Peace Connect: the programme

Make your way to the Jambo to enjoy a morning tea or coffee and get ready to start the day at 9am.

Join us to start your day with some gentle Tai Chi. The session will involve breathing practice, light stretches and Tai Chi movements, all to help bring mind and body together ahead of your day at Peace Connect. All welcome, we just recommend clothes and footwear comfortable enough to move in. The exercises will usually be done standing, but can also be practiced seated.

Language: English (and all should be able to follow the movements)

Join us for a light walk/jog around the running track at Safari Park Hotel to get your body moving and ready for your day ahead. All welcome, you just need to bring yourself and some comfortable shoes!

Language: English

We'll start the day together with reflections on Monday's sessions, short talks from activists and peacebuilders around the world and music from Liboi. 

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic.  

This interactive workshop will offer practical tools for peacebuilders managing stress, preventing burnout, and ensuring emotional resilience in challenging environments.

We'll start by discussing common mental health issues peacebuilders face, like trauma and compassion fatigue. We'll explore evidence-based self-care techniques and invite experts in trauma-informed care and mental wellness share their insights. By the end of the session, you'll leave equipped with practical self-care tools to help empower you to continue your vital peace building work with greater resilience and wellbeing.

Language: English

2025 marks 25 years since the adoption of the UN Security Council Resolution on Women, Peace and Security (WPS). This year is a critical moment to reflect on achievements in WPS so far, as well as examine gaps, and chart a more effective path forward.

For over 25 years, women peacebuilders have advanced the principles of the WPS agenda, yet its potential continues to be sidelined globally. In this session, we will explore how the WPS agenda can be revitalised, rebranded, and localised to meet current realities - building a more strategic, inclusive, and impactful movement.

Through break-out sessions, we will discuss:

• What stories and key messages do we want to communicate?
• Who do we need to reach, and why?
• What do we want to do differently, and what should change in our approaches?
• How can diverse experiences within our community of practice be leveraged into a stronger collective voice? And what would a successful WPS movement look like in 25 years?

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Inspired by humanitarian ceasefires, this session explores the idea of digital ceasefires, building on Access Now's work on the topic ad exploring pauses in online hostilities.

Language: English

In this workshop we will share effective and practical nonviolent strategies that are used by organisations around the world to interrupt violence, “lean into” challenging conflict dynamics, and co-create nonviolent strategies with local communities that are already embedded in cultures where conflict is taking place.

This is an opportunity to learn from people actively involved in interrupting violence in situations of armed conflict, and practice using nonviolent strategies in an interactive setting. We will invite you to work together and draw on real case studies of challenges unarmed civilian protection practitioners have encountered across different contexts to explore the vital role unarmed civilians and nonviolence can play in complex conflict environments.

Language: English

This discussion will explore how women use creative expression - including visual arts, poetry and digital media - as a tool for advocacy and resistance in contexts of repression and censorship. We will create a space for participants to share that creativity and build solidarity. The session will also explore how gender, repression and censorship shape how creative tools are used to advocate for justice and speak out when words are policed. If you attend this session, we will invite you to engage in open dialogue, guided questions and storytelling, as well as art shared from Afghanistan and Myanmar.

You will leave the session with a greater sense of the power of art in resistance and how global networks can show solidarity.

Language: English

The international aid system as we know it is collapsing, and 2025 will be remembered as the year in which everything changed. The dismantling of USAID, combined with cuts from private and public donors, has triggered a funding crisis for large parts of organized civil society globally.

This moment of rupture has revealed what many in civil society and movements have long known: that over-reliance on external resources was always a precarious strategy, which compromised their origins and their autonomy. As international aid continues to decline, civil society faces a choice: continue clinging to shrinking external resources or reimagine the foundations of its financial and political legitimacy. Around the world, communities and their organizations have already been turning to alternative resources — mutual aid, rotating savings, remittances, solidarity economies, and community philanthropy — to fund and sustain their struggles and their ambitions on their own terms. Alongside the financial aspect, these practices are organized in ways that build — and depend on — trust, as well as other non-monetary resources. While there was money in the system, they were given little consideration, dismissed and at times displaced.

