Austrian Forum for Peace 2024: “Towards a Climate of Peace”
Recent events in different parts of the world have shown that violence, militarisation and war are once again being used and presented as legitimate ways of asserting economic and political interests. Important peace processes are stalling, multilateral organisations are losing their relevance, the calls for dialogue and civil society-based tools of conflict resolution and peace work are fading, and resources are lacking.
This year's Austrian Forum for Peace, titled "Towards a Climate of Peace", aims to address the challenges of international conflict transformation in a changing world. The conference seeks to strengthen networks, discuss different approaches, initiate thought processes, generate ideas, and contribute to the promotion of sustainable global peace.
Increasing global complexity and unpredictability are exacerbated by the effects of the man-made climate crisis. This threat is felt across conflict lines and can worsen the burden on countries affected by conflict. However, it can also be an opportunity to build trust between opposing parties and work together on solutions. This approach, known as Environmental Peacebuilding, was first discussed at the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 in 2023 and has been specifically pursued at the ACP for some time.
At the same time, the global system is becoming more fragmented and restructured, partly due to the increasing number of international mediation parties, some of which are involved in conflicts. In this new reality, one possible approach could be to use the comparative advantages of new, different actors in a targeted manner to support regions affected on their way to a climate of peace.
The use of technology, including artificial intelligence, also plays a major role not only in warfare worldwide, but increasingly also in considerations and projects for the prevention of civil conflict and peacebuilding.
Where
Rochusplatz 1 / Burg Schlaining, 7461, Stadtschlaining
You can find our guest information here.
Event Schedule
Austrian Forum for Peace 2024: Towards a Climate of Peace” is full of engaging events, workshops and panel discussions, you can find our tentative schedule, here:
1 July 2024
Languages: German and English (with interpretation)
Summer School for Students: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East (closed, lunch included)
Lunch
Summer School for Students: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East (closed)
Opening Segment Granarium
Opening
Moritz Ehrmann, Director, ACP
Welcome Address
Norbert Darabos, President, ACP, former Federal Minister of Defence
Hans Peter Doskozil, Governor of Burgenland, former Federal Minister of Defence
Speeches
Leonore Gewessler, Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology
Reception Castle Courtyard / Burghof
Hosted by the Governor of Burgenland
2 July 2024 - Climate, Peace and Security
Languages: English (main language) / German (some elements - see below)
Panel Discussion: How to Put the Climate, Peace and Security Nexus into Practice Granarium
As the severity of the climate and environmental crisis escalates, new challenges for peace and security are emerging. Weather extremes, disasters, and the depletion of resources are not only exacerbating existing threats but also giving rise to conflicts centered around narratives of the climate crisis and the pathways to mitigate its effects. In response to these pressing realities, the nexus between climate, the environment, peace, and security has garnered increased attention in international frameworks and policies. However, the crucial question remains: are these frameworks effectively translated into action? How do communities, particularly those most affected by climate change and conflict, experience the implementation of these policies? Which challenges, innovative solutions and needs for change emerge in connecting peacebuilding with climate justice? And what can international organizations, civil society and policy makers do (better) to transform conflicts whilst also building a socially and environmentally just future?
Speakers:
Alexandra Fong, Chief, Policy and Guidance, United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs
Coffee Break
Workshops
Open Workshops:
Peace Education: Heimatland Erde (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Klima zum Mitmachen – Good Practice-Beispiele partizipativer Klimaprojekte auf kommunaler Ebene (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Ethical Hacking for Peace
Closed Workshop:
Climate, Peace, and Security
Emerging Actors in International Mediation
Redefining the Role of Key Stakeholders and Counter-Powers in West-African Peace Processes
Summer School: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East
Lunchbreak Lunch until 13:30
Workshops
Open Workshops:
Peace Education: Heimatland Erde (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Klima zum Mitmachen – Good Practice-Beispiele partizipativer Klimaprojekte auf kommunaler Ebene (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Ethical Hacking for Peace
Closed Workshop:
Climate, Peace, and Security
Emerging Actors in International Mediation
Redefining the Role of Key Stakeholders and Counter-Powers in West-African Peace Processes
Summer School: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East
Public Panel Discussion: Krieg in der Ukraine – Wege aus dem Labyrinth Granarium
(German with English interpretation / auf Deutsch)
The Russian war against Ukraine is in its third year. The repercussions of the war have plunged Europe into great uncertainty and are affecting the well-being of people in Europe and many other parts of the world. Last but not least, the war of aggression has undermined the international order and calls into question the ability of traditional actors to mediate and resolve conflicts. It now seems to have evolved into a war of attrition, in which the parties to a conflict usually begin to consider negotiation as an alternative to the use of force. What ways out of this labyrinth of war are conceivable and what needs to be done to achieve this?
