At present, the Platform website focuses mainly on German actors and activities in the field of peaceful conflict management. It offers only few English-language news, events and documents. However, we consider it important to provide also those unfamiliar with the German language with information on the Platform and its policy contexts, as well as on German activities in peaceful conflict management. We are therefore planning to add within the next months English-language abstracts of the most significant documents published by the Platform. These abstracts will be available in the publications section of the Platform website.

Please note that apart from publications and events, the Platform website offers also the opportunity to search expert profiles of Platform members and others in Germany, who are involved in the field of peaceful conflict management. Some of these (English) competence profiles can already be looked up on the current Platform homepage.

In addition, lists of annotated links help users find information on databases, national, European or international institutions and actors, as well as on jobs and internships. We apologise for being able to offer only limited English-language services for the moment. Should you require additional information, please do not hesitate to contact the Platform coordinator (koordination@konfliktbearbeitung.net).

The Platform is a German network of associates, aiming to promote peaceful conflict management.

"On the threshold of the 21st century, the world is facing an unbearable amount of violence, especially in internal conflicts. To reduce and overcome this violence, the development of diverse approaches to peaceful conflict management is essential. Therefore it is necessary, that non-governmental organisations increase their engagement and that in general society’s capability of managing conflict constructively will be strengthened." (Preamble to the Charta of the German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management)

The German Platform for Peaceful Conflict Management rises to this challenge. The Platform was founded in 1998 in Bad Honnef, Germany. It is designed as an open network.

Today the network connects more than 130 individuals and nearly 60 organisations, institutions and groups from the fields of:

• Peace work
• Conflict resolution / mediation
• Human rights work
• Humanitarian aid
• Development cooperation
• Research

The Platform "aims to support its associates in their work to reduce violence, to connect them with each other and to make their work in the field more effective.” (Charta)

Initially, the Platform focused on improving the exchange of information, conducting lobby work and contributing to the facilitation of cooperations. Over time, the following services, activities and joint projects have evolved:

The Platform has redesigned its webpage

www.konfliktbearbeitung.net

The lively, clearly laid out and rich information source for peaceful conflict resolution is regularly updated.

Peaceful conflict resolution is a cross-section topic. The Platform aims to render the different discourses on the topic more accessible by providing a bibliography of articles published in relevant magazines and anthologies.

Research and consulting: The Platform functions as a clearing board for the exchange of expertise. The Platform secretariat deals with inquiries for experts in cooperation with the associates. The Platform coordinator also communicates queries and job vacancies to the network.

Surveys on peaceful conflict resolution in Germany: in 1998, the Platform published the brochure Civilian Conflict Resolution: A Guide of German NGOs and Institutions. It was complemented in 2001 by the survey Conflict Resolution in Germany.

In late 2003, the brochure Peace needs Society (Frieden braucht Gesellschaft) was published. It serves as a stocktaking of non-governmental approaches and recommendations for action in peaceful conflict resolution.

The Platform is self-financed based on subscription fees and grants from its associates, as well as external grants and funds for projects. Presently, the minimum annual subscription fee for individual associates amounts to EUR 40; from 2006 onwards the minimum annual fee will be EUR 50. Exceptions are possible. Depending on their size, organisations are expected to pay annually a minimum of EUR 50 to 100 or more than EUR 1000.

You are invited to become an associate by signing the Platform Charta, which defines the network’s goals. The Charta and the admission form can be requested at the Platform secretariat or be filled in on-line at the website.

Associates may create working groups or open cooperations (e.g. on the qualification of professionals). They may also organise study events. Project proposals are discussed and decided at the annual conference.

The Platform is administrated by a Board (Initiativkreis Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung e.V.) made up of twelve members who are elected by the Platform associates every two years. The Board constitutes the legal and the executive body of the Platform. It was established in 2003 as a registered association and is recognized as a non-profit organisation. The Board elects a secretary, who coordinates the association’s work.

Uwe Trittmann	Evangelische Akademie Villigst
Tobias Debiel	Institut für Entwicklung und Frieden (INEF)
Felix Koltermann	CAREA e.V.
Ulrich Frey
Wolfgang Heinrich

Engagement für Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung ist nicht kostenlos. Spenden sind jederzeit sehr willkommen unter: Plattform Zivile Konfliktbearbeitung, Bank für Kirche und Diakonie, KtNr. 1013702019, BLZ 350 601 90.
Ihre Spenden sind steuerlich absetzbar.