platform's mandate?
The Platform is mandated by five partner institutions to act as a ‘knowledge hub’ to advance new knowledge and understanding of peacebuilding issues and contexts, and to facilitate the interaction on peacebuilding between different institutions and sectors.
The overall goal of this mandate is to nurture the networking of peacebuilding resources in Geneva and worldwide; and build bridges between International Geneva, the United Nations peacebuilding architecture in New York, and peacebuilding activities in the field.
In support of this mandate, the Platform will:
-
Develop a network of peacebuilding professionals and institutions;
-
Provide policy-relevant advice and services;
-
Ensure a continuous exchange of information, and necessary ‘reality checks’, through formal or informal seminars, consultations, and conferences; and
-
Work across institutional and sectorial divisions.
What are the Platform’s aims?
-
Adding value by generating substance, analysis or understanding on peacebuilding at the cross section of institutions, sectors, and disciplines.
-
Enabling frank and open exchange by locating discussions outside official meetings on positions and above institutional and sectorial silos and ‘turf wars’.
-
Listening to the voices of local peacebuilders so that those building peace on a daily basis are heard in Geneva, New York, and other major policy centres.
How does the Platform work?
-
Finding solutions from the bottom-up by building strong partnerships with a range of actors at various levels tailored to a specific topic or context.
-
Network peacebuilding resources in Geneva and worldwide by facilitating connections across institutions and sectors and by synthesising promising practice.
-
Ensuring continuous exchange about peacebuilding issues, practice, and contexts through seminars, consultations, conferences, and multi-stakeholder processes.
2022 - 2023 Programme of work
The 2022-2023 Programme describes the strategic direction and key activities of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform over the next two years, setting out three mutually complementary work streams and 20 activties to deliver on the Platform’s mandate:
Work stream 1: Facilitate continuous exchange about innovative practice and thinking on peacebuilding
- Annual retreat in 2022 and 2023, coupled with more frequent, active Advisory Board interaction in hybrid format
- Annual retreat with entire Steering and Management Committees and staff
- Geneva Peace Talks in 2022 and 2023
- Topical development through ad-hoc meetings and discussions
- Actively seek to strengthen the NY-Geneva exchanges
- Build more profound engagement with UN missions
- Be a facilitator for Switzerland and the peacebuilding community on the topic of the Swiss Security Council seat
Work stream 2: Strengthen networking and community building across traditional and non-traditional actors in peacebuilding
- Deliver the advancements of the Geneva Dialogue on Environment, Climate, Conflict, and Peace and manage its evolution
- Identify, incubate, and accompany thematic processes, linking to GPW
- Institutionalize a Community Management strategy, integrating community organizing best practices and communications
- Manage and facilitate the Peace Forum Network
Work stream 3: Advance the strategic development of Geneva Peace Week
- Conduct a review with the Consortium of the last two digital versions and prepare a hybrid strategy
- Develop and implement a fundraising strategy
- Implement an annual management cycle of GPW22 and GPW23
- Connect and integrate GPW and year-round Community Management work
- Evaluate the GPW event management platform and app for hybrid formats
- Invest in the continued participatory shared ownership of the consortium
- Design GPW as a participative, silo-busting, cross-sectorial Peace Forum and a reference in hybrid forums for Geneva and beyond
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies at GPW22 and GPW23
- Kofi Annan Peace Address at GPW22 and GPW23
Programmes of work
For programmes of work of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform since 2012 please view the links below:
Programme 2020-2021 - Overview
