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The Geneva Graduate Institute and Interpeace have signed an institutional partnership to launch the International Geneva Peace Fellowship.

In the face of heightened insecurity and disruption, peace and humanitarian diplomacy is a last resort to contribute to a more peaceful, just and sustainable world. Based on this shared vision, the Geneva Graduate Institute and Interpeace have agreed to strengthen their institutional partnership and nurture a next generation of leadership in peace and humanitarian diplomacy, with the generous support of the Foundation for the Adaptation of International Geneva.

At a time when the multilateral system is under strain, with armed conflicts at record levels and growing geopolitical fragmentation, the International Geneva Peace Fellowship will support emerging and mid-career professionals with the skills, networks and practical experiences needed to drive innovations for peace. In a pilot phase the Fellowship Programme will offer at least 10 fellowships of a duration of 9 months anchored in collaboration with associated Geneva-based partners, mentoring and innovation.

The International Geneva Peace Fellowship Programme contributes to reinforcing the universality of International Geneva as a space in which global perspectives meet to advance peace and humanitarian diplomacy.

Beyond the Fellowship Programme, the new institutional partnership between the Geneva Graduate Institute and Interpeace aims to expand collaboration in the field of talent development, research, and training with the objective to re-enforce Geneva as a global peace hub.

Professor Marie-Laure Salles, the Director of the Geneva Graduate Institute highlighted that “In these dire times for peace, the Fellowship Programme draws on the unique strengths of the Geneva Graduate Institute, Interpeace and Geneva’s broader ecosystem. It offers outstanding Fellows direct access to cutting-edge research and field operations, while fostering an environment where new ideas in peacebuilding and multilateral diplomacy can take shape. Peace remains the highest expression of collective and human security – let us never forget this. Nurturing the next generation of peacemakers and multilateral diplomats becomes all the more vital at a time when the global climate is increasingly defined by confrontation and war”.

Itonde Kakoma, President and CEO of Interpeace, stressed that “This partnership reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the architecture of peace and humanitarian diplomacy at a time of profound global disruption. Through the International Geneva Peace Fellowship, we aim to support a new generation of leaders equipped not only with strong analytical and technical expertise, but also with the empathy, integrity, and foresight needed to navigate increasingly complex conflict contexts. By linking academic research with the operational realities of peacebuilding in conflict-affected contexts, the Fellowship creates an important bridge between knowledge and practice, offering a platform for emerging leaders to engage and contribute to sustainable responses to global challenges.”

Professor Achim Wennmann, Director for Strategic Partnerships and Nagulendran Chair in Peace Mediation underlines that “The Fellowship Programme offers a unique opportunity to realise a critical, future oriented and practical project in the service of peace. The Programme provides access to the know-how, expertise and networks for peace and humanitarian diplomacy that are among Geneva’s critical assets in an era of an increasingly networked multilateralism. By connecting this asset to emerging leadership talent for peace, the Fellowship Programme aims to create a brain trust for future peace leadership.”

Additional information and application procedures for the International Geneva Peace Fellowship will be available in late March 2026.

With the support of FAIG, the two organisations aim to deepen collaboration to increase peacebuilding impact and strengthen International Geneva.

The world is witnessing a surge in violent conflicts and civilian casualties at levels unprecedented in decades. At the same time, resources for international cooperation and peacebuilding are diminishing, and the very institutions mandated to uphold global peace and security are under significant strain. In this context, dismantling barriers, deepening collaboration, and harnessing our collective expertise are not merely priorities—they are urgent imperatives.

It is against this backdrop that the Boards of Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation have decided to pursue a strategic rapprochement. Over the coming years, the two organizations aim to co-locate their headquarters in Geneva, deepen joint programming, and identify administrative and budgetary efficiencies in order to reinvest resources into peacebuilding work.

This cooperation is made possible thanks to the support of the Foundation for the Adaptation of International Geneva (FAIG), which has approved a multi-year grant to accompany this transition. Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation express their sincere appreciation to FAIG for its confidence and commitment to innovation, adaptation, and cooperation within International Geneva.