Speakers:
Stephanie Fenkart, Director, International Institute for Peace (IIP)
Raphael Nägeli, Ambassador, Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the OSCE, the United Nations and other International Organizations in Vienna
Daniela Prugger, Freelance Journalist
Moderator:
Moritz Ehrmann, Director, Austrian Centre for Peace
Dinner Conference Hotel Schlaining / Konferenzhotel Schlaining
Evening Programme: Movie Screening Granarium
3 July 2024 - Changing Geopolitics
Languages: English (main language) / German (some elements - see below)
Panel Discussion: Emerging Powers in a Fragmented World Order Granarium
The outbreak of armed conflict in many parts of the world – including Russia-Ukraine, Israel-Palestine, or Sudan – along with the pandemic and worsening climate crisis have all added to the unpredictability of the global landscape. Abrogation of the last remaining US-Russian arms control treaties and widespread war crimes further contribute to the erosion of the existing international order. The paralysis of the security and mediation tools of international organisations also exacerbates this crisis. The long period of US hegemony in the international system - which brought stability to the geopolitical environment - has correspondingly been replaced by a fragmented world order, with new actors entering the stage and challenging the unipolar political system.Emerging powers play an increasing role in shaping war and peace in the world, as they contribute to a growing rivalry between great powers, while at the same time offering their services for the peaceful resolution of conflicts.
Speakers:
Hesham Al Ghannam, Director Security, Research Center at Naif Arab University (tbc)
Luo Yanqi, Assistant Researcher, Xiangshan Forum
Mustafa Aydin, President, International Relations Council of Turkey
Moderator:
Angela Kane, Advisory Board, ACP
Coffee Break
Workshops
Open Workshops:
Peace Education: Heimatland Erde (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Klima zum Mitmachen – Good Practice-Beispiele partizipativer Klimaprojekte auf kommunaler Ebene (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
#Data4Peacebuilding Hackathon: Towards a Climate of Peace Edition
Closed Workshop:
Emerging Actors in International Mediation
Redefining the Role of Key Stakeholders and Counter-Powers in West-African Peace Processes
Summer School: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East
Lunchbreak Lunch until 13:30
Workshops
Open Workshops:
Peace Education: Heimatland Erde (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
Klima zum Mitmachen – Good Practice-Beispiele partizipativer Klimaprojekte auf kommunaler Ebene (German only / nur auf Deutsch)
#Data4Peacebuilding Hackathon: Towards a Climate of Peace Edition
Closed Workshop:
Emerging Actors in International Mediation
Redefining the Role of Key Stakeholders and Counter-Powers in West-African Peace Processes
Summer School: Towards a Climate of Peace in the Middle East
Panel Discussion: Emerging actors in International Conflict Resolution Granarium
Speakers:
Ghassan El Kahlout, Director, Centre for Peace and Humanitarian Studies, Doha Institute
Kholood Khair , Director, Confluence Advisory
Meredith Preston McGhie, Secretary General, Center for Global Pluralism
Moderator:
Anna Hess, Senior Conflict Resolution Advisor, ACP
Dinner Conference Hotel Schlaining / Konferenzhotel Schlaining
Evening Programme: Music & Culture
4 July 2024 - Climate & Tech
Languages: English / German (Closing Event)
Panel Discussion: Climate & Tech Granarium
Closing & Jazz-Brunch Castle Courtyard / Burghof
Open Workshops
Friedenspädagogik: Heimatland Erde – Polykrise sucht Antworten in einem planetaren Bewusstsein
2 -3 July 2024, 11 am - 16:30 pm
Klima zum Mitmachen: Good Practice-Beispiele partizipativer Klimaprojekte auf kommunaler Ebene
2 -3 July 2024, 11 am - 17 pm / 16:30 pm | (c) Karo Pernegger
#Data4Peacebuilding Hackathon Towards a Climate of Peace Edition
No prerequisite digital skills are required. Supported by Wirtschaftskammer Österreich.
Ethical Hacking for Peace Building Peace in the Digital Age:
Strengthen Your Cyber Defenses!
Registration
Register your interest for the Austrian Forum for Peace 2024 unitl 14 June 2024.
You can see more information about the programme by visiting here.