2020: The Year to Make Peacebuilding the Norm

15 years ago, a thousand peacebuilders from across the globe traveled to the United Nations (UN) in New York. It was time to unite. The door at the UN had opened when in 2001 the then-UN Secretary General Kofi Annan urged ‘NGOs with an interest conflict prevention to organise an international conference of local, national and international NGOs on their role in conflict prevention and future interaction with the United Nations in this field.’ In response to his call, the Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict (GPPAC) was born, and its Global Action Agenda launched in 2005. The moment had come for a fundamental shift in the way violent conflict was dealt with in the 21st century -from reaction to prevention. 
 

This year we will put collective action at the forefront, because we believe that collaboration is at the heart of effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding.

Now, 15 years down the line, GPPAC and the field of peacebuilding have come a long way. Not only have we become the largest global civil society network on conflict prevention and peacebuilding, the field is growing and increasingly leaving marks of positive change. The word peacebuilding has finally found its way in the dictionary and conflict prevention has risen to the top of the UN agendas. Now, 20 years after the adoption of UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 on Women, Peace and Security, 83 UN Member States have developed and are implementing National Action Plans to make strides for inclusive, peaceful societies. 5 years ago, UNSCR 2250 on Youth, Peace and Security was also adopted, paving the way for greater inclusivity in peacebuilding.

2020 is also a year to look forward. Forward - for a world where peacebuilding is the norm. And forward - for collective action on preventing conflict worldwide.  These important anniversaries provide us the opportunity to highlight the importance of multilateralism and collective action, at a moment in which these principles are being questioned and undermined. This year we will put collective action at the forefront, because we believe that collaboration is at the heart of effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding. As always, we will bring the voices that matter to multilateral processes to strive to inclusive societies. 
 

2020 is the year to make violent conflict a thing of the past and to make peacebuilding the norm.

For example, through regional consultations, we will provide a pathway for an improved UN Peacebuilding Architecture, so that it can better respond to the specific needs of the regions. Beyond that, we will continue to show the importance of the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals and how civil society is the key for successful implementation. We will also continue our work with Regional Intergovernmental Organisations (RIGOs) to strengthen regional architectures to do effective conflict prevention and peacebuilding by enhancing cooperation between regional organisations and civil society.

This year, just like 15 years ago, we will bring together peacebuilders from all across the globe. 2020 is the year to make violent conflict a thing of the past and to make peacebuilding the norm. We know that, together we can make it happen