EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation 2023
Peace Mediation in an Evolving Conflict Landscape: Opportunities and Challenges
18-19 October 2023
Sofitel Hotel at Place Jourdan 1, Brussels
Zoom (online)
Get ready for a new edition of the EU CoP23
An agenda shaped by the Community of Practice with your session proposals
The EU CoP23 agenda will be built with the sessions proposed by participants. As in previous years, we welcome proposals that touch on peace mediation issues relevant to the European Union, but are looking forward to new and creative ideas, too.
A convener’s handbook that will help you tailor your session proposal
We have prepared a convener’s handbook that covers all the information necessary to build a session responsive to the EU CoP23 needs. We encourage session conveners to read it carefully so that you may maximise the impact of your session.
A familiar online space where participants can connect and contribute easily
We want online participants to be able to contribute meaningfully to what is going on in the physical space, and the other way around. We are building an intuitive online space where participants can meet, share and learn.
Different session formats with a focus on collaboration and inclusiveness
This edition will put the accent on interactive sessions, enabling different formats. From workshops to interviews and one-on-one conversation, the convener’s handbook outlines some of the recommendations
Key information
Peace Mediation in an evolving conflict landscape: Opportunities and challenges
Location: Sofitel Hotel at Place Jourdan 1, Brussels, and Zoom (online)
Dates: 18-19 October, 2023
Registration: Watch this space for more information about registration in the coming weeks!
Background to the EU CoP23
Organised annually since 2019, the EU Community of Practice on Peace Mediation (CoP) has become the flagship EU event that convenes international actors, policy makers, practitioners, experts, and representatives of civil society in the field of peace mediation from around the globe. It allows discussions on mediation and peace process support and enables knowledge-exchange and constructive reflections on challenges and best practices, feeding directly into EU policy and practice. The CoP stimulates peer learning, expands the global peace-building community and inspires creative thinking.
The first CoP took place in person, while the 2020 and 2021 editions took place in a virtual format amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. The fourth edition in 2022 was held in a hybrid format, with both physical (in Brussels) and online participation. The hybrid format proved its value added and will be maintained in 2023. The physical component will be maintained in Brussels and act as a mediation-hub during the CoP, convening peace mediation practitioners from all over the world. Since May 2023, a Steering Group convened by the EEAS Conflict Prevention and Mediation Support Division and composed of several peacebuilding organisations has led the preparations of the event.
With Russia’s continued aggression against Ukraine, the EU is facing a prolonged war on its doorstep. In consequence, the EU has strengthened its posture on security and defense. However, at the same time, non-violent conflict resolution and mediation between conflict parties is one of the first and foremost crisis response measures of the EU. Peace remains a core EU foreign policy objective.
In light of these challenges, the CoP will highlight the contributions of mediation and dialogue support to the prevention, mitigation and management of conflict. Importantly, it will enable to examine instances of mediation that have yielded positive outcomes, in order to discern effective strategies, and gather concrete recommendations from the practitioner’s community. It will also contribute to the discussion how to further enhance the implementation of the 2020 Concept on EU Peace Mediation, in particular offering a platform to present the reviewed EEAS Peace Mediation Guidelines.