PN Member Franziska Brantner Initiates a European Institute of Peace

Franziska Brantner has initiated a Europe-wide discussion on the European Union’s role in peace mediation. After preparatory workshops in Paris, Berlin and Sofia, policy makers and experts from Europe and beyond will gather at the European Parliament on May 28th for one of the largest conferences ever on this issue. The initiative to create a European Institute of Peace, promoted by Franziska Brantner and others, will feature prominently in the debate on the EU’s mediation capacities. [...]

The promotion of peace and the prevention of conflict have been key drivers in the development of the European Union, as recognised by the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize. The creation of the European External Action Service, with its global network of EU Delegations and a dedicated mediation support team, has enhanced the EU’s capacity for peace mediation over the last couple of years.

This high level conference will bring together policy makers and practitioners from the EU, the United Nations and civil society to examine the contribution of the European Union to mediation. As well as the activities undertaken directly by the EU and its Delegations, the conference will examine the EU’s cooperation with partners including the UN and civil society organisations which are active in the field of mediation. The conference will examine the strengths and weaknesses of existing tools and consider possible steps to further improve EU mediation capacity, including an assessment of the proposal to establish a European Institute of Peace for mediation and dialogue.

The speakers contributing to the conference will include along with Franziska Brantner: Elmar Brok, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, Pierre Vimont, Executive Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Helga Schmid, Deputy Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Eamon Gilmore and Carl Bildt, foreign ministers of Ireland and Sweden respectively, as well as mediation experts from the UN and civil society.

The conference series was initiated by Franziska Brantner and is organised by the European Parliament, the Irish presidency of the EU Council and the European External Action Service, in cooperation with the European Policy Centre. [...]

Originally published on Franziska Brantner's homepage.

Photo by boellstiftung.