Dear Friend,

News from the Initiative for Peacebuilding

2023 is presenting itself as a year of growing support for peacebuilding. The Initiative for Peacebuilding has been busy developing it’s research, engagement and learning streams.  

We are deeply grateful for a substantial gift which has been given by Mr Alan Myers who is  strongly committed to the imperative to support greater peace through an Initiative for Peacebuilding. The former University Chancellor’s contribution will ensure the continuing growth of the Initiative over the next three years.

Another major development is the University of Melbourne Initiative for Peacebuilding’s (IfPB) coordination of the Bougainville Senior Leadership Professional Development Program (BSLPDP), in partnership with Peace and Conflict Studies Institute Australia (PaCSIA) and Bougainville Women’s Federation (BWF). The BSLPDP has been made possible through the financial support of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and is administered by the Bougainville Partnership. The BSLPDP seeks to support the professional development needs of senior government officials from Bougainville and the Government of Papua New Guinea (GoPNG) to strengthen the development of a unique, ethical and inclusive Bougainville society. The program formally commences in September 2023 and will run through to December 2024.

We appreciate your continuing interest and support. We look forward to deepening our collaborative involvement and seeing you at some of our upcoming events.

Upcoming Events

Join us in-person:

-       On Thursday 10th August at 6pm launch the latest Evatt Journal, 90 Seconds to Midnight, at the Linkway, 4th floor John Medley Building, University of Melbourne. Prof John Langmore will speak alongside Sharan Burrow AC and A/Prof Tilman Ruff AO. Register here.

-       On Friday 18th August 18 2.30-4pm AEST for the Melbourne launch of the publication of The Sparrows of Kabul  by Australian songwriter and diplomat Fred Smith. Fred will speak to this memoir, a personal account of his experiences working on the evacuation of Kabul following the collapse of the Afghan republic on 15 August 2021. Mr Masoom Stanekzai will also share a reflection. Register here

Join us online:

-       On Monday 14th August 1-2pm AEST with  Professor Joseph Lo Bianco in conversation with Dr Tania Miletic about Peacebuilding and Language: discussing issues of justice, communication, and voice.

-       On Monday 16^th October 1-2pm AEST for a conversation with Mr Zabra Yu Siwa exploring CPCS’ experiences from Myanmar and the Philippines to enhance their ‘Process facilitation-centred approach to peacebuilding’.

Staffing

Prof John Langmore continues his contributions as Chair of the Board and Dr Tania Miletic continues as the Initiative's Ass. Director, SSPS. We welcome Professor Joseph Lo Bianco, Dr Gillian Howell, and Dr Lesley Pruitt and our Practitioner Affiliate Denise Nichols AM who are taking increasing roles within the Initiative’s programs. Laura Raicu joins the Initiative on the BSLPDP.

Whilst we are a small team, we have enhanced capacity through the support and collaborations of our associates (mostly from across the University) and key partners especially from the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies.

We are now supervising five PhD scholars because a fifth was successful in winning a scholarship in the most recent round of awards. Each PhD candidate is actively engaging on invaluable research on interventions into violent conflict and peacebuilding approaches.

We invite you to familiarise yourself with the diverse and rich range of Research Affiliates who are developing research collaborations with the Initiative.

Supporting the Initiative

We welcome new subscribers to this newsletter and fostering connections amongst our networks.

We are extremely appreciative of the financial support received by the Initiative to date. For example, one individual donor is paying for the four years of a PhD scholarship in Peace and Conflict Studies.

If you are interested in making a gift, we now have a webpage to facilitate this: