Swisspeace is a practice-oriented peace research institute located in Bern, Switzerland. It analyzes the causes of violent conflicts in order to develop strategies for their peaceful transformation.

History

The Swiss Peace Foundation was founded in Bern in 1988. Its main aim was to improve the field of an independent peace research in Switzerland. Today about thirty persons are working for swisspeace.

Clients

The most important clients are the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

Federal Department of Foreign Affairs

The Federal Department of Foreign Affairs is a department of the federal administration of Switzerland. It is charged with maintaining the foreign relations of Switzerland and serves as Switzerland's ministry of foreign affairs...

 (FDFA) on the one hand and the Swiss National Science Foundation

Swiss National Science Foundation

The Swiss National Science Foundation is a science research support organization mandated by the Swiss Federal Government. The SNSF was established in 1952 as a foundation under private law. Its secretariat is based in Bern....

(SNSF) on the other as well as national and international organizations and foundations.

Fields of Expertise

Conflict analysis and peacebuilding are at the centre of swisspeace's activities.

The Foundation:

• analyzes violent conflicts and their peaceful transformation,
• supports organizations to strengthen their civilian peacebuilding capacities,
• promotes knowledge transfer between researchers and practitioners,
• networks governmental and non-governmental peacebuilding organizations,
• creates informed opinions on peace policy.

Topics

• Peacebuilding Analysis & Impact
• Dealing with the Past
• Mediation
• Statehood & Conflict