UNU-WIDER Launch of the UNU-WIDER book 'Making Peace Work – the Challenge of Social and Economic Reconstruction'
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Launch of the UNU-WIDER book 'Making Peace Work – the Challenge of Social and Economic Reconstruction'
Sean Crowley
The UNU-WIDER book 'Making Peace Work – the Challenge of Social and Economic Reconstruction' co-edited by Tony Addison and Tilman Brück, was launched at the University of Ulster on 20 March at a special gathering to mark the occasion. The book was launched during the UNU-WIDER workshop on Entrepreneurship and Conflict, and is the culmination of an extensive UNU-WIDER research project on the theme.
Speakers at the event included Tilman Brück, Pat Colgan, CEO of the Special EU Programmes Body, and Nobel Peace Prize winner and former politician, John Hume. Mr Colgan spoke about the importance of investment in facilities helping to bridge divides and bring communities together in Northern Ireland. John Hume, the architect of peace in the province, cautioned that peace can never be taken for granted and said that the EU represented the most successful peace process in the history of humanity.
Given the current challenges to the peace process in Northern Ireland including a recent return to the violence that has not been seen in the province for a decade, media interest in the book was high. Tilman Brűck was interviewed on BBC Radio Foyle on what lessons the book might have for Northern Ireland. The interview was opened up to callers and turned into a phone-in on the peace process. Dr Brück was also interviewed by local radio Derry Drive, on a similar theme.
The book looks at the examples of Afghanistan, Somalia, Bosnia, Kosovo and Georgia and reminds us that reconstruction from war and conflict is a daunting task. Countries face huge challenges, often with too few resources to meet these needs: rebuilding infrastructure, assisting war-damaged communities, and recreating weakened institutions.
This key book has been hailed as the definitive volume on how to establish peace, participation and prosperity in post-conflict societies. It covers a range of topics, some of which too often receive scant attention in reconstruction strategies, such as the gender dimension, the importance of horizontal inequalities, ethics and the need for a social contract, and entrepreneurship. It suggests practical approaches which should be of interest to researchers, policymakers and practitioners alike.