This session will consider the different kinds of resources that exist beyond donor money, how they work and how they can be placed at the heart of any future system. Participants will be invited to explore how grassroots resourcing models can be expanded and strengthened, in ways that create social and networked power, as well as new forms of finance.

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Join an interactive discussion on how civil society organizations (CSOs) in the Global South are responding to shrinking civic space, frozen USAID funding, and shifting U.S. immigration policies. These changes have had serious impacts on peacebuilding, human rights, and grassroots organizing worldwide. Drawing on insights from the Global South CSO Forum in Cape Town (July 2025), leaders, researchers, and peacebuilders will share practical strategies for advocacy and solidarity. Participants will learn how local actors are adapting to fast-changing political contexts, strengthening community agency, and finding new ways to sustain long-term efforts for peace and justice. This session is for peacebuilders, advocates, policymakers, and anyone working to support democratic governance and civil society. You will leave with concrete lessons from the field, ideas for collaborative action, and opportunities to connect with others committed to advancing global solidarity.

Language: English

Name It to Tame It: Practice labelling emotional states (e.g., “tired,” “frustrated,” “grateful”) with emotion cards or visuals.

3-2-1 Pause: A quick technique where participants pause to name 3 things they see, 2 things they feel in their body, and 1 internal emotion; promoting presence and emotional regulation. These techniques are introduced with cultural sensitivity, allowing room for silence, prayer, or metaphors relevant to participants’ backgrounds.

Language: English

Join Danceklan as they bring the energy to see you through the afternoon!

Discover how communities in Al-Zubair, southern Iraq, are tackling the combined challenges of climate change, social tensions, and weak governance. Local residents, working through dialogue platforms such as the Youth Advisory Group and Umbrella Committee, have created practical ways to resolve disputes, build trust, and work with local authorities.

This session will share experiences and highlight how locally led initiatives can strengthen social cohesion and support climate security in fragile settings. It is designed for peacebuilders, climate practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors who want to understand community-driven approaches. Participants will leave with lessons and tools they can apply in other conflict-affected contexts where climate pressures and social tensions intersect.

Language: English (primary)

This masterclass explores the intersection of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and peacebuilding. We will focus on communities as the true experts in their own healing, and why this is crucial for creating sustainable peace. We will also explore trauma as the hidden force driving cycles of violence across generations, which remains largely unaddressed in peacebuilding efforts. Against the backdrop of political unrest in the Great Lakes Region in DR Congo, we will share our experiences of community-based healing approaches and cross-border collaboration with partners in Burundi, Uganda, DR Congo and Rwanda. This will be a highly immersive experience that invites participants to co-create a framework for integrating mental health and peacebuilding. We will start with a brief plenary session to put out some thought-provoking questions. Participants will then break into groups and conduct an exercise on connecting MHPSS and peacebuilding from micro to macro levels.

Language: English

Discover how digital platforms can facilitate structured and inclusive dialogues in divided communities. In this session, you’ll hear the stories of real-world uses of these platforms in Sudan and Kenya. In small groups, you’ll get the chance to test the approach by simulating a digital dialogue to bridge divides and build consensus.

Language: English

Cette session examinera comment l’inclusion et la responsabilité peuvent transformer les processus de paix en veillant à ce que les voix des groupes marginalisés y compris les femmes, les personnes handicapées, les jeunes et les communautés minoritaires – ne soient pas seulement entendues mais contribuent activement aux résultats. La discussion mettra en évidence des stratégies pratiques, les défis et les opportunités pour intégrer l’équité et la redevabilité dans les efforts de consolidation de la paix, avec un accent particulier sur la création d’espaces où tous les participants peuvent contribuer de manière significative à une paix durable.

Inclusion and responsibility: Focusing on marginalised voices in peace processes

This session will examine how inclusion and accountability can transform peace processes by ensuring that the voices of marginalised groups – including women, persons with disabilities, young people and minority communities – are not only heard but actively contribute to outcomes. The discussion will highlight practical strategies, challenges and opportunities for integrating equity and accountability into peacebuilding efforts, with a particular focus on creating spaces where all participants can contribute meaningfully to sustainable peace.

Language: French (primary), English

Experience the magic of traditional basketweaving. Learn a mindful craft, reset your nervous system and bond with fellow delegates.

