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This Week in Peace #110: January 9th

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France and UNDP Partner to Strengthen Peace and Recovery in Lebanon

France and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are expanding support for Lebanon’s recovery following the November 2024 ceasefire, focusing on security, basic services, livelihoods, and governance reforms. More than a year after the ceasefire, Lebanon continues to face significant challenges, including over 113,000 displaced people, widespread land contamination, and weakened public services.

France’s contribution has helped UNDP support the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) in extending state authority and implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Assistance includes support for soldiers’ families to maintain morale and operational readiness, as well as civil-military cooperation projects to rehabilitate clinics, schools, and water systems. Mine action teams are also clearing contaminated land, allowing communities to safely return to farming and daily life.

Beyond security, UNDP-backed programs aim to prevent renewed tensions by strengthening municipal services, expanding community mediation networks, and restoring access to water, waste management, and health care. Livelihood recovery has focused in particular on women-led cooperatives and small businesses, supported through grants, equipment, solar energy, and access to e-commerce platforms.

France’s support also extends to longer-term governance reforms, including the digitalization of public services, electoral system modernization, and justice sector reforms. Together, these efforts aim to turn Lebanon’s fragile peace into more durable stability while rebuilding trust between citizens and state institutions.

Peace Remains Elusive for Ukraine Despite Renewed Diplomatic Efforts

As the new year begins, prospects for a peace agreement between Ukraine and Russia remain uncertain despite renewed diplomatic activity led by the United States. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a proposed peace plan is “90% ready,” but warned that the remaining issues are fundamental. While US officials have struck a more optimistic tone, many Ukrainians remain wary after nearly four years of full-scale war.

Recent talks followed the leak of an earlier US- and Russia-drafted proposal that would have required Ukraine to give up the Donbas region. Zelenskyy, backed by European allies, rejected the plan and began working with Washington on a revised approach. However, Russian officials have indicated they will only accept an agreement addressing what they describe as the “root causes” of the conflict, leaving little sign of imminent compromise.

Inside Ukraine, exhaustion is growing as civilians endure another winter of air raids, power cuts, and prolonged family separations. While some remain opposed to territorial concessions, others say they would accept a poor deal if it meant an end to the fighting. Zelenskyy has also reshuffled his leadership team, appointing intelligence chief Kyrylo Budanov as chief of staff, a move seen as signaling a possible shift in security and negotiation strategy.

Political pressure is mounting as debates continue over elections, which are currently barred under martial law. Analysts say meaningful negotiations are unlikely unless several conditions change, including stronger European support, a stabilization of the frontline, and increased economic strain on Russia.

Venezuela Begins Releasing Political Detainees in Gesture Toward Peace

Venezuela has begun releasing political detainees in what authorities describe as a goodwill gesture aimed at “consolidating peace” and promoting national unity. The move follows the US seizure of President Nicolás Maduro and comes amid heightened international pressure over political repression in the country.

Among those released are former opposition presidential candidate Enrique Márquez and prominent human rights lawyer Rocío San Miguel, who holds dual Venezuelan-Spanish nationality. Spain’s foreign ministry confirmed the release of five Spanish nationals, calling it a positive step. Opposition leader María Corina Machado welcomed the releases, saying they showed that injustice would not prevail indefinitely.

The Venezuelan government has not disclosed how many detainees are being freed. Human rights organizations estimate that between 800 and 1,000 political prisoners remain in custody, many detained following protests after the disputed 2024 election. As of late Thursday, only a small number of releases had been independently confirmed, prompting activists to urge caution based on past announcements that were only partially fulfilled.

Officials framed the releases as a unilateral effort to foster peaceful coexistence. US President Donald Trump praised the move as a sign that Venezuela was “seeking peace” and said it led him to cancel a planned second wave of attacks. Attention has also turned to El Helicoide, a notorious detention center in Caracas, where some areas are reportedly being vacated, though human rights groups warn that other detention sites remain active.

