Towards
A Climate of Peace

Zielgruppe: Kommunale Akteur*innen und sonstige Interessierte | German

Target group: Anyone engaged in peacebuilding. | English

Dr. Hesham Al Ghannam is the Director General of the Security Research Center at Naif Arab University for Security Sciences. He is a Saudi political scientist with over two decades of experience in political, economic, and international relations advisory and research. His work is focused on strategic studies and national security in the Arab region, providing analysis for leading international institutes, think tanks, and media outlets. Dr. Al Ghannam is a former Fulbright Fellow at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterey and holds a PhD from the University of Exeter.

Saleh Muhammad Al-Khathlan is a Professor of Political Science from King Saud University and a Senior Advisor to the Gulf Research Centre (GRC). He has served as the Vice President of the Saudi National Society for Human Rights. Al-Khathlan has been a member of several prestigious bodies, including the Consultative Assembly of Saudi Arabia (Shura Council) and the Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. He was also the Dean of the College of Law and Political Sciences at King Saud University. He holds a PhD in Political Science from the University of Kansas (1993).

Dr. Aisha Al-Sarihi is a research fellow at the Middle East Institute of the National University of Singapore, and a non-resident fellow at both the Middle East Council on Global Affairs and the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. She also serves as an Associate Fellow at Chatham House’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. Al-Sarihi specializes in the political economy of environmental sustainability and energy and climate policy in the Arab region. She earned her PhD from the Centre for Environmental Policy at Imperial College London, and holds an MSc and BSc, with distinction, in Environmental Science from Sultan Qaboos University. (c) Dr. Aisha Al-Sarihi

Roberto Angrisani is Head of Sector for the agency eu-LISA and senior Legal, Fundamental rights and Data Protection expert. He holds a PhD in law from the Universities of Bordeaux (France) and Laval (Canada), specializing in the protection of migrants' fundamental rights in the Area of Freedom Security and Justice. Awarded the Vanier Fellowship by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), he has been a lecturer in European Law and European Integration Law at Université Laval since 2015. A graduate of the University Federico II of Naples and a barrister-at-law, in criminal and migration law, he also worked at the Italian Embassy in Dakar and founded a NGO in West Africa.

Ambassador Apakan is one of the most experienced Turkish diplomats in the international field. As State Secretary in the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he was part of efforts leading to a rapprochement with Armenia. Later, he served as Permanent Representative to the United Nations. In one of his last official capacities, he was head of the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine until 2019.

Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydın is the President of the International Relations Council of Turkey and a Professor of International Relations at Kadir Has University. Dr. Aydın held positions at Ankara University and TOBB-University of Economics and Technology, as well as several prestigious fellowships, including at Harvard University. He has served as a member of the Economy and Foreign Policy Study Group of the President of Turkey, co-coordinator of the International Commission on the Black Sea, and director of the International Policy Research Institute. His research focuses on international politics and security in Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea, and the Middle East. (c) Prof. Dr. Mustafa Aydin

Franklin Babila Doh is based in Cameroon. He is an expert in Disaster Risk and Social Protection, Gender Patterns in Migration and Humanitarian Emergency Response, currently holds the position of Deputy Regional Director for the Central African Sub-Region at the Institut Panafricain pour le Développement-Afrique Centrale (IPD-AC). He brings valuable experience from his previous roles at the Pan African Institute for Development - West Africa and the PAID Center for Concerted, Decent and Sustainable Development. Franklin holds a Master's degree in Strategy, Defense, Security, Conflicts, and Disaster Management from the University of Yaounde II, Soa (2010-2013). (c) Franklin Babila Doh

Hrair Balian has served in leadership positions with the UN as Director of the SG’s High Representative Office in Ivory Coast (2006-2008), the OSCE/ODIHR as Head of Elections (1998-2003) and NGOs, including with the Carter Center as Director of Conflict Resolution (2008-2022) as well as with the International Crisis Group as Director of its Bosnia and Herzegovina field office (1996-1998). During a 35-year career in public service, he has worked on conflict resolution, elections and human rights in the Balkans, Eastern Europe, Caucasus, Central Asia, Middle East and Africa. Hrair Balian has also taught conflict resolution, negotiations, and mediation at the Emory University School of Law (2008-2018) and Georgia Tech's Sam Nunn School of International Affairs (2023).

Paulina Behluli is a program manager at the Data Tank coordinating the Data Stewardship program, with a digital expertise on innovation and transformation in the public sector. She has led several open data projects in Kosovo and across the Western Balkans. Previously, Behluli worked for the Berlin Innovation Agency, supporting their B2B programmes as well as their pre-seed tech accelerator programme. She holds a master's degree in public policy from the Hertie School in Berlin, with a specialisation in Management & Organisations and a research focus on Digital Governance. (c) Lahiru Lewke Bandara

Asmau Benzies Leo is Executive Director for the Centre for Nonviolence and Gender Advocacy in Nigeria (CENGAIN), a non-profit organization dedicated to peace, gender equality, and sustainable development. She has a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Anthropology, Masters in Conflict Management and Peace Studies and a PhD in Public Governance and Leadership. She is currently the Coordinator of the National Women’s Platform on Security Sector Reform and Governance for Nigeria. She was the former Head of the Gender and Vulnerable Group Care Unit at the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) under the Presidency. She has a strong focus on Refugees and displaced women and children and was a Member of the Technical Working Group for the Nigerian National Development Plan 2021-2025 and Agenda 2030. Her extensive experience includes working with the academia, the World Bank, United Nations and some international organisations. She is an international conference speaker, transformational leader, a Gender, Conflict and Peace Researcher, the convener of Peace Hub-Nigeria, a member of the Women, Peace and Security Reference Group and a Global Ambassador for Women, Peace and Security./p>

Prof. Dr. Roland Bernhard is a Full Professor of Education, specializing in School Improvement and Leadership, at the University of Teacher Education Vienna/Krems (KPH). He heads the school development research unit and has extensively studied the traits of highly effective schools and education systems. His research includes post-doctoral work at the University of Oxford. Dr. Bernhard leads significant research initiatives such as the Austrian Science Fund project 'School Quality and Teacher Education' (SQTE) and the international project 'Teachers’ and Parents’ Perspectives on Character Education' (TEPACE). (c) Roland Bernhard

Dr. Lena Cataldo-Schwarzl is a professor at the University College of Christian Churches of Teacher Education in Vienna/Krems (Kirchliche Pädagogische Hochschule Wien/Krems). She researches and teaches in the fields of educational psychology and multilingualism. In addition, she is a specialist in internationalisation. Dr. Cataldo-Schwarzl holds a PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Vienna.

Jean-Paul Chami, a Lebanese Peacebuilding Advisor, has over 15 years of experience in peacebuilding and conflict transformation, accompanying local communities, municipalities, and organizations by facilitating their dialogues and building their capacities to better prevent and address conflicts. He founded Peace Labs and Catalyze and has led up till now over 200 workshops across the Arab region. He holds master’s degrees in Peace and Conflict Studies and International Relations.

Nathan Coyle is the Senior Project Manager for Peace Tech, he is responsible for all our Peace Tech related activities and digital development. Nathan has partnered with governments across the globe to enhance their digital outreach efforts. He is a Fellow at The Royal Society of Arts in his native Britain and a writer, contributing to publications such as The Guardian. On his publication 'Open Data for Everybody: Using Open Data for Social Good' Nathan did a TEDx talk.

Dr. Esra Cudahar is Associate Professor at Bilkent University in Ankara, Turkey, and Research Director of the Ottawa Dialogue at the University of Ottawa, Canada. She has over three decades of experience in research, teaching and practice in dialogue facilitation, mediation and conflict assessment. Dr. Çuhadar's extensive professional experience includes serving as a Mediation Adviser to the United Nations (on the roster since 2024), Senior Expert on Dialogue and Inclusion at the United States Institute of Peace (2020-2023), Regional Mediator for the World Bank (2011-2020), Consultant to the OSCE (ongoing), and Senior Research Fellow at Inclusive Peace (ongoing). Dr Çuhadar received her M.A. and Ph.D. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, where she also earned an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Applied Conflict Resolution.

Norbert Darabos was Austrian Minister of Defence from 2007 to 2013 and Burgenland‘s State Councillor for Social Affairs and Health from 2015 - 2019. He was a member of the Austrian Parliament for many years and in his function as Secretary of the Austrian social-democratic party (SPÖ) he led several election campaigns. As a historian, he is currently responsible for establishment of the „Museum for the Contemporary History of Burgenland“ at Schlaining Castle. Since 2019 Norbert Darabos has been President of the ACP. (c) Ricardo Herrgott

Aude Darnal is a Research Analyst and Project Manager at the Stimson Center and the founder and leader of the Global South in the World Order Project. This initiative is a platform dedicated to elevating geopolitical perspectives from Global South policy stakeholders and furthering representation in Western policy circles. It aims to advance global governance reform and equity in international affairs, to enable prosperity and security for all. Aude’s primary field of research has been in the peacebuilding and development sector, and she has worked in West Africa. She notably advocates for the wholesale restructuring of the current models underpinning international assistance and the securitized responses to conflicts.

Patricio Del Boca serves as the Tech Lead at the Open Knowledge Foundation. With over a decade of experience as an information systems engineer, he has extensive experience in both the private sector and NGOs. His work is focused on collaborating with diverse communities to disseminate technical knowledge in a way that has a meaningful impact. Patricio Del Boca is also an activist and has been advocating for the open movement since a young age.

Maryna Domushkina is a visiting fellow with the Wider Europe programme at the European Council on Foreign Relations. She holds an MA in international peace and conflict studies from the UN University for Peace and specializes in peace and security, with a focus on negotiations and mediation in complex emergencies. Having worked more than ten years in the area, her expertise includes positions with the OSCE, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva, UNICEF, UNHCR and the UN. Most notably, she was an advisor to the UN on the Black Sea Grain Initiative, where she actively contributed to the establishment of the Joint Coordination Centre in Istanbul and the agreement’s operationalisation (2022). Domushkina has also been a human rights officer in the OSCE Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine (2016-2020). (c) ecfr.eu

Governor Hans Peter Doskozil studied law at the University of Vienna. His professional career was shaped by police activities, where he worked at the Ministry of the Interior, among others, and was appointed Provincial Police Director of Burgenland in 2012. Doskozil held this position until 2016. After holding high-ranking positions in the office of former governor Hans Niessl, Doskozil was appointed Federal Minister of Defence and Sports in 2016, and from 2017 he took on the role of Provincial Councillor for Finance, Culture and Road Construction in Burgenland. Doskozil has been Governor of Burgenland since February 2019. (c) Manfred Weis

Salam Ebeid is a A PhD fellow at the Berlin School of Muslim Cultures & Societies (BGSMCS) at Freie Universität Berlin and a DAAD scholar. Ebeid’s research areas are currently focused on ecological insecurities, exploring human-water relationships in the South of Egypt. She holds a Master's degree in Cultural Anthropology from the American University in Cairo and is trained in ethnography. A social critical thinker, she has also taught various age groups on how to better understand the multi-layered human and non-human social world we inhabit.