Join our wellbeing partner Thrive to create your own “Resilience Map” with drawing or collage. Your map can share your personal or collective sources of strength, and could include people, values, rituals, music, places, or spiritual beliefs. You can share your map in pairs or keep it private.

The dismantling of USAID by the Trump Administration caused widespread shock around the world. Further cuts to the UN and other multilateral bodies have been announced, and the US Government has made no secret of its hostility towards causes such as Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights and a range of other important causes. These seismic changes are forcing a fundamental rethink of the US government's role in the world. In this provocative and engaging debate, we will hear from two thought leaders from the US who will debate the pros and cons of civil society engagement with the US government, including whether civil society should accept US government funding. Debating the case for engagement is Liz Hume, Executive Director of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, a global network of peacebuilding organisations. Debating the case against engagement is Bridget Moix, Executive Director of the Friends Committee for National Legislation. Come join us for what we hope will be a lively debate!

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

This solidarity space is for anyone interested in hearing from peacebuilders living in contexts, past or present, where genocide has taken place or is taking place.

We will hear from activists from Sudan and Palestine, and will invite others who have similar experiences to share their story. The format for the solidarity space is loose, it is not a panel discussion with pre-set questions. Come along to hear testimony from peacebuilders, supported sensitively by moderators from the NEAR network who will encourage reflection, deep listening and care.

English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Over the past two decades, community philanthropy has quietly emerged as a powerful form of alternative resourcing around the world. From long-standing traditions of mutual aid to bold new experiments in local giving, community philanthropy is about shifting power — fostering cultures of contribution among grassroots communities, middle classes, and local businesses alike.

At its heart, it’s a mindset shift: moving away from dependence on external donors, and toward local ownership, trust, and collective power. Community foundations, women’s funds, other social justice and socio-environmental funds, and grassroots grantmakers have led the way — but now, a growing number of civil society actors are rethinking who their “donors” really are. As funding landscapes become more uncertain, many organizations are re-evaluating their resourcing strategies. Alternative resourcing isn’t just about money — it’s about building legitimacy, connection, and resilience by seeing the communities we serve as co-investors and co-owners, not just beneficiaries. In this session, we will take a tour of the globe to hear examples of what alternative resourcing looks like in different contexts, and how it is often about more than money. We will also create space to get practical, and put any questions or doubts on the table.

If your organization has been affected by recent funding cuts, if you have always wondered why informal giving arrangements that you are part have never been considered as part of the “funding equation” and want to change that, or if you are looking for the inspiration you need to experiment with something new, join us!

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Hear directly from Indigenous peacebuilders as they share stories of peace from across the world’s seven socio-cultural Indigenous regions. The session will also spotlight “Arts for Healing,” a creative peacebuilding initiative in Manipur that works with Indigenous children in internally displaced camps. An Indigenous peacebuilder and artist will join in person to show how art can support healing, resilience, and community-led peace efforts.

Language: English (primary)

This participatory workshop will spotlight the urgent crisis facing journalists in conflict and genocide contexts, with a focus on the life and legacy of Palestinian photojournalist Fatima Hassouneh, killed in Gaza in April 2025. Through multimedia storytelling, dialogue circles, and collaborative exercises, participants will examine frontline experiences, map global threats to press freedom, and co-create advocacy strategies to affirm that journalists are not targets but vital agents of peace and accountability. The session aims to build solidarity across the Global South, amplify frontline voices, and develop concrete tools and joint commitments to protect media workers as part of broader peacebuilding and justice efforts.

This panel discussion will focus on how peacebuilders can successfully navigate working in highly restricted civic spaces. It will start with a presentation on the current state of civic space in conflict contexts. This will lead to a moderated conversation between activists from different regions sharing their experiences of peacebuilding while facing restrictions and repression. The session will include opportunities for audience engagement. You will leave with a deeper understanding of innovative and effective approaches to peacebuilding in restricted contexts.

Language: English

This interactive storytelling session is for anyone working in youth peacebuilding and seeking to connect with others in the space. You will hear an introduction and stories on youth peacebuilding, and then be invited to join the circle and share your own stories, perspectives, and ideas on youth-led approaches. Once you no longer want to contribute to the conversation, you can leave the circle, which opens a spot for someone else to share their story. You will leave the session with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities in youth peacebuilding today. You will also feel more connected to others working in youth peacebuilding, and feeling better equipped to implement youth-led approaches in practical ways in your work.

