FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - April 13, 2009 (Washington) -- The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) announces the winners from each state and abroad of the National Peace Essay Contest. Fifty American high school students from around the U.S., and one living in South Korea, have written winning essays. Each student has won a $1000 college scholarship and an invitation to Washington, D.C. for an all-expense paid, five-day seminar in June. This year's essay topic was crimes against humanit...

Contact: Jason Gluck, USIP                    +1-202-468-3423 (cell)       +1-202-429-3886                    jgluck@usip.org                        (Erbil, Iraq) -- Officials from the Higher Judicial Council (the supreme federal judicial authority) and the Kurdistan Judicial Council (the supreme regional judicial authority) agreed on the need for increased coordination between their respective authorities and announced the creation of a Joint Coordination Committee during a conference ...

For Immediate Release, May 31, 2009 Contact: Allison Sturma, 202-429-4725 (Washington) -- The United States Institute of Peace (USIP), created and funded by Congress, announced today the formation of a new outreach forum entitled “Congressional Newsmaker Series” to feature Members of Congress speaking at USIP about issues related to war and peace with a special focus on international conflict prevention and resolution. The first guest will be Senator Kit Bond, who will address issues relate...

  Contact:   Lauren Sucher +1-202-429-3822 lsucher@usip.org   (Washington) -- The staff and board of directors at the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) wish our colleague, Ambassador Frank Ricciardone, much success in his new upcoming mission as Deputy Ambassador at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan. While at USIP, Ricciardone had been on leave from the U.S. Department of State, and will soon report to his new post. Ricciardone joined the Foreign Service in 1978 and has serv...

Contact: Lauren Sucher +1-202-429-3822 lsucher@usip.org (Washington) -- Ambassador Jan Eliasson will be joining the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) as a Senior Visiting Scholar on March 18, 2009. He will participate in several Institute events, including a seminar on mediation and be a keynote speaker at a new U.S.-U.N. forum initiated by the Institute’s Center for Conflict Prevention. During his stay at USIP, Ambassador Eliasson will focus on how to strengthen transatlantic rela...

(Washington) — United States Institute of Peace (USIP) board of directors member Ron Silver passed away at his home in New York City on Sunday, March 15, 2009. USIP staff and board of directors will remember in Ron an accomplished, personable, dedicated colleague who served the Institute with distinction.

Contact: Lauren Sucher +1-202-429-3822 lsucher@usip.org   (Washington) – The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) is pleased to announce the arrival of a staff expert on Pakistan-- an American born in India with decades of South Asia expertise-- and a new Jennings Randolph Senior Fellow-- a Pakistani recently nominated as a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum. Dr. Rodney W. Jones is joining USIP's Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention as a Program Officer. Over ...

Contact: Lauren Sucher +1-202-429-3822 lsucher@usip.org   (Washington) — The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has named Lauren Sucher Acting Director of Public Affairs. Previously Assistant Director for Media Relations, Sucher will assume management responsibility for the Institute’s Web team, a writer and departmental assistant. Her goal is to increase the Institute’s visibility by integrating the organization’s online presence with its media outreach. Tara Sonenshine, USIP’...