Amman – To mark the International Day of Peace and the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will host a special storytelling event on Sunday 22 September 2024 at the Heart of Amman building in downtown Amman. This event is dedicated to promoting Insider Mediation, a localised approach to preventing conflict and sustaining peace by collaborating with trusted community members to facilitate dialogue within their communities.  

The special event, organised in collaboration with Search for Common Ground (SFCG) and I-DARE for Sustainable Development, will bring together local and regional Insider Mediators, including Jordan, Lebanon, Sudan, and Yemen. These Insider Mediator, who range from students, to Mokhtars, to educators, will share their personal journeys towards mediation, across diverse contexts and obstacles.

Insider Mediation is increasingly becoming instrumental in peacebuilding and conflict resolution. According to UNDP’s report on engagement of Insider Mediators, working closely with community members who hold in-depth knowledge and personal ties to local actors, the chances of reaching negotiated agreements increases by at least 15%. Crucially, Insider Mediators represent a diverse group, including women, youth, persons with disabilities, religious leaders, and activists. Due to their role on the ground, Insider Mediators are able to monitor instances of tensions, analyse patterns, and intervene swiftly. UNDP is supporting insider mediators by providing access to capacity building, small grants for mediation-related initiatives, and supporting the work of the Regional Network of Insider Mediators.

Speaking ahead of the event, the UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States (RBAS) Hub Manager a.i., Susanne Dam-Hansen said that the International Day of Peace offers an important opportunity to acknowledge and honour the efforts of dedicated individuals who, even in the most challenging and complex contexts, are steadfastly bridging divides, facilitating dialogue, and fostering peace within their communities where it is needed most. She noted that UNDP is striving to support their efforts and amplify their voices to ensure that the important work they do receives the recognition it deserves.

For his part, UNDP Jordan’s Senior Governance Programme Advisor, Baker al-Hiyari, stressed that the 25th anniversary of the UN’s Culture of Peace declaration reflects UNDP’s firm belief that building peaceful and inclusive societies is the cornerstone of sustainable development. He added that the UNDP’s continued efforts in helping Jordan address today’s development challenges not only focus on mobilising much-needed funding, but also large-scale capacity building programmes, which are designed to cultivate harmony and peace across Jordan.

He went on to highlight that the Insider Mediation initiative is rapidly becoming a case study of effective frameworks to enhancing national infrastructures for peace, trust, inclusion, and social cohesion across the region.