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Bringing our expertise to one room, in this session, we will come together to answer the question: How do we navigate the current climate, without losing our values as local peacebuilders? The environment and the eco-system have changed drastically, particularly over the past two years. Resources have become scarcer, priorities have shifted, civic space continues to shrink, conflicts are escalating, and militarisation is increasing. An already difficult operating environment has now become untenable, which is why the Peace Starts Here campaign co-creators will host the space for participants to build a playbook together, asking if our current peacebuilders' manifesto is fit for purpose.

Language: English

A space to process common group challenges and to equip peacebuilders with accessible tools for grounding, emotional regulation, and mindful presence that can be used in high-pressure, crisis, or post-conflict contexts. The session emphasises culturally adaptable practices to strengthen personal and collective resilience.

Language: English, French

This interactive workshop will explore how community rituals can strengthen peace. Drawing on the lived experience, knowledge and wisdom of peacebuilders, participants will look at how oral traditions such as storytelling and songs have long been used in community organising. Together, we will distinguish between rituals that divide - such as those rooted in fear and exclusion — and those that unite people by fostering trust, inclusion, and shared identity. Through hands-on exercises and shared reflection, participants will co-create practical approaches for designing rituals that build lasting social cohesion, even in times of tension.

Language: English

This solidarity space is for anyone interested in hearing from peacebuilders living in contexts which are under military rule. Across the world, peacebuilders and activists face unique challenges in places where the military has taken control. We will hear from activists from Myanmar and Mali, and will invite others who have similar experiences to share their story. The format for the solidarity space is loose, and is not a panel discussion with pre-set questions. This is an opportunity to hear testimony from peacebuilders, supported sensitively by moderators who will encourage reflection, deep listening and care.

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

Get your dancing shoes on! Danceklan will teach us some moves before an open-air buffet to give you the energy for dancing together all evening! DJ Almasi will provide the tunes, with a special guest appearance from a local artiste. The Cat's Club will be open late for anyone who wants to carry on dancing after 10pm.

The middle day of Peace Connect is free for you to do what you like. To create space for you to rest and take care of yourself.

If you would like to do some sightseeing, we have some options. You can sign up for them on Monday or Tuesday at the Info Point (costs are estimates based on numbers of people for the trip). Pick up and drop off will be at your hotel or at a central meeting point.

Nairobi National Park - $65 per person. Included: pick up, drop off, park fees, English-speaking driver guide. Not included: food & drinks, tips. Timings: morning (6.30-7.30am to 12.30-1.30pm); or afternoon (12.30-1.30pm to 6.30-7.00pm).

Nairobi National Park, known as ‘The World’s only Wildlife Capital’, is home to a variety of wildlife including black rhinos, lions, leopards, hyenas, buffaloes, giraffes and diverse birdlife with over 400 species recorded.

Karura Forest Guided Walk - $20 per person. Included: entrance fee and English-speaking guide. Not included: food & drinks, tips. Timings: 9.00-9.30am pick up, 12.30-1.00pm return.

The Karura Forest Reserve is Nairobi's largest green space and one of the largest gazetted forests in the world fully within a capital city limits. The forest offers eco-friendly opportunities to enjoy a leafy green respite from the hustle and bustle of the city. Enjoy a guided walk and experience the serenity of nature in all its diversity.

Giraffe Sanctuary - $30 per person. Included: entrance fee. Not included: food & drinks, guide, tips. Timings: 9.00-9.30am pick up, 12.30-1.00pm return.

The Giraffe Centre is the creation of the African Fund for Endangered Wildlife, a Kenyan non-profit organisation. Its main purpose is to educate Kenyan school children and youth on their country’s wildlife and environment, as well as to give local and international visitors an opportunity to come into close contact with the world’s tallest species, the giraffe.

Shopping Trip - $15 per person. Included: transportation. Not included: food & drinks. Timings: 9.00-9.30am pick up, 12.30-1.00pm return.

