Thursday 22 August 2019 The attacks by the Russians and the Syrian army on Idlib have increased recently. In fear of the Syrian army advancing in the south, many people have been fleeing to the north of Idlib. While we’re on the phone, I hear the crackling of static and agitated voices speaking on a […]
The new PAX report ‘Don’t be Evil?’ highlights advances in the tech sector relevant to the potential development of lethal autonomous weapons (known commonly as ‘killer robots’) as well as links between the tech sector and the military. The report is part of the Reprogramming War project, which includes a series of four reports each […]
While the media is flooded by headlines regarding the Venezuelan crisis and President Maduro’s refusal to step down, many underlying consequences of the massive migration provoked by the crisis are going by unnoticed. One of these concerns is the recruitment of Venezuelan refugees at the Colombo -Venezuelan border by Colombian illegal armed groups. About 1,3 […]
Tuesday 23 July 2019 Before I go on vacation, I give Ahmed a call. It feels a bit strange to say goodbye for the next few weeks because bad news is just pouring into my timeline. An endless stream of reports about bombing and lots of dead and wounded. Including in Saraqeb…. “Hi Ahmed. I […]
During an uncharacteristically dry and hot evening in Amsterdam, the Foundation Max van der Stoel managed to defy the odds: fill the hall at Pakhuis de Zwijger with audience members who sacrificed a pleasant evening outside with friends and family. Instead, they spent the evening inside learning about the latest development in Ukraine – the […]
In Srebrenica speelt etniciteit zo’n grote rol dat verhalen van andere groepen niet worden gehoord. Dat geldt voor heel Bosnië-Herzegovina. De oorlog is voorbij in de heuvels waar in de jaren negentig zo’n enorme massaslachting plaatsvond, maar vrede is het niet. Het plenst als we met collega’s van PAX Srebrenica inrijden. Binnen in het cultuurhuis […]
As I sit at my desk writing about peacebuilding in Lebanon, I realise that the most effective peacebuilding method is frequently overlooked: creativity. Creativity and culture are usually neglected in large peacebuilding initiatives, even though working together in activities that promote wellbeing and dialogue can be key tools of peacebuilding. Rebuilding a community is, after […]
Those who in the 1980’s were fiercely opposing the Soviet sphere of influence and wanted to break free from the mold and join the ‘free Europe’, are now growing more and more unhappy with the EU. How did this come to pass, where did it turn sour, and is there a solution? The answer might […]
8 July 2019 I am in Gaziantep, Turkey, just 150 kilometers from Saraqeb. 150 kilometers from the war that just won’t stop. It’s weekend In Gaziantep, a quiet day. It’s also quiet in Saraqeb. Except for the sound of fighter jets flying overhead, and the roar of explosions in the distance. “Hi Ahmed, how are […]
Travelling from Vienna to Kőszeg, just across the Austrian-Hungarian border, I received word of Timmermans’ tragedy. He will not be the new president of the European Commission. There was fierce opposition from the four Visegrad countries: Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the Czech Republic. We don’t know all the details yet, but travelling East, it is […]