While remaining two independent organisations with distinct mandates and governance structures, Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation have chosen to work more closely together to combine their complementary strengths—linking community-based peacebuilding and early warning with high-level analysis, political engagement, and global advocacy.

The cooperation will focus on joint action in areas where the two organizations’ expertise naturally converges, such as:

Through joint analysis, coordinated programming, and shared advocacy and public outreach, Interpeace and the Kofi Annan Foundation also aim to contribute to a stronger, more coherent, and more inclusive International Geneva, which is better equipped to connect realities on the ground with multilateral decision-making and to amplify the voices of those living in conflict-affected contexts.

When peace needs are rising and resources are shrinking, the two organisations hope that this initiative will inspire others to explore new forms of collaboration. Strengthening peace today requires not only renewed political will, but also courage to adapt, cooperate, and innovate together.

Territoire d'Aru, République Démocratique du Congo, depuis 1957, les communautés de Nyatsa et Adravu, situées dans le Groupement Nyatsa-Odru, en Chefferie des Lu se contestent la propriété d'une bande de terre nommée UMA. Cette lutte pour la terre, aggravée par une croissance démographique rapide et des violences récurrentes depuis 2015, a entraîné des pertes humaines et matérielles considérables. Malgré les nombreuses initiatives antérieures visant à résoudre ce conflit pacifiquement, les résolutions antérieures n'ont pas été convenablement mises en œuvre, et un récent malentendu entre les jeunes de ces deux communautés a conduit à de nouvelles tragédies, notamment le déplacement massif des populations, deux assassinats et plus de 500 maisons incendiées.

En réponse à cette crise, une mission mixte a été déployée en octobre 2025 par le gouvernement provincial suite à l'initiative de Lisanga ya Bana Aru, une organisation représentant les fils et filles du Territoire d'Aru. Bien que cette mission ait permis d'initier un dialogue, de nouveaux défis persistants, tels que la réticence des déplacés à retourner chez eux et l'interruption des services essentiels, comme les écoles et les structures sanitaires, le regroupement de certains jeunes sous forme de groupe armé, la non-remise par les jeunes de quelques armes ravies auprès des forces de l’ordre qui étaient affectés dans leurs villages pour appuyer le cesser le feu.

Du 02 au 12 février 2026, dans ce contexte, le projet « Soutien à la médiation pour la résilience et la paix à l'Est de la RDC – Phase II », financé par l'Union Européenne et mis en œuvre par Interpeace, Action pour la Paix et la Concorde (APC), Ebuteli et Pole Institute, a appuyé techniquement et financièrement le processus des activités d'échanges et de réflexions entre les deux communautés, à travers l’initiative, conduite par une délégation provinciale de l’Ituri (composée du Gouvernement Provincial, du P-DDRCS, de la Commission Provinciale de Médiation et de Libaru). Ce processus a permis d'examiner les causes profondes du conflit, d'identifier les acteurs impliqués et de proposer des actions concrètes en vue d'une résolution durable.

Les résultats de cette rencontre ont été encourageants, avec un vœu partagé des deux communautés de vivre en harmonie et de cultiver un climat de paix. Afin de matérialiser cet engagement, les participants ont élaboré un plan d'action visant à promouvoir la paix entre Nyatsa et Adravu.

Le consortium médiation reste déterminé à accompagner ces communautés dans le suivi et la mise en œuvre des plans d’actions concrètes issues de cette mission. Ensemble, nous pouvons construire un avenir de paix, de résilience et de cohabitation harmonieuse pour tous.

In times of violent conflict or disaster, humanitarian assistance often focuses on what is most visible: immediate life-saving aid, such as food, water, shelter, healthcare, and sanitation, alongside protection measures. Once the emergency subsides, attention turns to rebuilding homes, roads, and livelihoods. Yet what about the wounds we cannot see — the psychological ones?  Beneath the surface, countless invisible wounds remain—grief over the loss of loved ones or property, fear of recurrence, and the guilt of survival. Without addressing these wounds, humanitarian aid remains incomplete, and rebuilding societies becomes a fragile endeavour.