Families of detainees gathered outside prisons across the country, reflecting cautious hope alongside lingering uncertainty. Rights groups say sustained monitoring will be needed to determine whether the releases represent a meaningful shift or remain symbolic gestures.

Keywords: peace, conflict resolution, Lebanon, UNDP, France, Ukraine, Russia, diplomacy, Venezuela, political prisoners, human rights

Launching Thailand’s First Women, Peace and Security National Action Plan (2025–2027): From Commitment to Collective Action

By
Duanghathai Buranajaroenkij and Naruedee Janthasing
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December 17, 2025, marks a significant milestone for Thailand with the launch of its first National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (WPS NAP) for 2025–2027. This moment is long overdue, yet deeply timely. In a region and a world facing intersecting crises, i.e., protracted conflicts, political polarization, climate-related disasters, and widening social inequalities, the WPS NAP provides Thailand with a structured, and accountable framework to rethink peace and security through a gender lens. At its core, the WPS NAP is not merely a policy document. It is a mechanism that encourages duty-bearers and stakeholders to pause, reflect, and critically assess how peace and security initiatives are designed, implemented, and evaluated. It calls for stronger gender sensitivity, deeper inclusivity, and more transparent accountability, moving beyond rhetoric toward practice.

A Vision Grounded in Gender Equality and Human Security

The vision of Thailand’s WPS NAP is clear and ambitious: gender equality is a key driving force in preventing and resolving conflict and in addressing threats to human security, ultimately leading to sustainable peace and development. This vision reframes peace not as the absence of violence, but as a condition rooted in dignity, rights, participation, and justice. Notably, the NAP recognizes that women are not only affected by conflict and insecurity; they are also agents of change. Their experiences, leadership, and knowledge, whether in formal institutions or informal community spaces, are essential to building lasting peace.

The Four Pillars: Translating Global Commitments into National Action

Thailand’s WPS NAP is structured around four interlinked pillars, each with concrete indicators to guide implementation and monitoring. 

Pillar 1: Participation strengthens women’s role in peace and security at all levels. This includes increasing women’s representation in security-related institutions, peace mechanisms, and decision-making spaces. It also means supporting women’s leadership in peacebuilding initiatives. Beyond numbers, the emphasis is on participation that is influential, recognized, and sustained. 

Pillar 2: Protection addresses the safety and rights of women and girls in situations of conflict and insecurity. The NAP prioritizes protection from gender-based violence, including sexual violence, as well as safeguarding women’s rights when they engage in peace processes or social justice advocacy. It also stresses collaboration between state agencies and civil society to ensure that protection mechanisms are accessible, trusted, and effective. 

Pillar 3: Prevention values gender perspectives in early warning systems, security policies, and conflict prevention strategies. This pillar recognizes women’s roles in identifying risks, preventing escalation, and building community resilience. It also underscores the need to prevent gender-based violence and structural inequalities that can fuel insecurity over time. 

Pillar 4: Relief and Recovery ensures  women, particularly those in vulnerable situations, can access justice, services, and recovery after conflict or crisis. This means  participating in post-conflict planning, relying  on justice mechanisms, and working in community-led recovery efforts that address both immediate needs and long-term inequalities.

Together, these pillars move the WPS agenda from principle to action , offering a clear roadmap for comprehensive prevention, response, and transformation.

Guiding Principles: How the NAP Will Be Implemented

Equally important are the principles that guide the implementation of the WPS NAP. First, the NAP is firmly grounded in gender equality. This means addressing power relations, challenging discrimination, and ensuring that policies do not reinforce gender stereotypes or exclusions. Gender equality is treated not as a standalone issue, but as integral to peace and security. Second, the NAP adopts a human rights–based approach. Peace and security efforts must support dignity, accountability, participation, and non-discrimination. This principle strengthens trust between institutions and communities, particularly in contexts where security measures have historically generated fear or exclusion. Third, the NAP emphasizes responding to diverse needs. Women are not a homogeneous group. Their experiences are shaped by age, ethnicity, religion, disability, geography, and socio-economic status. A one-size-fits-all approach is insufficient; inclusive peace requires policies and budgets that recognize and respond to this diversity.