Shoppers can browse through an array of traditional Maasai products at the Capital Centre, including beadwork, artifacts, and clothing, while enjoying the convenience of the mall’s facilities. Then proceed to the Kazuri bead factory where local artisans craft clay beads.

Footprints4Change - no cost, max number 40 people. Included: transportation, drinks and snacks. Timings: 9.00-9.30am pick up, 12.30-1.00pm return.

Visit this youth-led organisation – which is committed to empowering young people as peace and change agents – and some of their partner organisations and projects in Mathare, an informal settlement in central Nairobi. You will meet with young people and see their peacebuilding work in action.

Make your way to the Jambo to enjoy a morning tea or coffee and get ready to start the day at 9am.

Join us to start your day with some gentle Tai Chi. The session will involve breathing practice, light stretches and Tai Chi movements, all to help bring mind and body together ahead of your day at Peace Connect. All welcome, we just recommend clothes and footwear comfortable enough to move in. The exercises will usually be done standing, but can also be practiced seated.

Language: English (and all should be able to follow the movements)

Join us for a light walk/jog around the running track at Safari Park Hotel to get your body moving and ready for your day ahead. All welcome, you just need to bring yourself and some comfortable shoes!

Language: English

Tune in for lightning talks by selected participants and slam poetry from the DRC.

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

This workshop will bring together people from community-based organisations, exploring how knowledge is shared in their cultures, and how that can reshape the way we approach monitoring and evaluation in peacebuilding. The workshop will begin with a storytelling circle and then we will break into groups to map out how that wisdom is passed on. Following with a creative reflection and discussion, looking to challenge typical approaches to learning. The workshop will close with final circle to share insights and leaving with new ways to think about data and a deep respect for the knowledge you already hold.

Ahead of the annual CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding in Geneva in December 2025, this session will serve as the African regional consultation. Elevating African peacebuilders' collective input into the global policy processes on peacebuilding and providing a platform for African CSOs to articulate priorities and co-develop recommendations for more coordinated UN engagement. This interactive session will open with a keynote speech, followed by a specialist panel discussing four themes: peace and security, human rights, development, and humanitarian issues. Together, we will reflect on local priorities, discuss challenges, and shape recommendations. By connecting regional insights with global policy dialogues, this consultation will enhance African civil society’s meaningful participation and substantive engagement in multilateral processes, reflecting the realities of communities most affected by conflict and crisis.

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

• What aspects of these prototypes are most effective and why?
• What limitations or challenges have emerged in real-world applications?
• What changes are necessary to ensure these models are contextually relevant, sustainable, and transformative across diverse African peacebuilding ecosystems?

Languages: English (primary), French, Spanish, Arabic

In this practical session we will walk you through how to safely document human rights violations and how doing so can help build long-term peace. We will learn about how to accurately and ethically record human rights violations in a conflict setting. The session will involve presentations and case studies as well as interactive exercises. You will leave with a clearer sense of how to use documentation in peacebuilding in a safe and ethical way.

In this session, participants will gain practical skills in using digital tools to track and identify online troll networks, and document patterns of intimidation against peacebuilders or activists. Join us to participate in hands-on exercises using real-world case studies of activists trolled by online coordinated networks, who managed to track and identify the sources of online attacks.

Languages: English (primary)

This interactive session invites participants to step into the roles of four key peacebuilding actors: community members, grassroot organisations/NGOs, policy makers and funders to navigate a fictional crisis. Participants will negotiate, collaborate and make decisions to resolve the crisis amid external pressures, exploring power, partnerships and community led approaches to inclusive peace. The session is designed to surface critical questions: Which relationships matter most for inclusive and sustainable peace? What does peace look like amidst crisis? Participants will leave with practical insights to foster inclusive, resilient and collaborative peacebuilding.

Languages: English (primary)

Have you faced challenges opening a bank account, receiving funds, or making transfers? In this session, we’ll unpack the drivers, especially Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorism Financing measures, that restrict peacebuilders’ and CSOs’ access to financial services. Together, we’ll explore advocacy strategies to address these barriers. We will hear how Hive, a youth-led social-impact organisation from Pakistan, navigated challenges in accessing financial services and exchange experiences with practical alternatives to traditional banking.