Ovigwe Eguegu is a Policy Analyst at Development Reimagined, and a Samuel Hall Research Fellow. He specialises in geopolitics, with particular reference to Africa in a changing global order. Specifically, his research and research-based policy advice address the implications of great power politics for security in Africa, and how Africa responds to and shape global power shifts. He is a former field advisor with years of experience in designing and implementing conflict and stabilisation programmes in the Sahel. Eguegu holds a Master's Degree in International relations from Renmin University of China. His recent publications include a policy paper “The Russia–Ukraine War: Implications for Africa” (2023), published by the South African Institute of International Affairs, “Russia’s private military diplomacy in Africa: High risk, low reward, limited impact” (2022), published in the South African Journal of International Affairs and “The Digital Silk Road: Connecting Africa with New Norms of Digital Development” (2022), published in Asia Policy.

Moritz Ehrmann is Director of the ACP and heads the Conflict Resolution department. He brings to the ACP his extensive experience from varied contexts, including Iraq, Colombia, Jordan, Ukraine, and Yemen, and through his previous work with the International Committee of the Red Cross and as an Austrian diplomat. He began his career with the Austrian foreign service, for which he was most recently deployed to the Austrian OSCE Chairmanship Task Force from 2016 to 2017. Since 2018, he has been engaged in informal international peace mediation.

Dr. Ghassan Elkahlout is the Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies and an Associate Professor in Conflict Management and Humanitarian Action at the Doha Institute for Graduate Studies. He has over two decades of experience in post-war recovery, and humanitarian response, having worked with international organizations. His research spans a wide range of topics related to conflict management, humanitarian action, and post-war recovery. Dr. Elkahlout holds a PhD in Post-war Reconstruction and Development studies from the University of York. (c) CHS Doha

Mohammad Mahmoud Farghal is Senior Project Manager for ACP’s Iraq activities focused on mediation and the promotion of dialogue between political actors in the country. He has extensive experience in political, international and humanitarian affairs, having served with the League of Arab States, the United Nations, the Government of Egypt, and the International Committee of the Red Cross. He holds a degree in Political Science from the University of Ottawa.

Ulrike Feichtinger serves as Deputy Mayor and Community Group Spokesperson for the municipality of Gmunden in Austria. She is a member of the Green Party in the province of Upper Austria, where she also serves on the district executive board. She holds a doctorate in theoretical physics and has previously worked as a researcher at CERN (the European Research Centre for Particle Physics). Ms. Feichtinger is a consultant and was previously involved in the “Fridays for Future and Parents” project in Gmunden. (c) Mona Lorenz

Stephanie Fenkart has been serving as Director of the International Institute for Peace (IIP) since 2016. She is a member of the Advisory Committee for Strategy and Security Policy of the Scientific Commission at the Austrian Armed Forces (BMLV). She is also the Chair of the Board of the Balkan Forum based in Prishtina.

Dr. Heinz Fischer was President of the Republic of Austria from 2004 to 2016. His extensive career as a senior representative and policymaker of the Republic of Austria has spanned several decades and included positions as Member of the Austrian National Assembly (1971-2004), Chairman of the Social Democratic Group in the Austrian Parliament (1975-1983), Minister for Science and Research (1983-1987) and President of the National Assembly (1990-2002). He was Deputy Chairman of the Social Democratic Party from 1978 to 2004 and co-founder of Amnesty International/Austria in the early 1970s. Dr Fischer holds a doctorate in law from the University of Vienna and was a professor of political science at the University of Innsbruck. He has written several books in the fields of political science, constitutional law, contemporary history, amongst others. (c) BKMC

Werner Fischer is the press spokesperson and auditor of the Austrian Climate Council. In 2022 he was active in the Climate Council's field of action "Production and Consumption". He also represents the provinces of Burgenland and Lower Austria in the organisation. Prior to that, he worked for more than 25 years in finance and general management for various companies in Austria and abroad, including as co-owner of Rohkraft green GmbH and as Managing Director of Erber Future Business GmbH, a holding company for companies and projects in advanced technologies.

Alexandra Fong is the Chief for Policy and Guidance in the Policy and Mediation Division of the United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA). In this role, she helped establish the inter-agency Climate Security Mechanism at the UN in 2018 and has been closely involved in guiding and growing its work. She oversees DPPA’s policy planning, innovation, and guidance and learning teams and co-manages the UNDP-DPPA Joint Programme on Building National Capacities for Conflict Prevention. She previously served as peace and development adviser in Asmara, Eritrea, and as adviser to three Under-Secretaries-General for Political Affairs. In 2016-2017 she held a visiting scholar appointment at Stanford University's Centre for Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law. Before joining the UN, Alexandra worked at the International Crisis Group and a network of development NGOs. She holds a BA Honours from Oxford University and a MSc from the London School of Economics. (c) UNDPPA

Ursula Gamauf-Eberhardt is the Senior Project Manager for the peace education portfolio. She is also responsible for the OSCE training programmes. Her thematic focuses include peace education, dealing with the past and the OSCE.