Expected Impacts: From Recognition to Transformation

The NAP’s impacts go beyond institutional reform. At the community level, it  seeks to increase recognition of women’s roles and capacities in peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and resilience. Women’s contributions, often invisible or undervalued, are to be acknowledged, supported, and scaled up. At the same time, the NAP aims to increase women’s participation in formal decision-making spaces related to peace and security. When women are meaningfully involved in policy making, outcomes are more inclusive, legitimate, and sustainable. This shift contributes directly to human security, social cohesion, and long-term stability.

A Stock-Taking Exercise and a Platform for Collaboration

At this stage, the WPS NAP also serves as a stock-taking exercise. It recognizes the significant efforts already undertaken by diverse actors, state institutions, civil society organizations, women’s networks, and local communities, many of whom have been advancing WPS principles long before the NAP existed. Acknowledging these contributions is essential for building trust and avoiding duplication. Looking ahead, the real promise of the NAP lies in its potential to foster stronger collaboration. By encouraging joint planning, shared indicators, and cross-sectoral dialogue, the NAP can help dismantle siloed approaches to peace and security. Joined-up work across ministries, between the state and civil society, and from the local to the national level is crucial for addressing complex, interconnected challenges.

Centering Women and Youth in Thailand’s WPS Future

Thailand already has an active and diverse WPS network comprising civil society organizations and women’s groups from across the country. This provides a strong foundation for implementation and monitoring of the NAP. Moving forward, it is vital that women’s groups and youth organizations are not only consulted, but meaningfully engaged and empowered. Their voices, creativity, and lived experiences are indispensable to shaping peace and security efforts that are relevant and transformative. The launch of Thailand’s first WPS National Action Plan is a starting point —an invitation to reflect, collaborate, and act collectively. Whether the NAP becomes a living framework for change will depend on sustained political will, adequate resources, and the continued engagement of all those committed to peace grounded in equality, rights, and human security.

Keywords: women, peace, security, Thailand, gender equality, peace-building, empowerment

Voices Against Violence: Young Nigerian Peace Ambassadors Changing Lives in Conflict Zones 

By
Mohammed Ibrahim
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Nigeria is still experiencing several conflicts in different parts of the country, largely linked to ethnic and religious tensions. These include the Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East region and the herder–farmer crisis in the North-Central region.

These conflicts have claimed many lives and led to the destruction of property across the affected regions. In response, the government and other peace advocates have introduced various initiatives to promote religious tolerance and unity in these areas.

In communities where fear, displacement, and insecurity have disrupted daily life, a new generation of peacebuilders is rising. These are young Nigerians choosing dialogue over division and hope over violence. 

Across conflict-affected and underserved regions of the country, these youth are proving that peace is not imposed from the top but built from within communities.

This growing movement gained national attention during Youth4YouthAfrica’s 2025 National Week of Impact, a youth-led initiative that engaged over 30,000 Nigerians in 18 states and fostered youth participation in peace education and dialogue.

At the heart of the initiative were 220 trained Peace Ambassadors, who were young people equipped to translate global peace frameworks into local action, particularly in areas recovering from insurgency, communal violence, and systemic exclusion.

The virtual training aimed to reach as many youth as possible, especially those from conflict-prone areas within the regions.

According to Fatima Adam, Founder and Executive Director of Youth4YouthAfrica and a Peace Ambassador, the initiative demonstrates the transformative power of youth leadership in fragile contexts.

“Young Africans, when trained, trusted, and supported, create transformation at scale,” Adam said. “Our ambassadors go into communities that institutions often struggle to reach, and they do so with empathy, strategy, and deep knowledge of local needs.”

