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 February 10, USIP hosted a discussion with Iraq’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein during his first visit to the United States since assuming his role under the new government.
On February 8, USIP hosted a discussion on strategic competition between the United States and China in space. The conversation featured the lead author of a new USIP report on the topic, as well as space scholars and experts from the U.S. government, as they explored how to best tackle these complex challenges.
On February 8, USIP hosted a conversation on why supporting Ukraine’s democratic processes and institutions is pivotal for Ukraine to both win the peace for its own people and become a much-needed beacon of democracy for the regional neighborhood and beyond.
On February 3, USIP hosted a conversation with conflict mediator, acclaimed poet and host of the popular podcast “Poetry Unbound" Pádraig Ó Tuama and bestselling author and Washington Post columnist Amanda Ripley. The discussion reflected on how poetry and language can capture the destruction of conflict, as well as how the arts can help build peace.
On January 20, USIP hosted a panel of experts to discuss the issue of unplanned decarbonization in Africa and the Middle East. Diverse cases, including Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria, and Iraq, shed light on the variations in elite pacts and political economies, the different kinds of decarbonization, and their contrasting international contexts.
On January 19, USIP and Voice of America hosted a discussion with journalists and media experts about the challenges facing media in Afghanistan today and what those both inside and outside the country are doing — and can do — to protect media freedom and continue their work safely. The conversation also looked at lessons from other authoritarian contexts to discuss what has worked to preserve media freedom in hostile environments.
On January 12, USIP hosted a discussion on the challenges of nonviolent activism during periods of political transition. The conversation reflected on how recent political transitions initiated by peaceful protests in Armenia and Tunisia have unfolded and consider the role, if any, that external supporters have to play in helping pro-democracy forces navigate these barriers to progress.
On January 10, USIP hosted a discussion on the dynamics of women and youth activism in contemporary nonviolent movements. The conversation featured researchers and activists as they reflect on why participation from women and young people helps movements succeed, how women and youth participation in civic movements has evolved over time, and the challenges that women and youth face in their efforts to build better futures.
On December 16, USIP, the National Democratic Institute, the International Republican Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems held an in-person conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria.
On December 8, USIP held a conversation on the evolution of U.S. sanctions and how they can be used more effectively to resolve international conflicts without violence. The discussion looked at how U.S. sanctions have changed throughout history, how they work today, where they might go in the future and how they can contribute to ending the ongoing war in Ukraine.