November 21, 2002 (WASHINGTON) -- The U.S. Commission of Fine Arts today enthusiastically approved the concept design of the United States Institute of Peace's headquarters, to be built at the intersection of 23rd St. and Constitution Ave. NW in Washington, adjacent to the National Mall. The Commission advises the U.S. and District of Columbia governments on architectural and artistic matters that affect the capital city's appearance. The headquarters "is a wonderful building in the ...

WASHINGTON--The United States Institute of Peace mourns the passing of the eminent Israeli scholar Ehud Sprinzak, who succumbed to throat cancer on Nov. 8 at the age of 62. An expert on terrorism and right-wing extremism in Israeli politics and society, Sprinzak had been a senior fellow at the Institute in 1997-98 and a grantee in 1990. Institute President Richard Solomon remembered Sprinzak as an exemplar of the Institute's bridge-building role. For example, he convened two major conferenc...

WASHINGTON—While the Bush administration presses Iraq to end its weapons-of-mass-destruction programs and threatens to use force if Saddam Hussein fails to comply with UN Security Council resolutions, it is important also to explore means of bringing about regime change in Baghdad by nonviolent means. Even if such efforts fail to bring down Hussein, they may help to shorten war or reduce casualties. If successful, they would improve the prospects for a democratic regime post-Hussein. To exam...

WASHINGTON--Macedonia won its independence constitutionally and without violence in 1991 and was often praised by outsiders in the succeeding decade for the way it handled human rights, but recent years have posed enormous challenges. Charges of discrimination against Albanians and inequitable representation in the public administration and public sector companies have roiled ethnic relations. Disruption of trade because of sanctions against Yugoslavia and the Greek embargo against Macedonia,...

WASHINGTON—A facet of Afghanistan's reconstruction to which little attention and scant resources have been directed is the need for free and independent media. This is a crucial component of any open and transparent democratic system, but making it happen in Afghanistan will be a huge challenge, even if the requisite energy and resources are brought to bear. This is largely because Afghanistan has never had a free press. Americans take press freedom for granted, but the concept is foreign and...

WASHINGTON--With elections having occurred or soon to occur this fall in Bosnia (October 5), Kosovo (October 26), Macedonia (September 15), Montenegro (October 6), and Serbia (September 29), the international community is watching the region to see if moderate, reform-minded politicians can withstand nationalist forces at the polls. The triumph of peace agreement supporters in Macedonia last weekend is encouraging, but in much of the rest of the region nationalists seem to hold the upper hand...

The Peace Scholar fellowship recipients represent a diverse array of academic disciplines--political science, sociology, anthropology, history and others--and a cross-section of leading universities across the United States. The Peace Scholar Program is one of the Institute's most competitive. This year's winners were selected in a rigorous competition from more than 144 applicants from 58 universities in 25 states, the District of Columbia, and 35 foreign countries. The program is open to a...

WASHINGTON, July 12, 2002 –The United States Institute of Peace mourns the passing of John Wallach, a tireless and heroic advocate for peace in the Middle East and elsewhere. Mr. Wallach died in New York on Wednesday, July 10 after a long struggle with lung cancer. He was 59. Mr. Wallach was a great friend to the U.S. Institute of Peace, having been a senior fellow in 1997-98, a multiple grantee and a participant in numerous Institute programs and events. After a long and distinguished care...