Languages: English (primary)

This session will showcase women as artisans and changemakers, through exhibiting their work, powerful stories of impact, and visuals capturing how creativity fuels resistance and hope. Across Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, India, and Pakistan, women peacebuilders have turned traditional craftmaking into a vehicle for resilience, solidarity, and political agency. More than just cultural expression, such craft making has become a safe space for dialogue, connection, and collective action, creating space for women to navigate political and security challenges while asserting both economic and social power. From forging regional connections and sustaining livelihoods, to pushing back against political exclusion, in this session we will explore how women’s craftmaking can preserve cultural knowledge, strengthen communities, and serve as a quiet but powerful connector in fragile contexts.

Re-energise after lunch with an interactive drumming session!

Hear first-hand from peacebuilders working in Sudan, Iraq and Yemen about the real risks they face, including legal, reputational and mental health. You can join the discussion to share and identify common challenges and explore how those risks can be reduced, rather than managed by individuals. This discussion will help shape practical recommendations to mitigating risks, building a collective understanding of how risks are experienced and how they can be better managed and shared by support actors.

This session is an open, collaborative space for participants to engage in deep conversations on issues they care about, from tackling complex challenges to reflecting on shared experiences. Guided by the core question, “How should we respond to this moment and build a safer, more secure world with local leadership at its centre?”, Open Space Technology (OST) invites participants to co-design the agenda for this session and explore diverse perspectives in a supportive, non-hierarchical setting. Our aim is to foster trust through this process, and allow for deeper dialogue, listening, and shared sense-making.

This session is an opportunity to carry on conversations, raise new topics for discussion, and prioritise next steps through an open, democratic process.

The open space space is made up of two recommended sessions (Thursday -  2.30 – 6pm and Friday - 10.30 – 12.30) and an drop in session (Friday: 2.30pm—4pm).

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

In this session, ACAPACA Peru will explore the process currently taking place in Latin America, led by social movements, to develop a new paradigm of international cooperation. The aim of the session is to build connections with organizations from other continents in order to foster a shared dialogue and, hopefully, move towards consensus on how cooperation should evolve in the decades to come.

Languages: Spanish (primary), English, Arabic, French

There are currently 107 conflicts in the world, displacing over 200 million people. 80% of these global conflicts are happening in biodiversity hotspots where Indigenous Peoples live. In April 2024, over 120 Indigenous Peacebuilders from 30 countries met in Washington DC and drafted the First International Declaration on Indigenous Peacebuilding and created a Global Network of Indigenous Peacebuilders, Mediators and Negotiators. This session brings some of the dedicated Indigenous Peacebuilders from PNG, Sudan, Sahel, India-Burma to talk about how they are building peace from ground zero.

Come and learn about the Djembe Drum and play together. Local drummers, Munge's Drum, will teach different rhythms, call and response songs, ice breakers, body percussion and teamwork through drumming.

When conflict and crisis erupt, movements face a critical dilemma: stay on mission or re-strategise to meet urgent community needs. We will explore how movements might transform under pressure, what (new) capacities are needed, and how to remain relevant, resilient, and how existing structures can be used to respond to community needs. Staying the course or shifting ground? Let's find out together!

Languages: English (primary), Arabic

Step into a space of creativity, culture, and connection in this hands-on workshop led by Maasai women artisans from Kajiado County. In this session, you will learn traditional Maasai beadwork techniques that have been passed down for generations.

You'll create your own piece to take home as a meaningful souvenir. This workshop invites you to slow down, take time for yourself, and experience the calming, therapeutic benefits of working with your hands: part of the Peace Connect wellness offerings for peacebuilders to nurture their own wellbeing. At the same time, you will gain insight into Kenya’s rich cultural heritage through the perspectives of the Maasai, one of the country’s most renowned pastoralist and indigenous communities, celebrated for their artistry and vibrant traditions.

The workshop is delivered in partnership with the African Institute for Children Studies (AICS) Scholar Leadership Program, a grassroots initiative led by young Maasai people working to advance education and child welfare in their villages. With traditional crafts also available for purchase, all proceeds and visibility from this session will directly support the education of children from the participating communities.