Peacebuilding in the Midst of Insecurity

Held from 17 to 24 November 2025, the National Week of Impact focused on four Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): Quality Education (SDG 4), Gender Equality (SDG 5), Climate Action (SDG 13), and Peace, Justice & Strong Institutions (SDG 16). Among these, peacebuilding emerged as a central pillar, especially in conflict-affected states such as Borno, Taraba, Niger, Kaduna, and Edo.

Organizing peace interventions in these regions was far from straightforward. Insecurity and restricted movement limited access to some communities, while trauma shaped how openly participants could engage. Schools and learning centers in post-conflict areas operated under tight schedules and heightened caution, requiring careful coordination. Language barriers, weak infrastructure, and limited timeframes further tested implementation.

Discussing peace and justice in fragile environments also demanded sensitivity. Conversations often surfaced painful personal experiences of violence, displacement, and loss. Yet, despite these constraints, the programme succeeded largely because it was led by young people who understood the realities on the ground.

Through peer-to-peer facilitation, local languages, and community trust, Youth4YouthAfrica’s Peace Ambassadors created safe, inclusive spaces for dialogue. These spaces allowed students and women, many of whom had never participated in civic discussions to speak openly about their experiences and aspirations.

Peace Ambassadors in group photograph with teenagers after peacebuilding programs across different schools in states experiencing conflicts

Turning Peace into a Lived Responsibility

Rather than treating peace as an abstract concept, the ambassadors reframed it as a daily, personal responsibility. Across multiple states, young people were engaged through dialogue-based sessions, creative expression, spoken word performances, analogical games, and community discussions centered on SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions.

In Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State and a city deeply affected by insurgency, students openly discussed how violence had disrupted their education and family lives. These conversations culminated in collective pledges to reject violence, support one another, and promote coexistence within their schools and neighborhoods.

Rather than responding to insecurity with fear or silence, participants were encouraged to see themselves as active peacebuilders capable of shaping safer, more inclusive environments. 

In total, the programme reached over 1,000 young people directly through peace education, fostering empathy, dialogue, and a renewed commitment to nonviolence, according to the organizer. 

Schools as Gateways for Peace

For many Peace Ambassadors, schools became critical entry points for peacebuilding. Magaji Abu Hannafi Ibrahim, a Peace Ambassador from Niger State in Nigeria’s North- Central region, described the response from educators and students as overwhelmingly positive.

“The response was nothing short of positive,” Ibrahim said. “The teachers were highly cooperative in organising students for the activities. They also made sure that the environment was conducive enough, which at the first instant signalled acceptance of the initiative.”

He noted that while peace and justice are not part of the regular school curriculum, students showed strong interest in the sessions. “By statistics, 70% were attentive and understood the message being passed while there was about a 15–20% curiosity level to know more,” he explained.

School authorities, Ibrahim added, welcomed the initiative and expressed a desire for its continuity. “The schools I visited asked that I visit them again because they lack awareness of sorts and that it is going to help develop their students better.”

Reflecting on his experience, he identified a significant gap in public understanding of peace and justice. “I never knew there was as much vacuum to be filled when it comes to the awareness of SDG 16,” he said, calling for sustained, youth-led awareness programmes that place young people at the forefront of peace advocacy.

Youth Speaking to Youth

In Jigawa State, North- West Region, Peace Ambassador Fatima Nuhu emphasized how her identity as a young person helped break down barriers and build trust.

“Because I am young, students and other young people felt free to talk to me and share their thoughts,” she said. “I did not approach them like an authority figure but as someone who understands their situation.”

Her training enabled her to listen actively, encourage participation, and create safe spaces, especially for those affected by insecurity or social exclusion.

Addressing the lack of guidance and positive engagement among young people in her community, Nuhu used education and dialogue to connect learning, personal growth, and peaceful coexistence.