Abdou-Salam Gampene is currently the Secretary General of the Prime Ministry of Burkina Faso. Prior to this position, he served at Parliament as Strategy Officer and at the Embassy of Burkina Faso in Morocco as Financial Officer. He has 22 years' professional experience in management and governance. He holds a Diplôme d'Etudes Approfondies (DEA) in environmental economics and a Diplôme d'Etudes Supérieures Spécialisées (DESS) in local development. He taught as a part-time lecturer at the University of Ouagadougou for ten (10) years, while working in public administration in the field of public finance. Mr Gampene has contributed to project documents development related to gender promotion at Parliament and MPs contribution to social peace in Burkina Faso, through inter-religious and inter-community dialogue. Because of his humanitarian commitment as a volunteer blood donor, he was awarded a prize in the year 2005 called "Solidarity Prize".

Leonore Gewessler is Austria's Federal Minister for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation, and Technology, appointed in January 2020. Previously, she was the Deputy Chairwoman of the Green Parliamentary Group and a Member of the National Council for the Greens. Gewessler served as Executive Director of Global 2000 from 2014 to 2019, and earlier as the founding director of the Green European Foundation in Brussels. She has also been a member of the Advisory Council of the ‘Grüne Bildungswerkstatt’ education foundation, focusing on environmental policy and education. Ms. Gewessler holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Vienna. (c) BMK / Cajetan Perwein

Irene Giner-Reichl studied Romance and German studies, law, counselling and spirituality in Innsbruck and New York. She worked for the Austrian Foreign Service from 1982 to 2021, specialising in sustainable development and global issues, multilateralism, development policy and women's rights. She was the Permanent Representative of Austria to the United Nations in Vienna, and the Ambassador of Austria to the People's Republic of China, Mongolia, Brazil and Suriname. She teaches and publishes on international relations issues and has been active in the NGO sector since her retirement in March 2021. (c) LGP

Christoph Grafinger is a peace and conflict researcher and international peace worker at Center for Balkan Cooperation LOJA. LOJAs activities are primarily focused on the fields of peace education and culture, promoting ethnic reconciliation and inclusion through the arts and civic engagement. The organization regularly conducts training activities as part of its long-term project of Anchoring Multicultural Education in the University Curricula in North Macedonia as well as Civic Activism & Peacebuilding Academies.

Roger Hackstock has served as the long-standing CEO of the Austrian Solar Association. Mr. Hackstock has been engaged in energy system transformation for nearly three decades, having held various roles at the Ministry of Science, the Institute for Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the Austrian Energy Agency, the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund, and as an independent energy policy consultant. He is a lecturer at the Vienna University of Technology and the author of two best-selling books on energy transition. In June 2023, he was appointed Director of Solar Heat Europe, representing the category of national associations. (c) Fotostudio Wilke

Fabiola Hanna is Assistant Professor of Emerging Media in the School of Media Studies at The New School, New York. She is a new media artist and software theorist whose work has been exhibited widely in the US, including at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz. Previously, she was a Data and Democracy Fellow at the Humanities Institute at UC Santa Cruz, an inaugural fellow at the Institute for Critical Social Inquiry at the New School for Social Research, and an education programme manager at the MIT FabLab in San Diego. Hanna holds a PhD in Film and Digital Media from UC Santa Cruz.

Dr Annika Hansen has worked in the context of peace operations for over 25 years and currently heads the Analysis Team at the Center for International Peace Operations (ZIF) in Berlin. From 2008-2016 she worked at UN Headquarters and in the UN mission in Libya (UNSMIL), having earlier served in the EU Police Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2002-2003). From 1996-2008, Annika was a Senior Analyst at the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment (FFI) and the International Institute for Strategic Studies, London (2000-02). Most recently, she consulted the UN on the Strategy for the Digital Transformation of UN Peacekeeping (2021).(c) ZIF

Anna Hess is an expert in peace and security with extensive experience in conflict studies and peace mediation across Eurasia and South Asia. She has designed and supported various peace processes and led educational programs in peace and conflict studies, including certificate courses and Master's programs. As former Head of Conflict Resolution at the Austrian Center for Peace, she was leading the Centre’s work in dialogue and mediation processes across the Middle East, Africa, and Eurasia. Anna has authored numerous publications, including on OSCE mediation and women's roles in peace processes, and is currently working on a book about the impact of geopolitical tensions on protracted conflicts, focusing on Eurasia and the Middle East.

Michael Hilpert is the manager of the climate and energy model region Carnica Rosental. The Carnica Rosental project is designed to promote the optimal use of natural resources and to facilitate the identification and implementation of energy savings opportunities. The initiative aims to promote sustainable management and active climate protection in the region. Mr. Hilpert holds a master's degree in Sustainable Urban and Regional Development and has extensive practical experience in project management.

Astrid Holzinger is Senior Project Manager of the International Civilian Peacebuilding Training Programme and has multiple years of experience with the UN, OSCE and EU as well as the Austrian civil service. Capacity-building, crisis management and programme coordination within the UN Mission in South Sudan, protection of civilians in armed conflict, the promotion of the women, peace and security agenda and international security are among her areas of expertise. She holds a master’s degree in international relations.