Evidence from Interpeace’s extensive experience, research, and interventions in both emergency and post-conflict contexts has shown that Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) is a foundation for both emergency response and long-term peacebuilding. Whether amid the chaos of crisis or during the slow reconstruction of peace, MHPSS nurtures resilience, restores dignity, and rebuilds the social fabric.

We have witnessed these transformations in contexts such as Burkina Faso, where communities face a devastating decade-long humanitarian crisis driven by armed violence; in Rwanda, the site of one of the most rapid and brutal genocides of the modern era; and in Burundi and Somalia, where societies continue to rebuild after years of civil war. Across these experiences, healing minds has proven essential to sustaining peace and enabling societies to recover and thrive.

MHPSS as Primary Aid in Emergencies

There is no doubt about the necessity of providing MHPSS services to people affected by conflict — including refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs). Two main reasons make MHPSS an essential component of humanitarian aid during emergencies.

First, extensive research has documented the range of mental health conditions that affect people living in conflict situations. A recent Interpeace study conducted in Burkina Faso’s Cascades region —which hosts large numbers of displaced people— found high levels of trauma, grief, fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, hopelessness, sleep disorders, aggressivity, and alcohol use disorder, among others, all of which impair daily functioning. For instance, 6% of the study population reported experiencing suicidal ideation, stating that life had no meaning to them.

These findings corroborate the World Health Organisation (WHO, 2019) estimates published in The Lancet, which indicate that one in five people in conflict settings lives with some form of mental disorder, and nearly one in ten suffers from a moderate or severe condition.

Second, people with severe mental disorders face elevated protection risks. They may experience abandonment, homelessness, sexual or domestic abuse, social stigma, or isolation. Providing psychosocial support helps them not only cope with their conditions but also retain their dignity.

“Many of us here suffer from several illnesses at once. I have ulcers, I lack sleep, my heart beats faster all the time, I live in constant fear, my thoughts torment me,” shared one displaced person in Burkina Faso’s Cascades region. Another added: “We chose not to talk about it, but many of us have lost the taste for life and hope for the future.”

These conditions often stem from traumatic experiences such as losing loved ones or property and witnessing killings. Armed groups continue to abduct men and boys, leaving behind widows and orphans. While prevalence rates vary, mental health disorders also affect host communities, where pressure on resources and limited job opportunities can fuel mistrust and tension between hosts and displaced populations.

Because access to professional mental health care is limited, many people in the Cascades region turn to religion or traditional healers seeking solace. Although the government has identified MHPSS as a priority in its National Plan for Stabilisation and Development, the scale of needs far exceeds available capacity due to insufficient infrastructure, a shortage of professionals, and insecurity in areas controlled by armed groups.

Interpeace has provided group-based psychosocial interventions for displaced persons and host communities, helping individuals develop coping skills, stimulate healing, and enhance resilience. These interventions were paired with collaborative livelihood initiatives to improve socio-economic stability.

The psychosocial support interventions improved participants’ functionality and coping capacity. They strengthened people’s ability to think clearly, make decisions, and care for themselves and others. They also helped restore a sense of hope and control, enabling individuals to engage more effectively with humanitarian assistance, improve their livelihoods, and support one another.

Restoring Broken Minds, Rebuilding Trust, and Anchoring Peace

When conflicts end, the struggle continues —to rebuild infrastructure, restore livelihoods, and repair the social fabric. MHPSS remains crucial in this process, as unhealed trauma can undermine both individual recovery and collective development.

The Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, more than three decades ago, left profound mental health consequences, including widespread post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety, fear and panic disorder. The 2018 Rwanda Mental Health Survey by the Rwanda Biomedical Centre (RBC) found the prevalence of mental disorders to be 20.49% —significantly above the global average and even higher among genocide survivors.

