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Rochusplatz 1 / Burg Schlaining, 7461, Stadtschlaining

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Recent events in different parts of the world have shown that violence, militarisation and war are once again being used and presented as legitimate ways of asserting economic and political interests. Important peace processes are stalling, multilateral organisations are losing their relevance, the calls for dialogue and civil society-based tools of conflict resolution and peace work are fading, and resources are lacking.

This year’s Austrian Forum for Peace, titled “Towards a Climate of Peace“, aims to address the challenges of international conflict transformation in a changing world. The conference seeks to strengthen networks, discuss different approaches, initiate thought processes, generate ideas, and contribute to the promotion of sustainable global peace.

Increasing global complexity and unpredictability are exacerbated by the effects of the man-made climate crisis. This threat is felt across conflict lines and can worsen the burden on countries affected by conflict. However, it can also be an opportunity to build trust between opposing parties and work together on solutions. This approach, known as Environmental Peacebuilding, was first discussed at the UN Climate Change Conference COP 28 in 2023 and has been specifically pursued at the ACP for some time.

At the same time, the global system is becoming more fragmented and restructured, partly due to the increasing number of international mediation parties, some of which are involved in conflicts. In this new reality, one possible approach could be to use the comparative advantages of new, different actors in a targeted manner to support regions affected on their way to a climate of peace.

The use of technology, including artificial intelligence, also plays a major role not only in warfare worldwide, but increasingly also in considerations and projects for the prevention of civil conflict and peacebuilding.