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Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies

The Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (CPCS)) is a Cambodia-based INGO that works throughout the Asia-Pacific region to promote the advancement of peace processes, research and learning. “CPCS creates opportunities for practitioners, students, academics and analysts to access information and resources that are contextually grounded; and supports people in country and conflict situations through network support mechanisms and consultancy services.”

CPCS is also home to Action Asia, a regional network of peace practitioners, and the Applied Conflict Transformation Studies (ACTS) Masters programme. The Centre was founded by Emma Leslie, who has lived in Cambodia since 1997 and has worked on a variety of issues throughout Cambodia and the Asia-Pacific region. In 2005 she was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize as part of the 1000 Women for Peace.

Background

Local peace initiatives over the past decade have laid the groundwork for what is now the Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies: a home to a range of interconnected peace programmes which are contextually grounded and promote the advancement of peace processes, research and learning throughout Asia and beyond. It has developed into a home for strengthening existing initiatives and the development of new initiatives which help people in Asia make more informed and strategic interventions into violent conflict and transformation and advancement of peace processes.

Much of CPCS’ current work focuses on building connections between peace actors and civil society at the local, state and regional levels. These networks provide support and opportunities for exchange and learning as a means of strengthening human resources for peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

Goal and Purpose

CPCS’ guiding principle is to consolidate its various experiences and knowledge into useful resources for a variety of actors, such as peace practitioners and policy-makers and analysts. These resources are disseminated through a variety of channels such as conversation, training and publications and to make these resources available to the relevant actors who would benefit from such a knowledge base. “The Centre was conceived as a way to develop and reflect on best practices: that is, to make best practices our work for peace.”

Publications

In 2009 the Centre released Listening to Voices from Inside: Myanmar Civil Society’s Response to Cyclone Nargis. The first in a series, the book documented local Myanmar civil society initiatives to respond to Cyclone Nargis and helped dispel the commonly held belief in the international community that there is no domestic civil society in Myanmar. The publication is available in its entirety on the CPCS website. The Centre also participated in a collaborative project between CPCS, Myanmar-based Shalom/Nyien Foundation and US-based CDA Collaborative Learning Projects entitled The Myanmar Listening Project which aimed to listen to recipients and deliverers of international assistance as a means of improving those assistance practices. The final report, Listening Project Field Visit Report: Myanmar/Burma is available in its entirety on the CPCS and CDA websites.

CPCS has also published a variety of books on Asian experiences and perspectives of peacebuilding and conflict transformation. These experiences and perspectives are derived from the presentations of peace practitioners at the annual Action Asia Peacebuilders’ Forum.