“After the National Week of Impact, I noticed that students were more open, more confident, and more willing to talk and listen to each other,” she said. To sustain the impact, she plans follow-up visits, mentorship, and continued youth-led activities to keep peace conversations alive.

Peace Ambassadors in group photograph with teenagers after peacebuilding programs across different schools in states experiencing conflicts

Ethical Leadership and Community Trust

For Muhammad Ibrahim, another Youth4YouthAfrica Peace Ambassador from Adamawa State North Eastern Region, a  region affected by Boko Haram insurgency, the most impactful lesson from the programme was ethical leadership combined with inclusive community engagement.

“This skill enabled me to lead with integrity, impartiality, and empathy while engaging people from diverse tribes, religions, and ethnic backgrounds,” he said.

He linked community concerns directly to SDG 16, encouraging dialogue and collective problem-solving as tools for conflict prevention. Despite facing fear, mistrust, and limited participation due to past violence and displacement, he worked closely with school authorities and local gatekeepers to build trust.

“Through active listening and respectful communication, I created safe spaces for open discussion. This approach strengthened trust, reduced tensions, and empowered community members to take ownership of peacebuilding initiatives,” he added.

Beyond Physical Spaces

In addition to on-ground activities, Youth4YouthAfrica amplified peace messages through digital advocacy. Peace Ambassadors produced awareness videos that collectively recorded over 25,000 online views, extending the reach of the National Week of Impact beyond physical communities.

According to founder, this blend of grassroots engagement and digital storytelling demonstrates that impactful peacebuilding does not require massive budgets.

“What matters is strategy, training, and genuine youth ownership,” she said. “When young people lead, communities notice and they respond.”

Building the Future of Peace

With the 2025 cohort now joining Youth4YouthAfrica’s growing alumni network, the organization is preparing to expand its peacebuilding efforts in 2026. Plans include deeper engagement in conflict-affected regions, stronger regional partnerships, and sustained interventions addressing climate threats, poverty, and gender inequality.

As Nigeria continues to navigate complex security and social challenges, the message emerging from the National Week of Impact is clear: young people are not waiting for peace to arrive, they are actively creating it.

Keywords: Nigeria, youth, peace-building, peace ambassadors, conflict resolution, community engagement

Connecting the Dots: Placing Children Within the Wider Landscape of Peace Studies

By
Sean Molloy
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Carolus Magnus School in Burundi, photo by Bernd Weisbrod via Wikipedia.

Efforts to build peace after violent conflict increasingly acknowledge the importance of including diverse voices. Yet one group remains consistently absent from formal peace negotiations: children. Although they are among those most affected by conflict and will inherit the societies reshaped by peace agreements, children’s perspectives are rarely considered during the negotiation phase. My research explores why this exclusion persists and how peacebuilding theory and practice might evolve to meaningfully incorporate children’s voices.

Despite growing recognition from international and national bodies that children should be heard in matters that affect them, including peace processes, child participation in peace processes remains largely symbolic. This article examines the promises and limitations of current approaches and offers insights into how peacebuilding theory could provide new opportunities for inclusion.

The High Stakes of Peace Agreements for Children

Peace agreements are often critical junctures that define a society’s future. They determine not only how violence will end but also how justice, governance, and social reform will unfold. These decisions shape children’s lives profoundly, often influencing everything from education and healthcare to the reintegration of former child soldiers. Yet, as research has long-demonstrated, children have little say in crafting these frameworks.

When peace agreements do reference children, the provisions tend to focus on protection: ending child recruitment, ensuring safe return of displaced children, or supporting reintegration programs. These commitments matter. But they reflect a narrow understanding of childhood, one that centres vulnerability rather than agency.

Many provisions are vague and lack practical guidance. Few agreements recognise that the needs of children should be considered, and those that do often fail to specify the processes required to support those needs in practice. One example is the Agreement on Accountability and Reconcilation between the Government of the Republic of Uganda and the Lord’s Resistance Army/Movement, which fails to recognize the processes required to support former child soldiers. These gaps help create what my research article refers to as ‘exclusionary inclusion’: children are present on paper but largely absent in practice.

