Events At Usip

For the past 20 years, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) has convened national security leaders after every change in administration to affirm the peaceful transfer of power and the bipartisan character of American foreign policy through its signature Passing the Baton event.

While the fall of the Berlin Wall is now celebrated as a symbol of the end of the Cold War, the immediate aftermath was a tumultuous period which could easily have resulted in chaos and conflict. The remarkable diplomatic efforts that reunified Germany offered a blueprint for nations to pursue a shared vision of a Europe whole and free and at peace with Russia as a partner, not an adversary.

USIP held a discussion on the underlying political dynamics that are driving this current movement—as well as a look at the tactics the protestors have deployed to mobilize in Thailand’s restrictive environment, where the protest movement may go from here, and how the U.S. government might constructively respond.

The co-chairs and members of the Senior Study Group joined to discuss their work and the report’s conclusions. The conversation will tackle topics such as U.S. interests in South Asia amid China’s growing role, Beijing’s interests in and approach toward the region, China-Pakistan relations, China-India relations, and China’s relations with the smaller South Asian states.

USIP hosted distinguished journalists from the region to shed light on the challenges of the past year, share personal insights from the ground, and discuss what we can expect from South Asian governments and media outlets going forward.

USIP launched two publications—"Why Burma’s Peace Efforts have Failed to End its Internal Wars” and “The Arakan Army in Myanmar: Deadly Conflict Rises in Rakhine State”—which explore the implications of the deadly conflict in Rakhine State, as well as possible new directions for ending Myanmar’s internal wars.

USIP held a discussion on citizen and movement efforts, including those in Guatemala, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe. This event featured activists, scholars of nonviolent action, and international donors to explore the various ways bottom-up pressure can be used to make governments more open, hold leaders accountable, and prevent and curb corruption.

USIP held a discussion with the co-chair of the Global Coalition on Youth, Peace, and Security and two youth peacebuilders as they reflected on the tangible progress that has been made on the YPS agenda since the passage of Resolution 2250, as well as the challenges to effective implementation of the agenda around the world. 

For the last eight years, the annual PeaceCon conference has offered a dynamic platform for frontline peacebuilders, policymakers, philanthropists, and private sector and civil society leaders working at the nexus of peacebuilding, security, and development to engage in meaningful dialogue and develop substantive plans for action. This year’s conference—with the theme “Pandemics, Peace, and Justice: Shaping What Comes Next”— explored the relationship between justice and peacebuilding in the context of COVID-19 and the worldwide reckoning over systemic injustice and racism.

With rapid technological change, shifting global demographics, and tectonic geopolitical shifts, the world faces an inflection point—where the choices that leaders make in the coming years will have profound implications for generations. In response to this moment, former Secretary of State George P. Shultz organized a project at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution called Hinge of History: Governance in an Emerging World to explore what these shifts mean for global democracy, economies, and security.

USIP held a virtual discussion on the future of water conflict and water diplomacy. Environmental peacebuilding experts and activists from Burma, India, and Pakistan discussed the strategies they use to mitigate water conflict risks in their countries, as well as examine insights from a new USIP report, “Water Conflict Pathways and Peacebuilding Strategies,” that may help develop early warning indicators for emerging water-based conflicts.

The RESOLVE Network and USIP held a discussion about these challenges and more during part one of RESOLVE’s fifth annual Global Forum series. Convened virtually, the forum brought together leading experts and researchers for thought-provoking conversations on evolving trends and dynamics in the violent extremist landscape. 

USIP hosted Declan Walsh for a discussion of his new book, “The Nine Lives of Pakistan: Dispatches from a Divided Nation,” which analyzes the complexities of the country’s power dynamics, ethnic and religious conflicts, and identity crisis through the lens of nine individuals from diverse backgrounds.

USIP held a discussion of the ongoing situation in Kyrgyzstan and its implications for peace and stability in Central Asia. The conversation examined how organized crime, youth mobilization, social media, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic have factored into the crisis. The discussion also analyzed how the United States and the region, including Kyrgyzstan’s Central Asian neighbors and Russia, are assessing and responding to the developments.  

USIP hosted prominent experts and policymakers for a discussion on possible solutions for resolving the ongoing conflict. The event examined the current status of peace negotiations, as well as what a settlement might look like, the war’s political and social consequences and how COVID-19 has exacerbated its effects, and how regional dynamics—including instability in neighboring Belarus—have the potential to influence Ukraine's security situation.

USIP and the U.S. Civil Society Working Group on Women, Peace and Security joined to mark the 20th anniversary of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1325. The discussion examined how countries are expanding on the Women, Peace and Security agenda by adopting feminist foreign policy frameworks.

USIP and the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) joined for a panel discussion featuring peacebuilding experts and practitioners from the Middle East. The online conversation will look at the implications of COVID-19 on peacebuilding at the local level in three particular Middle Eastern contexts—Yemen, Syria, and Iraq.

USIP and Afrobarometer joined for a first look at Afrobarometer’s latest survey research and results, as well as a discussion on how the data can help guide U.S. government policy in Africa and provide key insights for policymakers on trends and potential threats to peace and security in Africa.

USIP held an in-depth presentation and discussion of the World Bank’s new publication, “The Fallout of War: The Regional Consequences of the Conflict in Syria.” The panel included the report’s lead author as well as regional experts who provided insight on the economic and social effects that the Syrian conflict has had on its neighbors.

USIP hosted an event that explored how and where the Catholic Church is able—or has the potential—to effectively support peace processes and people power movements by operating at the grassroots, engaging at the formal level, and liaising in between.