ECPC Showcases Groundbreaking Peacebuilding Insights at Yale’s “Dynamics of Peace” Colloquium

ECPC researchers join global experts at Yale to showcase innovative peacebuilding frameworks as global conflicts reach unprecedented levels

Peace is a state of human relations to which many would aspire — yet find hard to sustain. In the 21st century, it is increasingly apparent that peace cannot be treated as a given. Rather, peace is something that must be cultivated. Invested in. Built. — Jackson School’s Peacebuilding Initiative

The Stark Reality: A World More Divided

Since this past spring when the Jackson School at Yale brought together leading peacebuilders at its “Dynamics of Peace” colloquium, the forward-thinking insights from Early Childhood Peace Consortium (ECPC) experts and other top global leaders feel less like academic theory and more like necessary roadmaps for our divided world.

The timing of Yale’s April 8th peacebuilding colloquium Dynamics of Peace, co-organized and co-chaired by ECPCs scientific research expert Catherine Panter-Brick, Professor of Anthropology, Health, and Global Affairs at Yale University and Co-director of the Jackson School of Global Affairs Peacebuilding Initiative, now seems prophetic. Global conflicts have doubled over the past five years, with nearly 200,000 conflict events recorded this year compared to 104,371 in 2020.¹ Foreign policy experts rank 2025 as potentially among the more dangerous years in recent history, with more contingencies rated as high likelihood/high impact events than ever before.²

When Elizabeth Spehar, UN Assistant Secretary-General for Peacebuilding Support, warned Yale attendees about “the highest number of active conflicts since the Cold War, with civilian casualties up 72% since 2022,” her words carried weight that has only intensified. Year-end projections for 2024 suggested conflict-related deaths could exceed 230,000 — a 30% increase from 2023.³

Read full article on ECD Peace here.