Why Include Children? More Than a Moral Argument

The research, along with other bodies of work, identify several reasons why children’s participation should be taken seriously in peace processes.

  • Children will inherit the post-conflict society. As future citizens and leaders, they will live longest with the consequences of decisions made today. Their insights can therefore strengthen long-term peace.
  • Children understand conflict differently. A child in a rural village may experience insecurity in ways fundamentally different from an urban youth. Children from marginalized communities may identify societal grievances that adults overlook. Including their perspectives helps ensure that peace agreements reflect the realities of all affected groups.
  • Children can identify overlooked issues. Their lived experiences, of displacement, disrupted education, or interactions with armed actors, offer valuable data for designing effective reforms.

Evidence from places like Northern Ireland shows how youth-led programs have helped bridge divides at the community level, even without formal representation at negotiation tables. Children’s participation can therefore support reconciliation and stability in the years after an agreement.

Why, Then, Are Children Still Excluded?

Although many scholars and child-rights advocates have proposed mechanisms to include young people, such as adapting child participation models, civil society representation, international organisations, or through mediators, these remain exceptions rather than norms. The research suggests several reasons.

1. Peace processes are elite-driven by design.

Negotiations often take place in private, involve political and military leaders, and focus heavily on security arrangements. In these high-stakes environments, including children is seen as impractical, risky, or politically sensitive.

2. The dominant peacebuilding model leaves little space for local voices.

International peacebuilding over the past three decades has largely been shaped by the ‘liberal peace’ model, which promotes democratic institutions, human rights, and market reforms. While important, this model often assumes that external actors already understand what a peaceful society should look like. As a result, local perspectives, including those of children, are sidelined. Because the liberal peace approach tends to be technocratic and template-driven, it leaves little room for the experiential knowledge children provide about what peace requires in their communities.

3. Children are often understood only as victims.

Across peace agreements in Burundi, Yemen, Angola, and beyond, children are typically portrayed as vulnerable and dependent. While this reflects real risks, it reinforces the belief that children lack capacity to contribute meaningfully. 

4. Rights frameworks are emphasized—yet participation rights lag behind.

The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child affirms that children have the right to express their views in all matters affecting them (see Article 12). Yet in peace agreements, participation rights are rarely mentioned. Protection, important as it is, tends to overshadow other categories of rights, especially voice and agency.

Can Peacebuilding Theory Help Create New Opportunities?

One of the most promising insights from the research is the possibility of reframing child participation through emerging peacebuilding approaches, particularly those informed by Complexity Theory. This perspective sees peace processes not as linear sequences of reforms, but as dynamic systems shaped by many actors interacting at multiple levels.

This shift opens new possibilities:

  • Participation becomes an ongoing process, not a single moment. Children’s views can be integrated throughout the lifespan of a peace process, not only during formal negotiations.
  • Local knowledge is valued. Complexity-based approaches emphasize adaptation and responsiveness, making children’s lived experiences important sources of insight.
  • Community-level initiatives matter more. Youth groups, schools, sports programs, and arts-based initiatives can feed information into national peace efforts without requiring children to sit at formal negotiation tables.

This does not eliminate challenges, but it expands the conceptual and practical space in which child participation is considered possible.

Moving Forward: Beyond Symbolic Inclusion

The research highlights the need for peace processes to move beyond symbolic child protection commitments toward meaningful inclusion. Some strategies include:

  • Structured child consultations feeding directly into negotiation agendas.
  • Young persons advisory bodies within peace secretariats or transitional authorities.
  • Partnerships with child-focused NGOs to represent diverse perspectives.
  • Acknowledgment of children’s agency, not just their vulnerabilities.

