Peace Diplomacy in an Era of Growing Conflict

In this episode, we mark the first year of the Nagulendran Chair in Peace Mediation with a wide-ranging conversation on the state of peace diplomacy today. At a time when conflicts are multiplying across the globe, we ask whether this signals a failure of diplomacy or a call for its evolution. We explore how the peace diplomacy sector works—who its actors are, the roles they play, and how they differ. We also examine the mounting pressures of budget cuts and political change, and consider how these challenges are reshaping the field’s future. This conversation offers both a moment of stock-taking and a forward-looking vision for how peace diplomacy can remain resilient, relevant, and transformative in uncertain times. Our guest is Achim Wennmann, Director for Strategic Partnerships here at the Geneva Graduate Institute, Professor of Practice in the Inter-disciplinary Programme, and Nagulendran Chair in Peace Mediation.