Eva Huber is ACP's Deputy Director and in this capacity is responsible, among other things, for the ACP's cooperation portfolio with the Austrian Ministry of Defence as well as other individual projects. She has a background in political science, African studies, and public international law and more than 10 years of experience working for UN peace operations and agencies as well as NGOs. She has supported peace processes through political liaison, strategic planning, capacity-building, community engagement, and programme coordination. In addition to having headed the ACP´s project portfolio in Sudan and South Sudan, the peace process in Colombia is currently her area of expertise. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Dr. Melanie Hussak is research associate at the Peace Institute Freiburg at the Pr. University of Applied Sciences, where she is active in research, teaching in the MA Peace Education and in transfer activities. From 2022 to 2023 she was a research associate at the University of Haifa and from 2015 to 2022 at the Peace Academy Rhineland-Palatinate (RPTU in Landau). In 2015, she was a fellow at the Austrian Center for Peace and Conflict Resolution. Hussak studied political science and economics at the University of Vienna and completed a postgraduate degree in "Interdisciplinary Conflict Analysis and Conflict Transformation" at the University of Basel. She completed her PhD at RPTU on peace conceptions and peace initiatives of indigenous communities in the context of colonization and ongoing coloniality.

Oluyemi Ibiloye is a Commandant of Corps with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). He was the Technical Adviser on Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) matters to the Honorable Minister of Interior, he is a statistician, peace and security expert, a certified Protection Officer (CPO) and a chartered mediator. In this capacity, he offered technical guidance on strategic planning, private security governance, agency operations, and performance management. Following his recent promotion, he was appointed as the State Commandant of the NSCDC Ondo State Command. In collaboration with the State government, he oversees security operations and civil protection, implementing community engagement programs to enhance public safety and synergize between security agencies and local communities, in ensuring protection of lives and properties. As a highly resourceful intellectual and a sought-after panelist, he has engaged in several facilitations and panel discussions at various local and international conferences.

Dr. Happymon Jacob is an Associate Professor of Diplomacy and Disarmament at the School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and the Founder and Honourary Director of the Council for Strategic and Defence Research in New Delhi. With nearly two decades of experience, he specializes in security and international affairs, with a focus on arms control, disarmament, and India’s Foreign policy. He is a columnist for the Hindustan Times, a leading Indian daily. (c) Happymon Jacob

Caroline Jäckl is the Director and Diversity Manager of the European Office of the Education Directorate for Vienna. Prior to that, she worked as an elementary school teacher, holding an academic qualification in teaching children with reading and spelling difficulties. In 2021, Ms. Jäckl was appointed as an Erasmus+ Ambassador and has since developed and implemented the Erasmus+ empowerment strategy “enterEurope” in her capacity at the European Office in Vienna.

Uli Jäger is Senior Advisor on peace education at the Berghof Foundation. Previously, he led the Global Learning Department and, since 1986, has been co-director of the former Institute for Peace Education, Tübingen e.V. (Institut für Friedenspädagogik, Tübingen e.V. - IFT). He has designed and implemented various national and international peace education projects. In July 2017 he was appointed Honorary Professor by the University of Tübingen. He is a member of the advisory board of the Peace Institute Freiburg.

Specialist in climate change and the management of ecosystems and natural resources, Mr. Nebyida Lamech Kabore has more than fifteen years' experience of working in Burkina Faso's Ministry of the Environment. He has worked at a decentralized level in the field of rural development, in particular the management of forestry, wildlife and fisheries resources, with particular emphasis on the management of the periphery of conservation areas. In particular, he has worked on the management of human-wildlife conflicts, and the resettlement and compensation of illegal occupants of protected areas. He has also contributed at central level to strategic planning, the development of policies on environmental governance, climate change and sustainable development, and the development of tools for integrating climate change, biodiversity, wetlands and sustainable land management into national and local planning documents. Mr. KABORE is currently contributing to the mobilization of climate finance within the Executive Secretariat of the Green Climate Fund in Burkina Faso in his capacity as Designated National Authority of the Green Climate Fund.

Prof. Lučka Kajfež Bogataj is a leading Slovenian climatologist and professor emeritus, specializing in agricultural meteorology and climate change impacts. From 1996 to 2023, she has headed the Centre for Biometrology at the Biotechnical Faculty of the University of Ljubljana, where she also obtained her doctorate. Dr. Bogataj has been a core member of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) for over 16 years. Most notably, she was part of the IPCC group that won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2007. Her work has significantly advanced climate science in Slovenia and internationally, earning her numerous honours, including Slovenia's Order of Merit (2008) and an honorary doctorate from the University of Primorska (2011). In 2016 she became a member of the UNESCO Expert Group on the Declaration on Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate Change. She was listed among Women Who Inspire Europe in 2012 by the European Institute for Gender Equality. (c) Boris Bogataj

Angela Kane worked for over 35 years for the United Nations and held posts at the Assistant and Under-Secretary-General levels. She is the Vice President of the International Institute for Peace in Vienna and serves as Senior Advisor to the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington. She is also a Senior Fellow at the Vienna Center for Non-Proliferation and Disarmament. She is a Professor at Tsinghua University/Schwarzman Scholars in Beijing and serves on Boards in Europe, North America, and Asia, focusing on political affairs, conflict resolution and artificial intelligence. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Kholood Khair is the founder and director of Confluence Advisory, a 'think and do tank' formerly based in Khartoum that specializes in the three key policy areas: peace and security, economy, and governance. Additionally, Kholood hosted and co-produced Spotlight 249, Sudan's first English-language political discussion and debate programme aimed at young Sudanese. Kholood has a career spanning the fields of research, aid programming, and policy in Sudan and across the Horn of Africa. She has authored research and analysis pieces for several international publications and has provided analyses for research and policy institutions worldwide.

