Peace Process Design Workshop

Peace Process Design & Implementation Workshop

At a time when peace processes are emerging or being reconsidered in contexts such as Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, Turkey, Iran, and Cyprus, there is a growing demand for training that moves beyond analysis toward the practical design and management of peace negotiations. To address this need, Dr. Gul Gur (American University) and Ksenia Bakhtiarova (Carter School, 2^nd year PhD) are organizing Peace Process Design & Implementation Workshop on June 8-9, 2026, at the POV Retreat Center. 

Carter School faculty, graduate students, and invited international scholars or practitioners will collaborate to examine how peace processes are designed, structured, and implemented in practice. During the workshop, participants will analyze comparative cases and translate insights into practical teaching tools, simulations, and conceptual frameworks for peace process design and implementation. Workshop outputs will also inform the potential development of a future Peace Process Design and Implementation Certificate Program aimed at both graduate students and mid-career practitioners.

Program Structure

• Day 1: Comparative Peace Process Discussions: The first day will focus on examining lessons from major peace processes and identifying common challenges in negotiation and implementation. With the help of external scholars and practitioners, participants will study cases like Northern Ireland, Colombia, Cyprus, South Africa, the Turkey–Kurdish peace process, and the Philippines (Bangsamoro). Specifically, they will explore issues including negotiation architecture, inclusion strategies, sequencing of negotiations, spoiler management, and implementation challenges. 
• Day 2: Peace Process Design Workshop: We will engage in collaborative design activities aimed at translating insights from the comparative discussions into practical educational resources. Specific activities include:
• drafting an outline for a Peace Process Design Toolkit
• developing initial concepts for simulation-based learning exercises
• identifying priorities for teaching case materials
• outlining potential modules for future courses or training programs