A policy-practice dialogue on peacebuilding, preventing violent conflict and constructive
engagement of faith actors in fragile contexts.
Why this conversation now?
Denmark’s new development strategy places strong emphasis on fragile contexts, prevention, locally led
responses and long-term development in protracted crises. This creates a timely opportunity to consider
how faith actors — as part of the local civil society landscape — can be understood and engaged
constructively, conflict-sensitively and inclusively in Denmark’s international development cooperation
and peacebuilding practice.
In many fragile and conflict-affected contexts, faith shapes identity, legitimacy, norms, trust, social
relations and public life. Religious leaders, faith communities and faith-based organisations may support
recovery, dialogue, mediation, reconciliation and social cohesion, create locally meaningful spaces for
cooperation and healing, and link community-level realities to wider solidarity, advocacy and
accompaniment.
At the same time, faith actors are not automatically peace actors. Religion can also intersect with conflict
dynamics, exclusion, harmful social norms, gender inequality, discrimination, proselytism, politicisation
or polarisation. This is why the conversation needs to move beyond general assumptions and focus on
evidence, context analysis, inclusion, humanitarian principles, conflict sensitivity, and clear partnership
criteria.
The event therefore proposes to move from evidence to practice and policy, asking what Danish actors
and their partners can take forward in the implementation of Denmark’s development strategy.
The event will explore
• What the evidence tells us about the role of faith actors in conflict prevention, peacebuilding,
conflict management and social cohesion.
• Grounded practitioner experience of engagement with faith actors in fragile and conflict-affected
contexts.
• Practical implications for the rollout of Denmark's development strategy, including localisation,
humanitarian principles, conflict sensitivity and safeguards.
• Concrete recommendations for Danish civil society, the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA)
and possible future guidance on faith actors in fragile contexts.
Relevant for
The event is particularly relevant for people working on peacebuilding, conflict prevention, and religion
and development in fragile contexts. It is also relevant for those working on localisation, humanitarian
action, development cooperation, civil society partnerships, inclusion, and gender.
Conveners
The event is convened through the Danish Network for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding (NCPPB)
and the Danish Network on Religion and Development, with a steering committee consisting of ADRA,
CKU, DanChurchAid, Danmission and Danish Muslim Aid.
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/engaging-faith-actors-for-peace-tickets-1998417270853?aff=oddtdtcreator