Dr. Réka Kissné Zsámboki is the Vice Dean for Science and International Affairs at the University of Sopron Faculty of Pedagogy in Hungary. She holds a Ph.D. in Educational Sciences and works as an associate professor at the Faculty of Pedagogy. She has more than 20 years of work experience in pre-primary education and in pre-primary teacher training. Dr. Zsámboki's research is focused on kindergarten education, progressive pedagogy, innovation management in education, project-based and experience-based learning.

Tetiana Kyselova is an Associate Professor of Mediation and Conflict Resolution at the Department of International Relations, Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine; an Associate Researcher at swisspeace, Switzerland, and the Director and Founder of the Mediation and Dialogue Research Center at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy. Tetiana holds a DPhil in Social-Legal Studies from Oxford University. Since 2022, Tetiana has been an advisor to the civil society network “Ukrainian Community of Dialogue Practitioners”, on the strategies of peacebuilding, fund-raising, capacity development, methodologies of conflict analysis and process design. Tetiana‘s research interests include conflict transformation, post-conflict reconciliation, peacebuilding, mediation, and dialogue.

Ulf Laessing is the director of the Sahel programme at the German think tank Konrad Adenauer Foundation, based in Bamako. He works extensively in Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mauritania. With 23 years of experience at Reuters news agency, Ulf has covered a wide range of topics including wars, politics, energy, and banking, building a vast network in Africa and the MENA region.

Maximilian Lakitsch is a Senior Scientist and Lecturer at the Department of Global Governance (The Foundations of Law) at the University of Graz. He researches and teaches in the fields of peace studies and international relations. Maximilian Lakitsch is particularly interested in critical perspectives on international peace interventions and the integration of environmental and climate aspects into peace practice. His regional focus is on the Middle East and North Africa, especially Syria, Lebanon and Israel-Palestine. (c) Uni Graz

Dr. Fabjan Lashi is the Digital Assessments Project Manager at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Team Leader of the SURGE Data Hub unit at the Crisis Bureau. With over 16 years of experience at UNDP, he leads and coordinates data literacy and digital assessments service provision for 170 UNDP country offices worldwide. His work focuses on response, recovery, and data management in fragile states and crisis contexts, leveraging data and digital tools for prevention and crisis analysis. Previously, Dr. Lashi has worked for the European Commission amongst other international organizations and was a visiting lecturer at the Canadian Institute of Technology for over 8 years. (c) Dr. Fabjan Lashi

Bujar Luma, a theatre director by vocation, integrates into his work of civic activism modern techniques from art and new media to effectively engage in intercultural dialogue between communities. Bujar is the founder of “LOJA – Center for Balkan Cooperation”, established in 1999 in response to the ethnic conflict in ex-Yugoslavia. Since then, LOJA institutionalized multicultural education at universities in North Macedonia and is in the process of establishing the Western Balkan Academy on Peace Building and Civic Activism. Additionally, Bujar is often engaged in „Track Two Diplomacy” initiatives. Bujar was one of key facilitators responsible for the establishment of the RYCO, one of the most important outcomes of the Berlin Process.

Dr. Yanqi Luo is a Program Manager for External Affairs and International Communication, Secretariat of Beijing Xiangshan Forum and Associate Researcher at the Academy of Military Sciences PLA. Dr. Yanqi Luo majored in international security with a focus on US military and UAV application in military affairs. (c)Dr. Yanqi Luo

Shadia Marhaban is a mediator and a member of the steering committee of the Southeast Asian Women Peace Mediators (SEAWPM). She was a member of the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) peace negotiation team in Helsinki in 2005, which successfully ended 30 years of conflict. Marhaban works as a consultant for the Berghof Foundation, focusing on resistance and liberation movements for over a decade. In this capacity, she has advised numerous armed resistance movements worldwide, including in Colombia, Afghanistan, Nepal, Cameroon and Mindanao. She studied political science in Indonesia and was a former fellow at the Weatherhead Center for International Affairs at Harvard University. In 2017, she was honoured with the Mediators Beyond Borders International (MBBI) Peacemaker of the Year award for her advocacy on UNSCR 1325. (c) SEAWPM

Tijana Matić is a specialist in environmental sustainability and a greening expert, based in Vienna. She is a member of the Vienna Climate Team at the Departement for Energy Planning of the City of Vienna. The Klimateam's objective is to assist Vienna residents in shaping their neighbourhoods and contributing ideas for climate protection.

Meredith Preston McGhie is the Secretary General for the Global Centre for Pluralism. With over 20 years of experience in conflict resolution and peace-making, she has significant expertise in frontline negotiation, policy, and diplomacy. In her previous role as Africa Regional Director with the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, she contributed to a range of peace processes, including advising Kofi Annan during the Kenya National Dialogue and Reconciliation in 2007/8. In addition to facilitating processes in Sudan, South Sudan, Nigeria and Somalia, her experience has spanned work with Indigenous communities in Northeast India and Myanmar and UN peace processes in Kosovo and Northern Iraq. (c) GCP

Bettina Muscheidt is a former EU Head of Delegation and Ambassador to Yemen (2012-2016), Libya (2016-2018), and Nicaragua (2021-22). In her career she covered conflict zones such as the Middle East peace process, Syria, and Afghanistan for several EU institutions. She holds a Master degree from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in International Affairs, and an MSc from Bonn University in Agricultural Economics. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Ambassador Raphael Nägeli is Switzerland's Permanent Representative to the OSCE, the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna. After working in journalism and for a major Swiss bank, he held several diplomatic posts, including at the FDFA/FDEA Integration Office, the embassies in Sarajevo and Budapest, the Policy Unit of the Human Security Division and the International Civilian Office in Kosovo. He has been Head of the Asia and Pacific Division (as an Ambassador) since August 2018, having previously held the positions of Regional Coordinator for South Eastern Europe, Deputy Head with the rank of Minister, Head of the Task Force for the Swiss Chairmanship of the OSCE from 2015, and Deputy Head of the Human Security Division with the rank of Minister from August 2016. Nägeli studied history, economics and the history of Eastern Europe at the University of Zurich and the Free University of Berlin.

