As a national, nonpartisan, independent Institute, the U.S. Institute of Peace draws on our exceptional convening power to create opportunities for diverse audiences to exchange knowledge, experiences, and ideas necessary for creative solutions to difficult challenges. We serve as an important, neutral platform for bringing together government and nongovernment, diplomacy, security, and development actors, and participants across political views. The Institute’s events help shape public policy and priorities to advance peaceful solutions to conflict and strengthen international security.
On August 18, USIP hosted a discussion with experts that unpacks the conduct and results of the elections, as well as examines the nature and shape of the new parliament and how it bodes for the future of democracy, rule of law, and intercommunal harmony in Sri Lanka.
USIP and the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime (GI-TOC) hosted a presentation of recently published research on drug issues in the region. USIP experts discussed their research on drug trafficking and consumption in Libya, while GI-TOC experts analyzed trends in the Maghreb as a whole.
USIP hosted CENTCOM Commander General Kenneth McKenzie and other experts for a discussion on the challenges of the post-ISIS landscape across Syria and Iraq, as well as the military’s role working alongside diplomacy and development to achieve the enduring defeat of ISIS and long-term stabilization.
As the world navigates the COVID-19 pandemic, rising conflict, and growing demands for justice, the need for individual, societal, and international compassion and resilience has never been more urgent. USIP hosted His Holiness the Dalai Lama, USIP President and CEO Nancy Lindborg, and Generation Change Fellows for a virtual dialogue.
On August 6, USIP and ODI hosted a panel discussion featuring peacebuilding experts and practitioners from North Africa. The online conversation looked at the implications of COVID-19 on peacebuilding at the local level in three particular North African contexts: Libya, Tunisia, and Egypt.
On August 4, USIP held an expert panel discussion on the impacts of COVID-19 in Syria. The panel featured field-based medical practitioners who provided on-the-ground insight on the pandemic’s effects in northern Syria, specifically among displaced populations within Syria.
On July 31, USIP hosted activists and scholars of nonviolent resistance for a discussion of the book’s broader lessons on how to support democratization efforts around the world. The conversation explored new insights into the intersection of democratization and nonviolent resistance, as well as actionable recommendations for activists and policymakers working toward democratic transitions.
On July 28, USIP hosted the honorary co-chairs of the National Prayer Breakfast, Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Rep. Tom Suozzi (D-NY). As two of the leading advocates for religious freedom in the world, the congressmen shared their experiences advancing issues of international religious freedom in Congress and abroad.
On July 24, USIP hosted Ambassadors Roya Rahmani of Afghanistan, Javlon Vakhavbov of Uzbekistan, and Erzhan Kazykhanov of Kazakhstan for a virtual discussion on how the peace process can improve opportunities for greater regional connectivity and stability around areas of mutual interest, including security, trade, and transit. U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan Reconciliation Zalmay Khalilzad provided remarks on the important role of Central Asia in the Afghan peace process.
On July 22, USIP hosted two co-founders of the bipartisan Congressional Pacific Islands Caucus for a discussion that outlined these challenges and opportunities, as well as their proposals to coordinate the next era of the United States’ engagement in the Pacific.