Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate

The aim of the Peace Academy is to strengthen and further develop proven strategies for crisis prevention and civil conflict resolution. We see ourselves as an institutionalized forum for multidimensional peace research and peace policy dialogues. Civil society actors, scientists, experts and various political actors are invited to these dialogues in order to enter into an exchange and learn from each other.

Our guiding principle is "Promoting Engagement - Shaping Peace". Following this motif, our concept consists of a combination of:

  • Forum: exchanging & discussing
  • Networking: initiating & cooperating
  • Training & Teaching: qualifying & education
  • Public Relations: thematizing & informing
  • Research: understanding & applying.

 

Our interdisciplinary research focuses on issues related to environmental and resource conflicts, crisis prevention and civil conflict management, and peace education. In addition to Rhineland-Palatinate, the Peace Academy conducts field research mainly in West and East Africa and the USA. In doing this, we pursue the goal of translating the results of our research directly into concrete measures and achieving tangible benefits for the population.

In addition to that, we develop and convey concepts and methods of crisis and violence prevention. Through active media work, we further try to disseminate the knowledge generated by our activities to the public. Being frequently present on Facebook, our new Twitter profile, YouTube channel and blog as well as on our website, the Peace Academy provides information about current developments in peace and conflict research, addresses social challenges and offers a forum for exchange and discussion. In this way, we create greater awareness of peace issues in society.

Networking and cooperation are central elements of the Peace Academy. Together with numerous regional, national and international partners, the Peace Academy carries out research projects, raises third-party funds, offers events and engages in important peace research-related and peace policy networks. We perceive ourselves as a dialogue forum for various actors.

 

On the Origin of the Peace Academy

Since January 2023, the Peace Academy is part of the newly merged University Kaiserslautern-Landau. The Peace Academy was founded in July 2014 as a special scientific institution of the University of Koblenz-Landau and was a central scientific institution of the university since 2019. The foundation of the Peace Academy goes back to an initiative of the Rhineland-Palatinate state government in 2011. According to this, peace policy activities in the state were to be supported and civil and preventive strategies of conflict and crisis management were to be strengthened. From the beginning, the Peace Academy was supported and sponsored by a non-profit association, which was transferred to the Association of Friends and Sponsors of the Peace Academy in 2019. Here you can read more about the history of the Peace Academy.