National Dialogue & Peace Mediation Course - Swisspeace Foundation

Deadline: February 28, 2026

Program Starts: May 06, 2026

Program Ends: May 08, 2026

Events

Summer & Winter Schools

Location(s)

Switzerland

Berghof Foundation, University of Basel

Overview

Learn from experts in the national dialogue and mediation field how to design and implement effective national dialogues.

Details

Course Description

Today’s peace processes are highly complex. Peace mediation and national dialogues are widely recognized as two relevant avenues for the peaceful settlement of conflicts. Peace mediation processes are assisted negotiation processes, often with limited participation and a focus on questions of power-sharing. National dialogues, in contrast, aim to provide a space to discuss a broader range of issues relevant to the wider society, expand participation beyond political and military elites and (re)build relations among different actors. Nevertheless, the two concepts are closely interlinked as national dialogues can be set up before, during or after peace mediation processes.

In this course you will:

get insights into how to define, design and support National Dialogues
refresh your competences in mediation and relate them to National Dialogue processes
discuss questions of participation and representation in National Dialogues
reflect on lessons learned from past National Dialogue processes
exchange experiences and become part of a community of practice

Experts:

Ahmed Eleiba, Senior Program Officer, Mediation, swisspeace (Course Lead)
Dr. Dana Landau, Senior Researcher, Mediation, swisspeace
Dr. Dhamir Mannai, Independent, Former Deputy Chair of the Tunisian Constituent Assembly
Pierre-Yves Monette, International Mediation Expert
Sonja Neuweiler, Senior Advisor, Regional Peace Support MENA & Yemen, Berghof Foundation

Opportunity is About

International Affairs Politics Society

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Eligibility

Candidates should be from:

Afghanistan Albania Algeria Andorra Angola Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Brazil Brunei Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Chile China Colombia Comoros Congo: Democratic Republic Congo: Republic Cook Islands Costa Rica Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Fiji Finland France Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Grenada Guatemala Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Ivory Coast Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, North Korea, South Kosovo UN1244 (*not recognized by majority of countries) Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Laos Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau North Macedonia Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Mauritania Mauritius Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Authority Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Romania Russia Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Sudan Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syria Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States of America Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City Venezuela Vietnam Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

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Description of Ideal Candidate

This course is designed for:

professionals interested or engaged in national dialogues & peace mediation processes
practitioners and academics interested in complementing their own experiences with current conceptual insights and practical knowledge

Is this course designed for you? If unsure, do not hesitate to contact us for personal advice.

Candidates must have:

a university degree in a related discipline such as political science, law, economics or sociology
at least two years of professional experience
a good command of English.

Unfortunately, we cannot provide scholarships for this course. Participants (or their employer) must be able to cover the tuition fee.