Fatou Ndour is Senior Project Manager of the Capacity Development for Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa (HAWA) project. Trained in international relations, international crime and justice, and human rights law, she possesses a vast experience in post-conflict justice. She previously worked for UN entities and NGOs, supporting capacity-building programs and research studies in the fields of human rights (including children’s rights, gender, and migration). Furthermore, has knowledge of the development sector and a good understanding of challenges at the local, national and regional levels in developing countries.

Babacar Ndiaye boasts over 30 years of successful experience in academia, diplomacy, peace and security, transnational organized crime prevention, and human security areas. Formerly a professor at the University of St. Louis, Senegal, he also served as principal political affairs officer at the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), programme administrator at the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), for West and Central Africa, and political analyst (US State Department/US Embassy Dakar). Post-retirement, he joined the Timbuktu Institute for Peace Studies. His research areas include political violence, violent extremism, conflict analysis and prevention, transnational organized crime (human trafficking, smuggling of migrants). He consults for ECOWAS, EU, UN, and several international NGOs, also teaches diplomacy and foreign policy. Mr. Ndiaye holds postgraduate degrees in Diplomacy and International Relations (Vienna School of International Studies), American Studies, a master’s degree in Applied Languages Studies (Law, Politics, and Economics/English and German) from Lyon University 2, France, and an advanced certificate in Higher Education; University of Lancaster, UK. He also has completed several professional development training programmes, in leadership and political tradecraft, US Departement Foreign Service Institute (FSI), Washington D.C He has authored several articles and presented at numerous international conferences on peace, security, and organized crime in West Africa, in the United States, Europe, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Uganda. Mr. Ndiaye is a West Africa analyst for several international media outlets, including VOA, RFI English, AP, TFM (Senegal) Arise (Nigeria). He speaks Wolof and French as first languages and is fluent in English and German with some proficiency in Spanish.

Kurt Nekula is a federal civil servant and has worked as Head of the General Education Section at the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research. In this role, he focused on general education, quality development and reform projects. A teacher by training, Nekula was the head of "Licht ins Dunkel - charitable organisation for people with social, physical and mental disabilities" from 2013 to 2023 and is a former member of the national parliament. He currently works in the European Office of the Vienna Education Directorate. (c) Petra Spiola

Verdiane Nyiramana is the Executive Secretary of Benimpuhwe Organisation, currently the country focal point for the Global Network of Civil Society Organizations for Disaster Reduction (GNDR) in Rwanda. Nyiramana also serves as the Chairperson of the Executive Board of the Nile Basin Discourse network. Her work focuses on building community resilience to climate change, strengthening civil society participation in national development and planning processes, and promoting sustainable peace.

Andreas Papp is a consultant and humanitarian aid worker. He began his career with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in 2004 and has worked as a project and country coordinator in a dozen countries. Subsequently, he served as Program Director at MSF-Austria (2008) and Director of Emergency Response at SOS Children’s Villages International (2015-2019), where he contributed to the development and implementation of Emergency Preparedness and Relief programs in 28 countries. Since 2013, Andreas Papp has been a regular lecturer at Webster University, Vienna Campus. In 2020, he established his own company, Andreas Papp Consulting e.U., which offers consulting services to a range of companies, universities, NGO’s and governmental institutions.

Sara Petti is the International Network, Projects, and Community Lead at the Open Knowledge Foundation. Her work, at the intersection of tech and democracy, is focused on community empowerment and access to knowledge. Sara is passionate about all issues linked to community care and health, like governance. Before joining Open Knowledge Foundation, she was advocating for public libraries to be on the EU agenda (notably for the review of the Copyright Directive), and was part of the team that developed Khan Academy in French. She is a proud co-organiser of csv,conf and the Open Research Devroom at FOSDEM. She is currently based in Bologna, Italy. (c) Sara Petti

Emelie Poignant Khafagi is a Research Associate in the Middle East and North Africa Programme at the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, where she researches political, social, economic and environmental drivers of conflict and pathways to peace. Research ranges from local analyses to country and regional levels. Emelie holds an MPhil in Modern Middle Eastern Studies from St Antony's College, University of Oxford.

Jan Pospisil is Associated Professor at the University of Coventry. Until 2022 he was Research Director at the ACP. His work focuses on peace processes and political settlements, donor politics in peacebuilding, resilience, and South Sudanese and Sudanese politics. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Damita Pressl is an award-winning journalist and presenter based in Zurich. She is passionate about current affairs, women’s and children’s rights and evidence-based policy. Ms. Pressl moderates panels and conferences, she offers media and public speaking training, and her online course, Public Speaking School, supports women in finding their voice.

