Peace
and Security Policy Briefing: A
View from Europe
May
31 to June 2 The Square, Brussels
A Joint Initiative of the
Peace
and Security Funders Group and the European Foundation Centre
More than 50 European and North American funders met for an in-depth look at Europe’s
foreign, security and peace policies and capabilities. The briefing offered a rare opportunity for funders on both sides of the Atlantic to come
together and to discuss with policy makers, policy analysts and practitioners
how they, as funders, can work more effectively on these issues. The briefing was part of the European Foundation Centre Foundation Week.
Click here to download the conference summary report based on staff notes (not reviewed by speakers).
Click here to watch a video of reception speaker and performer Juanes.
Click here to download the Agenda. Key
topics included:
*Europe’s Role in
Promoting Global Security: A look at Priorities, Politics, and Prospects *Ground Truths and
Lessons from the Balkans and Afghanistan *Changing Geopolitics
in a Multipolar World *EU responses to
drivers of Contemporary Conflict; and *Contrast, Compare
and Cooperate: European and North American Peace and Security Philanthropy Click here to download the list of participants.
Policy Briefing Planning Group:
Arnaud Blin, Fondation Charles Leopold Mayer Andrew Cooper, The Diana Princess of Wales Memorial Fund Katherine Magraw, Peace and Security Funders Group Conrad Martin, Stewart Mott Charitable Trust Kate McGuinness, Berghof Foundation for Conflict Studies Celia McKeon, Rowntree Charitable Trust Carl Robichaud, Carnegie Corporation of NY Sevdalina Rukanova, European Foundation Centre George Vickers, Open Society Institute
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Funders Day at the United Nations during the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review
Conference May 6, 2010 ~ 1:15 to
8:30 pm
The Peace
and Security Funders Group hosted funders engaged in multilateral efforts to
promote international peace for a day at the United Nations. PSFG organized two panel presentations and discussions on:
> the role of the UN Office of
Disarmament Affairs in pursuing global disarmament of nuclear weapons and types
of conventional weapons, arms trade controls, and post –conflict disarmament
and demobilization measures; and
>
the
Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty Review Conference.
The day concluded with a light dinner and discussion with Jayantha Dhanapala, former UN Under-Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs and Chairman
of the 1995 NPT Review & Extension Conference.
Other distinguished speakers included: Ambassador Claude Heller, Permanent Representative of Mexico to the United Nations;
Ambassador
Mona Juul, Deputy Permanent Representative
of Norway to the United Nations;
Ambassador Marius Grinius, Permanent Representative
of Canada to the Office of the United Nations in Geneva; as well as
senior UN officials and NGO experts.Please click here to download the Agenda with further details.
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The Peace and Security Funders Group, in collaboration with the Fundacion Para las Relaciones Internationales Y el Dialogo Exterior (FRIDE)
convened an "International Dialogue for Funders" in Madrid, November
19-21, 2008. The meeting, entitled "Advancing Peace and Security in
2009 and Beyond" was intended to ask what more can and should
philanthropy be doing to promote greater peace and security in the
world as we enter a new, more promising era. PSFG Members may access
meeting documents and selected presentations in the Members' Only section.
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Civilian Unarmed Peacekeeping: A Conversation for Funders - On
June 25, 2008, the Peace and Security Funders Group, the Ploughshares
Fund and the Samuel Rubin Foundation hosted a luncheon discussion on
unarmed civilian peacekeeping, a new approach to stopping violence and
human rights abuses before they reach crisis levels. Featured speakers
included Ambassador Anwarul K. Chowdhury, Former Under-Secretary
General and High Representative of the United Nations; Mel Duncan,
Executive Director of the Nonviolent Peaceforce; Liam Mahony, Centre
for Humanitarian Dialogue; Betsy Crites, Coordinator of the Metta
Center; and Atif Hameed, Nonviolent Peaceforce's Country Director in
the Philippines.
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Islam in the Modern World: A Conversation for Funders - On
March 14, 2007 the Peace and Security Funders Group, the Carnegie
Corporation of New York, and the NY Regional Association of Grantmakers
presented a NYRAG Professional Development Program entitled Islam in the Modern World: A Conversation for Funders.
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Luncheon Dialogue with Nobel Women Peace Laureates - On
January 9, 2007, the PSFG co-hosted a luncheon dialogue with Nobel
Women Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. 2003 Nobel Peace
Laureate and Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Dr. Shirin Ebadi spoke about
the political and social landscape in Iran today, including human
rights and women's rights campaigns and the Iranian reform movement.
1997 Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams spoke about the work of the Nobel Women’s Initiative, which she co-founded with Dr. Ebadi, and the Initiative’s efforts to promote negotiations between the US and Iran. (Pictured above left: Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi speaks to PSFG Members at
briefing hosted by the Ford Foundation, January 2007).
Peace
and Security Policy Briefing: 
Luncheon Dialogue with Nobel Women Peace Laureates - On
January 9, 2007, the PSFG co-hosted a luncheon dialogue with Nobel
Women Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Jody Williams. 2003 Nobel Peace
Laureate and Iranian Human Rights Lawyer Dr. Shirin Ebadi spoke about
the political and social landscape in Iran today, including human
rights and women's rights campaigns and the Iranian reform movement.
1997 Nobel Peace Laureate Jody Williams spoke about the work of the