In response, the Government of Rwanda and its partners have implemented nationwide healing initiatives — including counselling, community dialogue, and restorative justice support to address unhealed trauma. Interpeace, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (through RBC) and the Ministry of National Unity and Civic Engagement (MINUBUMWE), has adopted a holistic approach that provides safe spaces to address mental health issues, strengthen resilience, and foster reconciliation and social cohesion.

Safe spaces have been established within communities, health facilities, and correctional centres to decentralise MHPSS services and strengthen the capacity of professionals across the country.

The impact of these interventions has demonstrated that MHPSS should not be considered an optional add-on, but rather a continuum that bridges humanitarian relief, development, and long-term peacebuilding.

In Somalia, a country still rebuilding after decades of conflict, integrating MHPSS into Interpeace’s Miisaan Programme has helped raise awareness of the holistic approach needed to meaningfully advance transitional justice, rebuild trust, and strengthen social cohesion.

The prolonged conflict has severely affected the mental well-being of many Somalis. Qui estimates that in Somalia the prevalence of mental health illness is much higher than global estimates with one in every three people affected by mental illness, conditions which hinder their full participation in reconciliation and state-building efforts. Yet mental well-being remains an overlooked aspect of these processes.

To advance mental well-being in policy agendas, the Miisaan programme integrated awareness raising strategies that included community dialogues, MHPSS sessions, roundtable discussions with policy makers, media awareness campaigns, and training workshops for traditional leaders and mediators in psychosocial support. Mental health practitioners and volunteers also received Basic Psychosocial Support training, enabling them to advocate for mental health in reconciliation processes, support survivors of gender-based violence, and other vulnerable groups, especially those affected by community conflicts.

The Miisaan programme also successfully advocated for the inclusion of a MHPSS component within Somalia’s National Reconciliation Framework (NRF), which outlines policy actions that the Federal Government of Somalia (FGS) will implement with regards to mental health in transitional justice.

Through this initiative, MHPSS has contributed to effective transitional justice in Somalia by addressing trauma, anxiety, and depression, thus laying the foundation for genuine forgiveness, reconciliation, and the prevention of future violence.

In Burundi, years of civil war and cycles of violence have left deep psychological wounds and fractured relationships in Burundi’s social fabric, exacerbated by social and economic hardships. Many people suffer from undiagnosed mental health disorders, often attributing their symptoms to witchcraft — a belief that prevents them from seeking professional care.

Through the Synergies for Peace III initiative, Interpeace and its partners launched a psychoeducation campaign across communities and schools, featuring community dialogues, workshops with political actors and decision-makers, radio broadcasts, and participatory theatre. The campaign also included the production of educational content distributed through social media and intergenerational dialogues to facilitate an open dialogue across generations.

An evaluation found that 80% of participants said the campaign helped them understand the connection between their mental health symptoms and past traumatic events. It encouraged self-awareness, empathy, and collective healing, sparking honest dialogue and a reconciliation process.

Individual testimonies during community and intergenerational dialogues also revealed ongoing challenges to social cohesion, from interethnic mistrust to economic hardship linked to unaddressed trauma. “Through testimonies during the intergenerational dialogues, I realised that because of past conflicts, some families still refuse inter-ethnic marriages,” noted a local authority.

In their joint policy paper, the Synergies for Peace consortium recommended that the Government of Burundi integrate trauma healing into peace and development programmes, a step that could accelerate progress toward the country’s Vision 2040–2060 and National Development Plan (2018–2027).

The experiences above show that MHPSS is both lifesaving and life-building. Addressing mental health only during emergencies is like treating a wound without tending to the scar. Likewise, focusing solely on post-conflict trauma overlooks the immediate and long-term needs of affected communities. Integrating MHPSS into all stages, from preparedness to response, recovery, and promoting peace-responsive leadership, is crucial for achieving sustainable peace, development, and the protection of human dignity.