Daniela Prugger is a freelance journalist working as a foreign correspondent in Kyiv, Ukraine and reports for various international media outlets, including “Der Standard”, Ö1 Radios, WOZ – Die Wochenzeitung, SRF, ff, Rai Südtirol. Her work spans multiple media formats, including print, television, radio, online platforms, and podcasts. Ms. Prugger grew up in South Tyrol, Italy, and completed her academic studies at the University of Vienna and the Universidad de Sevilla, followed by professional training at the Reportageschule in Reutlingen, Germany. She has recently been honored with the 2023 ‘Award for Outstanding Journalism in Memory of Claus Gatterer’ for her in-depth coverage of the war in Ukraine. (c) Helena Lea Manhartsberger

Monika Psenner serves as the Head of Capacity Development at ACP, where she provides strategic and operational oversight of the organization's comprehensive training portfolio. This includes spearheading initiatives such as the EU Civilian Training Initiative (EUCTI) and programs aligned with the European Security and Defence College (ESDC) framework. Committed to fostering sustainable peace, Monika actively integrates Environmental Peacebuilding principles into ACP's multifaceted endeavours and advocates for the adoption of the Climate, Environment, Peace, and Security Nexus in both European and global initiatives. Monika's academic background encompasses international affairs as well as crisis and contingency management. Bolstered by her professional foundation in development cooperation and humanitarian aid, she brings a wealth of experience in intercultural network collaboration, leadership, organizational development, project management, and training to her work.

Sophia Stanger is Junior Project Manager and in charge of the project "Capacity Development for Humanitarian Assistance in West Africa" as well as for training programmes within the framework of the European Union (EUCTI). She is also responsible for the Environmental Peacebuilding sector. Sophia Stanger has many years of experience in NGO work, project management and team leadership, for example in the fields of education, humanitarian advocacy and volunteer missions. Her expertise also lies in the intersection of environment/climate and conflict resolution approaches. Sophia Stanger is also a qualified trainer and has completed a mediation training.

Prof. Dr. Peter Stippl is Vice President of the Austrian Association for Psychotherapy. As a psychotherapist, supervisor, trainer and coach, he has been involved in the interests of psychotherapy and psychotherapeutic care in Austria for almost 25 years. From 1998 to 2013 he was on the board of the Burgenland Association for Psychotherapy, including as vice-chairman and then as chairman. Since 2013, Stippl has been active in politics on the board of the Austrian Association for Psychotherapy, first as vice-president, then as president in 2015. He was the co-founder and head of crisis intervention at the Burgenland Red Cross for more than 10 years. (c) ÖBVP

Ambassador Christian Strohal was director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the OSCE in Warsaw. In 2008 he became Austria‘s permanent representative at the United Nations in Geneva, 2013 Permanent Representative to the OSCE in Vienna. Between 2016 and 2017 he was Special Representative for the Austrian Chairmanship of the OSCE 2017. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Vilma Sukackė is a lecturer, associate researcher and trainer at the DAtA Centre. She is also a project expert and PhD student of Educational Sciences at Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania. She has participated in several EU-funded projects such as ECIU University, BADGE, HACK-IT and augMENTOR. Sukackė has authored numerous publications, including scientific papers and teacher's manuals. In addition, she holds seminars and workshops on technology-enhanced teaching/learning, academic writing and research methods at various training events around the globe. (c) Rokas Jundulas

Since 2003, Shuhrat Sulaymanov has contributed to UN conflict resolution efforts in the Central African Republic, the Middle East (Israel/Palestine, Syria, Yemen, Iraq) and Ukraine. Most recently, he was part of the Independent Strategic Review of UNAMI (Iraq) and led the Secretariat/Mediation Team of the Office of the UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative in Istanbul. Shuhrat studied international affairs and mediation of political processes at ETH-Zurich, Columbia University in New York, and the University of World Economics and Diplomacy in Uzbekistan.

Sergey Utkin is associate professor for international politics at the University of Southern Denmark since 2022. For many years he worked at the Institute of World Economy and International Relations (IMEMO) in Moscow. His research focuses on European and Euro-Atlantic security and foreign policy.

Wolfgang Weilharter is the Project Manager for the project "Communal Peace and Conflict Work in Burgenland". His focus is on the implementation of mediation and dialogue processes on the communal level, in the areas of communal politics, housing and neighbourhoods and local coexistence of people of different origins. (c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Zhou Yiqi is an associate Senior Fellow at Shanghai Institutes for International Studies (SIIS). His research interests include conflict studies, Middle East security, international political theory, and research methodology. He has published a number of papers in academic journals and new media. He worked as a visiting scholar at the Department of Social Science, Ohio State University in 2017-2018, and as a Nonresident Fellow at the Institute for Peace Research, Frankfurt, Germany from February to September 2023.

Ambassador Hossam Zaki is an Egyptian diplomat, with a 30-year long career in diplomacy He is currently Assistant Secretary General and Chief of Staff at the League of Arab States. He was Assistant Foreign Minister for European Affairs. He previously served as Senior Middle East Advisor for the Foreign Minister of Egypt, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Deputy Chief of Minister’s Cabinet. He has extensive knowledge on issues pertaining to the Middle East and crises including Palestine and Arab- Israeli affairs. Ambassador Zaki was Egypt’s Ambassador to Brazil from 2012-2015.(c) Foto Andi Bruckner

Dr. Elisabeth Zissler is Professor of Ethics at the University College of Christian Churches of Teacher Education Vienna/Krems (KPH) since 2022. Prior to that, she worked as a post-doctoral University assistant from 2019-2022. Her research focuses on intercultural ethics and ethics in interreligious dialogue, postcolonial theory and cultural studies, and applied ethics in the context of education, medicine, digitalisation and ecology. Her dissertation focused on the topic of ethical turn. She holds a PhD from the University of Graz. (c) Michaela Greil