STOP COnflict. save lives.

Our History.

Peace Direct grew out of work at the Oxford Research Group (ORG) on the effectiveness of civil society peacebuilding, published as War Prevention Works. It was clear to Scilla Elworthy, then Director of ORG, that local peacebuilding could be highly cost-effective, yet it was starved of funding. From 2001, she started developing the idea of ‘Give Peace a Bank’ – aiming to raise an endowment fund, the interest on which would be used to fund local peacebuilding initiatives. Through a number of public events she started raising awareness about the importance of local peacebuilding.

In 2002, she joined forces with Carolyn Hayman, who had realised that it was much easier to make grants to UK based peace organizations than those working on the frontline of conflict. She had concluded that what was needed was a trusted conduit that people could use to channel funds to local peacebuilding in conflict areas.

Over the next 18 months, as Peace Direct started to take shape, Scilla and Carolyn looked for sources of funding, adding to the funds they were already planning to commit which in Scilla’s case was the Niwano Peace Prize which she won in 2003. A turning point was reached when Lord (Joel) Joffe convened a meeting of around 35 people with a potential interest in Peace Direct in September 2003. Three questions were posed:

• What do front line peacebuilders need?
• Will the public give to peace?
• How will Peace Direct relate to existing peace organisations?

The positive mood of this meeting led to the first Peace Direct Board, chaired by Dame Anita Roddick. With a Board in place, charitable status gained in February 2004, Peace Direct recruited Carolyn as Chief Executive to complement the existing team of three staff and made its first grants tro projects in Iraq and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

In 2005, Peace Direct was named Best New Charity at the prestigious UK Charity Awards.

Key Events.

2002

  • Peace Direct concept launched at ‘Transforming September 11th’ event, London

2003

  • Board of Peace Direct formed

2004

  • Peace Direct achieved charitable status, first public launch
  • First grants made to Iraq, DR Congo
  • Lucknow Dialogues tour
  • Insight on Conflict started

2005

  • ‘What If? Fallujah’ – study of how the destruction of Fallujah could have been avoided
  • ‘Engaging with Terror’ workshop at Royal Court theatre
  • First film/photography trip to Kenya and Uganda
  • First grants to Kenya, Sri Lanka, Aceh
  • Won Best New Charity

2006

  • ‘Young Muslims Speak’ launched at House of Commons
  • Second photography trip to Sri Lanka, featured on Today programme
  • Collaborative for Peace in Sudan established
  • Rapid Response Fund in Kenya established
  • First grants to Colombia, Somalia

2007

  • Feargal Keane Radio 4 Appeal
  • Rapid Response Fund in Nepal established
  • Sudan Oil and Human Security Initiative (SOHSI) began
  • Truce 20/20 launched in Newham with Conflict and Change and Leap

2008

  • Henri Bura Ladyi of DRC featured on BBC Newsnight,
  • Asha Hagi interviewed on Woman’s Hour
  • First grant to Afghanistan
  • First DfID funding, for Somalia
  • First multi-year funding for DRC project from Baring Foundation