Language: English

Es una sesión participativa que combina reflexión crítica y creación colectiva para que organizaciones y comunidades identifiquen prácticas de autocuidado territorial y exploren formas de transformar el modelo tradicional de ONG. A través de dinámicas sensoriales y un mural de dibujo rotativo, las y los participantes ensayan cómo integrar la adversidad en procesos comunitarios más resilientes, autónomos y conectados con su entorno.

This is a participatory session that combines critical reflection and collective creation to enable organisations and communities to identify practices for territorial self-care and explore ways of transforming the traditional NGO model. Through sensory activities and a rotating drawing mural, participants explore how to integrate aversity into community processes that are more resilient, autonomous and connected to their environment. This session will be delivered in Spanish. Interpretation will be available for anyone wishing to take part in English, French or Arabic.

As the CIVICUS State of Civil Society Report notes, Civil society is under severe attack in 116 of 198 countries and territories, and 7 in 10 people live in Closed or Repressed countries. In this session, we will hear from activists from Venezuela, Ethiopia and Afghanistan and will invite others who have similar experiences to share their story. The format for the solidarity space is loose, not a panel discussion with pre-set questions. This is an opportunity to hear testimony from peacebuilders, supported sensitively by moderators who will encourage reflection, deep listening and care.

We are living in a time when old systems feel worn out and new possibilities start and stall. Yet, at the edges, people are already creating bold, small-scale practices that hold real potential for change. This session invites participants to rethink transformation - not as a single breakthrough moment, but as a process of connecting the small but powerful efforts already happening around us. Together, we will explore how these fragments of practise, courage and imagination can be woven into something larger, more coherent, and Possible Now.

Tune in for our "Thought of the Day", and Lightning Talks from selected participants.

This interactive workshop is for all who want to engage in imagining the future of peace and reflect on what we can do about it. During the session, you will learn about Transformative Futures methodology and RESPACE PEACE scenarios through videos, cartoons and text. You will also get a sense of what different futures may look like and what your actions and collaborations in these worlds could be. From there, we will focus on our current practices and explore how we need to change them in order to co-create future approaches that could build peace better. You will leave with a better sense of your own and other’s ways of thinking and doing peace and practical ideas on how to build stronger partnerships and strategise more effectively.

Language: English

This one-hour session invites educators, artists, community workers, and activists to explore memory as a powerful tool for peace. You’ll walk through a curated photo exhibit, choosing one image that speaks to you. In silence and then in dialogue, we’ll reflect on what the image means, what stories it holds, and how our own experiences shape how we see. Through this shared process, we’ll unpack dominant narratives and imagine new, more just ones. You’ll leave with fresh perspectives on how memory can challenge violence, inspire empathy, and support social change and with tools you can use in your own communities to foster peace and coexistence.

Language: Spanish, English

Civil society is under pressure worldwide, with shrinking spaces and weakening support systems. This interactive session introduces Reimagining the Future of Civil Society, an initiative from the Global South that responds to this crisis through innovation, collaboration, and collective action. After a short introduction, participants will join a facilitated dialogue to reflect on their own contexts and share strategies for reclaiming civic space. Rather than expert panels, the session prioritises co-creation: working in small groups on real scenarios, exchanging ideas, and exploring approaches that can be adapted across regions. Speakers from diverse contexts will help spark discussion, but participants’ contributions will shape the outcomes. This session is for activists, peacebuilders, and practitioners who want to rethink legitimacy, sustainability, and alliances in civil society. Attendees will leave with practical insights, new allies, and renewed energy to reimagine and rebuild the future of civic action together. This is not a space for passive listening; it’s an invitation to (re)imagine and (re)build, together.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

This session builds an advocacy bridge by weaving together images, storytelling, and strategy to showcase the work of the Just Future Alliance. Through a brief training workshop on multi-level advocacy and an interactive exhibition, participants will journey across the programme’s five years of impact since 2021 — exploring achievements, innovations, and challenges along the way. The event offers a space for programme partners, external stakeholders, and the wider peace and justice community to connect, exchange best practices, and reflect on lessons learned, while envisioning how local realities can continue to shape global change.

Language: English

This hour-long session will introduce peacebuilders to the concepts of inner peace, healing, and wellness. The session will be divided into three parts: Part 1: Check in and scan. We will guide you though a check-in reflection to scan your mind, body, spirit, soul, and heart. Part 2: Introduction to inner peace. You will be guided through a discussion on what inner peace is and the things that disrupt our inner peace. Part 3: Healing and wellness tools and practices. Finally, we will introduce practical healing and wellness tools and practices that you can incorporate into your personal and professional lives.