Ultimately, including children is not only about realizing their rights; it strengthens peace itself. When peace agreements reflect the experiences and aspirations of those who will inherit the future, they are more likely to endure. Without rethinking how peace is conceptualized, negotiated, and implemented, children will remain ‘living apart together’ with peace processes; deeply affected, yet structurally excluded.

Keywords: children, peace studies, peace agreements, peace, conflict, conflict resolution

Book Review: Can Relationships Influence Peace?

By
Angelika Rettberg
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Portrait of Standing Men With Sport Equipment, Valle del Cauca, Colombia, photo by Harold Granados via Pexels.

The editors of Relational peace practices (Anna Jarstad, Johanna Söderstrom, and Malin Åkebo, 2023) have developed a new approach to defining opportunities for peace. The book, a collection of in-depth case studies by several academics, focuses on peace within social dyads, groups of two people have a relationship to one another.

Relational peace, the editors write, entails “behavioral interaction that can be characterized as deliberation, non-domination, and cooperation between the actors in the dyad” (Söderstrom et.al. 2021). Each of the chapters provide rich depictions of the lived experience of people in countries experiencing conflict such as Cyprus, Colombia, Russia, Cambodia, South Africa, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka.

The point of the book is to apply this conceptual framework to cases across the world, thereby illustrating specific components of these dyads, as well as the different forms they can take. Examples include dyads between elites, ethnic groups, civilian and military actors, and artistic groups.

The book shows how these dyads may have a demonstration effect over the rest of society, creating pressure towards peaceful relations. In this way, the chapters included in the book introduce much needed nuance and an understanding of process into our knowledge about how societies become peaceful (or, in contrast, relapse into violence). 

This is useful to manage expectations: In order to produce incremental advances towards peace, specific dyads—not necessarily the whole of society, and not even a majority—can contribute to building the kinds of relationships that will prevent new bouts of violence. This represents a clear departure from the positive/negative peace dichotomy and illustrates the importance of agency over structure. The book accomplishes its goals by underscoring the practical implications of the relational peace approach for research and methodology choices, as well as for the formulation of public policy. 

While the focus on relations between groups is fruitful, the analysis leaves open several questions the reader or the researchers may want to address. One refers to the larger context in which dyads develop relations, and the centrality of each dyad to building sustainable peace. In this regard, the book does not provide an in-depth exploration of which kinds of dyads are more strategic or central to the overarching goal of achieving sustainable peace. A crucial missing ingredient is therefore the old question of power and influence: not any dyad will produce a wide-ranging effect, some dyads may prove to be more consequential and more impactful than others, and should therefore be the target of policy intervention and promotion. 

An additional question relates to the emergence of non-obvious, even surprising dyads, such as between victims and perpetrators. When the harmed and the causers of harm come together and develop constructive relations, they may form unexpected alliances to move forward the peace. The chapters by Manuela Nilsson on Colombia and by Niklas Eklund on Russia point in this direction. What are the conditions for these unusual dyads to develop and consolidate and what effect do they have on the larger society?

A third question relates to how many non-peaceful dyads a society can endure until peace breaks down. What do we know about resilience resulting from the “right” mix of dyads and component actors or, in contrast, about the vulnerabilities arising from negative dyads which will propel societies back into violence?

A final question is about the complex system dyads operate in. As covered, for example, by the chapter by Isabel Bramsen on the role of actors external to the dyad, there is by now a vast literature on the negative or constructive role of third parties in conflict, peacebuilding, and transitional justice. What can be said about the efforts to promote dyads via the facilitation or enabling role of external actors and organizations? Under what conditions are they and aren’t they be effective?

The book and the framework provide rich stimulus to address these questions. Readers will find a highly stimulating set of case studies, all tied together nicely with dense introductory and concluding remarks.

Keywords: relational peace, book review, dyads, social dyads, peace relations, conflict zones, peace, conflict, conflict resolution, relationships

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