Daring to strive for wider peace
It is not only wars between states that threaten peace; violence can also escalate within states. Civil wars and conflicts over water, pasture or raw materials inflict deep physical and psychological wounds – and can often spark subsequent confrontations.
The civil way is the way to go
The aim of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) is to contain the outbreak of violence without resorting to arms, in doing so reinforcing civil structures for peaceful conflict resolution. The programme started in 1999. Since then, specially-trained experts have been sent to crisis areas, supporting local partner organisations in:
- preventing violent conflicts from erupting,
- resolving conflicts peacefully,
- building structures following conflicts which help to secure peace in the long-term.
Work together – facilitate understanding
In the CPS, non-governmental and governmental organisations work together to avoid hatred and violence, and to facilitate understanding. CPS experts are sent by these executing agencies on project placements, where they meet the needs of local partners for mediation and support in overcoming enmity, fear and mistrust. The experts work for fixed terms within a local organisation, or provide on-site training to facilitators.
Open up peaceful ways of reconciling
Worldwide military expenditure outstrips the financial resources available to civil processes for violence prevention and conflict resolution. However, armed conflict cannot bring sustainable, longterm resolutions.
Civil conflict resolution cannot ensure that every crisis will die down. It can, however, open up peaceful ways of reconciling groups with different interests so that they can coexist without violence, thereby laying the foundations for a lasting peace.
Peace only works if everyone wants it
Peace is more than laying down arms, it cannot simple be prescribed like a medicine. It can only be achieved through common endeavour between all parties to a conflict and the affected populations. This often requires all those involved to overcome deep divisions.
As our local partner organisations are firmly embedded in their respective societies and cultures, CPS expters always work with these bodies. Our experts offer the added benefit of providing fresh perspectives from outside and giving effective impetus and support to peacebuilding processes.
Diversity is our strength
The CPS is funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and its work is carried out by 8 German peace and development organisations, of which only one is a government agency. Their diversity is one of the strengths of the CPS, as they possess an extensive network of access to a number of civil society organisations within our partner countries. Furthermore, they facilitate our work through the wide spectrum of experience, expertise and approaches that they offer.
The work of the CPS is carried out by:
- Action Committee Service for Peace [Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden(AGDF)],
- Association for Development Cooperation [Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Entwicklungshilfe (AGEH)],
- Christian Services International [Christliche Fachkräfte International (CFI)],
- German Development Service [Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst (DED)],
- International Christian Services for Peace [Internationaler Christlicher Friedensdienst (EIRENE)],
- Church Development Service [Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst (EED)],
- Forum CPS [Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst],
- and World Peace Service [Weltfriedensdienst (WFD)]
http://www.ziviler-friedensdienst.org/Ziviler-Friedensdienst.23.0.html?&L=1
5.5.2010, 19:48