Language: English

This follow-up session invites participants to return and continue the rich conversations sparked by our first session on Thursday. In this session, participants are invited to continue building on the themes, challenges, and reflections that emerged earlier in the week. In order to join this session, you must have joined the first session on Thursday.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

This solidarity space is for anyone interested in hearing from peacebuilders living in contexts where the very words ‘peace’ and ‘peacebuilding’ are highly contested, and where justice and accountability for war crimes is the primary concern of activists. In this session, we will hear from activists from Ukraine, Syria, Sudan and Afghanistan and will invite others who have similar experiences to share their story. The format for the solidarity space is loose. This is not a panel discussion with pre-set questions. This is an opportunity to hear testimony from peacebuilders, supported sensitively by moderators who will encourage reflection, deep listening and care.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

The institutional architecture of peacebuilding is in crisis. But ordinary people are already building just and durable alternatives. How can grassroots movements be at the center of progressive peacemaking? How can we organise locally and globally to resist structures of violence and build durable, just peace from the ground up? This interactive session invites you to help shape a bold vision: a “People's Ministry of Peace” rooted in justice, nonviolence, and community wisdom. Join us to: Learn about the initiative and insights from past convenings 2. Consult us on how this initiative can strengthen your work, community, and our collective movements for peace and justice 3. Be part of the process onwards, guiding the next stage of collective and collaborative actions.

Language: English

In this interactive workshop, Humanity United and Peacebuilders will present a new Engagement Framework for peacebuilding foreign aid. This framework is based on 8 months of global research in partnership with a diverse network peacebuilders. It articulates a bold new vision for foreign aid, rooted in profound relationships, local ownership, and authentic decision making. The session will summarise the findings and key recommendations from the research, and invite participants to explore the principles, tools, and strategies of the framework by applying it to their contexts. This will identify the systemic obstacles, patterns across peacebuilding contexts, potential areas for advocacy, and the way translocal collaboration can build power to meaningfully shift systems.

Language: English

This interactive session builds on a two-day online consultation held on Platform4Dialogue in September. It is both a space to discuss the consultation’s findings and an opportunity for participants to exchange their own tools, strategies, and lessons learned in adapting their work over recent months.

Together, we will reflect on common challenges, share practical approaches, and explore how these insights can support others facing similar contexts. The session will also invite participants to collectively reimagine the future of the international aid sector, as actors from the Global North and Global South work to reshape the boundaries of collaboration. This is a space for practitioners, policymakers, and civil society actors who want to learn from one another and contribute to building more equitable partnerships.

Language: English

Join Thrive - our wellbeing partner, for a brief, non-religious mindfulness practice rooted in breathing and attention, and the use of metaphors and storytelling. Participants are invited to adapt the practice to their own values or traditions.

Language: English

Energising dance. Danceklan will bring the energy to see you through the afternoon!

Drop in between these times to review the recommendations made through your group discussions and vote on what you want to action and prioritise. In order to join this session, you must have joined the first sessions on Thursday and Friday.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

This solidarity space is for anyone interested in hearing from peacebuilders living in contexts which are typically neglected by the international media and policy community. There are currently over 110 active armed conflicts, most of which do not hit the news and are therefore largely invisible to the international community and to other activists across the world. In this session, we will hear from activists from Cameroon, Yemen and Nepal, and will invite others who have similar experiences to share their story. The format for the solidarity space is loose. This is not a panel discussion with pre-set questions. This is an opportunity to hear testimony from peacebuilders, supported sensitively by moderators who will encourage reflection, deep listening and care.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic

We are living in a time when old systems feel worn out and new possibilities start and stall. Yet, at the edges, people are already creating bold, small-scale practices that hold real potential for change. This session invites participants to rethink transformation - not as a single breakthrough moment, but as a process of connecting the small but powerful efforts already happening around us. Together, we will explore how these fragments of practise, courage and imagination can be woven into something larger, more coherent, and Possible Now.

Language: English, French, Spanish, Arabic