New technologies have become increasingly ingrained in people’s day-to-day lives, connecting people and changing the way information is accessed and communicated. Indeed, they have the power to fundamentally shape social and political narratives worldwide, empowering marginalised voices to shift social norms for the better.
While the use of new technologies for peacebuilding has shown promise, there are ethical and operational issues to consider.
Peace Direct is convening an online consultation to broaden the conversation on this topic. Peacebuilding and digital technologies will be a global conversation between practitioners and peacebuilders to explore both the impact technology is having on conflict dynamics and the effective and ethical use of digital technologies for peacebuilding.
Overall Aim of the Consultation
The aim of the consultation is to provide participants an opportunity for:
- Shared learning amongst experts from a range of backgrounds, including peacebuilders, local experts, practitioners, researchers, academics and civil society organisations.
- Drawing out the experiences, analysis, and recommendations of local peacebuilders on the use of technology in peacebuilding and the impact of technology on conflict dynamics.
- Furthering the understanding of the relationship between technology and peacebuilding.
- Contributing to the discussions, policies, and practice on the use of technology for peacebuilding of international stakeholders, including at the UN-level.
In collaboration with a group of participants, Peace Direct will produce a report for publication, intended to share knowledge from the consultation.
How Will It Work?
The consultations will take place online on Peace Direct’s Platform4Dialogue online discussion platform and last 3 days. The main language will be English, but participants that are more comfortable writing in other languages are welcome to do so.
The online system allows participants to contribute at times most suitable to them and within their own time zone. Therefore, it is possible to fit participation around your usual commitments. It may take just a few minutes a day to make some very important contributions to the exchanges.
A public report will be produced from this consultation, but no participant will be quoted publicly without separate consent.
Event Date
The online consultation will take place from 17 – 19 March 2020.
Attend the Event
Complete the online form to attend the Peacebuilding and Digital Technologies consultation
Further Information