UK

Given the nature of pervasive violence, peacebuilding needs to throw its net wider, to encompass all kinds of pervasive violence in society as part of its remit. This means that peacebuilding organisations should work more deliberately on other types of organised violence and in a sense rethink peacebuilding – focusing not only on conventional conflict settings, but also targeting unconventional types of conflict. This paper examines the challenges and opportunities for peacebuilders in responding to criminal groups in conflict environments. This is part of our Peace Focus series.

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International Alert is co-hosting a series of workshops to identify and share good practice on how to create good relations within and between communities in England.

We are organising the events in partnership with Talk For a Change and local host organisations, with funding from Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and Oxfam.

Last year International Alert produced a conflict analysis of the UK, the conclusions of which have a resonance with the fatal attack on British soldier Lee Rigby last month in Woolwich and its aftermath.

With cuts to local services, fewer resources for supporting local communities and rising unemployment, especially among the young, many people fear tensions among communities will get worse in England.

It is important that those of us who promote good relations among communities tell local and national decision-makers what works in reducing these tensions.

Six young cross-party Sri Lankan parliamentarians and political representatives visited the UK from 25th February to 5th March 2013 to explore its governance and democracy models, and continue their engagement with UK-based diaspora.

With cuts to local services, fewer resources for supporting local communities and rising unemployment, especially among the young, many people fear tensions among communities will get worse in England.

It is important that those of us who promote good relations among communities tell local and national decision-makers what works in reducing these tensions.

Talk for a Change and International Alert, with funding from Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust and Oxfam, want to help run workshops across England for practitioners to discuss:

Peacebuilding organisation International Alert yesterday published a new report, Voices across borders, which calls for greater engagement between the UK government and diaspora communities, in order to improve peace and development.

International Alert is calling for greater engagement between the UK government and diasporas, in order to improve peace and development.

The report aims to deepen understanding of diaspora communities in the UK and to improve partnerships between the diaspora and policymakers on peacebuilding and development policy and practice. It explores how the experience of diasporas in the UK is affected by conflict in their countries of origin, the nature of their continuing connections with these countries, and their perceptions and mobilisation around international engagement on development and peacebuilding processes.

Full report

Executive summary

‘We should go and see David Cameron about this!’, was the conclusion of the Lancashire youth group taking part in our project, “Promoting Positive Voices in Diaspora Communities”.

Local/Global dynamics

In November, International Alert organised a visit of four doctors from the British Sri Lankan diaspora community to Sri Lanka, to learn about the country’s healthcare challenges.

In October, our partner organisation Voices for Reconciliation brought together people from Sri Lanka’s diaspora communities to talk about how their personal identities influence their opinions and understanding of Sri Lanka’s history, and how such identities are shaping the country’s post-war future.

Sri Lankan parliamentarians Honourable Vasantha Senanayake MP (Sri Lanka Freedom Party), Honourable Harin Fernando MP (United National Party), and Mr Raghu Balanchandran (Tamil National Alliance) visited the UK from 25th-31st October 2012 in the second of a series of dialogues between this cross-party group of Sri Lankan parliamentarians, political activists and Sri Lankan diaspora communities in the UK.