Susan Hayward
Senior Program Officer, Religion and Peacemaking Center of Innovation

Contact
Please submit all media inquiries to interviews@usip.org or call 202.429.3869.
For all other inquiries, please call 202.457.1700.
Language: French
Susan Hayward is Senior Program Officer in the Religion and Peacemaking Center of Innovation, where she develops conflict prevention, resolution and reconciliation projects specifically targeting the religious sector. Since joining the Institute in 2007, her work has focused on Colombia, Iraq and Sri Lanka. She also coordinates an initiative exploring the intersection of women, religion, conflict, and peacebuilding in partnership with the Berkley Center at Georgetown University and the World Faiths Development Dialogue.
Prior to joining the Institute, Hayward worked as a short-term religious peacebuilding consultant for the Academy of Educational Development in Colombo, Sri Lanka, as a fellow of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, and with the Conflict Resolution Program at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia. Hayward has also conducted political asylum, refugee policy and human rights work in Minneapolis and Washington, D.C.
Hayward studied Buddhism in Nepal and is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ.
Hayward holds a B.A. in comparative religions from Tufts University, a master’s degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School at Tufts and a master of divinity from Harvard Divinity School.
Publications:
- “The Spoiler and the Reconciler: Buddhism and the Peace Process in Sri Lanka” in Between Terror and Tolerance: Religious Leaders, Conflict , and Peacemaking. Edited by Tim Sisk. Georgetown University Press: 2011.
- Women in Religious Peacebuilding
with Katherine Marshall, Claudia Zambra, Esther Breger, and Sarah Jackson.
USIP PeaceWorks, May 2011. - Averting Hell on Earth: Religion and Prevention of Genocide
USIP Special Report, September 2010. - “Engaging across divides: interfaith dialogue for peace and justice” in State of the World’s Minorities and Indigenous Peoples 2010. Edited by Preti Taneja.
Minority Rights Group International, July 2010.
Available on usip.org:
Publications & Tools
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March 2013
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Olive Branch Post
by Susan Hayward
As Buddhist-Muslim violence ignites, a monk’s message reflects the pain on both sides and his journey demonstrates efforts to heal the rifts and staunch the spread of unrest. Countries: Myanmar/Burma
| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities, Rule of Law
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December 2012
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News Brief
by USIP Staff
Susan Hayward, a senior program officer in USIP’s Religion and Peacemaking Center of Innovation spoke at the Marshall Center at the Department of State at a December 11 event marking International Human Rights Day. Countries: Colombia
| Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Mediation and Facilitation, Post-Conflict and Peacekeeping Activities
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September 2012
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Olive Branch Post
by Susan Hayward
Susan Hayward, USIP's senior program officer for the Religion and Peacemaking Center of Innovation, discusses her travel to Burma and role of religious leaders in civil society peacebuilding and community-led efforts to advance inter-religious coexistence. |
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August 2012
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Special Report
by Susan Hayward
The maturing field of religious peacebuilding faces challenges in integrating with secular peacebuilding efforts, engaging women and youth, and working more effectively with non-Abrahamic religious traditions. Countries: Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Sudan, The Two Sudans
| Issue Areas: Religion and Peacemaking
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July 2012
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Olive Branch Post
by Susan Hayward
Based on its experience in many zones of conflict, USIP believes that religious leaders and clergy are crucial to transforming inter-religious conflict. In Iraq, as in many places around the world, clergy are influential in shaping public opinion and mobilizing communities. |
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September 2010
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Special Report
by Susan Hayward
This report reflects on historic examples of the role of religious resources in supporting and mitigating the outbreak of genocide and mass atrocity. The main recommendations outline ways to counteract the use of religion to incite mass violence and to engage with religious communities in genocide prevention. Issue Areas: Human Rights, Religion and Peacemaking
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Events
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October 22, 2012
On October 22, 2012, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) hosted a panel discussion about civil society’s role in preventing and addressing provocative statements of religious bias and violent responses to it.
Issue Areas: Conflict Analysis and Prevention, Religion and Peacemaking
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October 17, 2012
Today’s international conflicts typically involve multiple actors, interests, and drivers that have sparked long, violent histories. Ending these conflicts relies more and more on facilitated dialogue, a process in which a neutral third party helps a broad spectrum of conflicting parties overcome the many barriers to effective communication. Countries: Colombia, Iraq, Israel and the Palestinian Territories, Kosovo, Nepal, Nigeria
| Issue Areas: Mediation and Facilitation
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February 27, 2012
In an era in which religion is resurgent, the recently released book, “Interfaith Just Peacemaking” -- a collection of essays by 27 Jewish, Muslim and Christian scholars and religious leaders -- provides timely new insight into religious resources for building fair and sustainable political, economic and social systems. Issue Areas: Religion and Peacemaking
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October 26, 2011
USIP’s Religion and Peacemaking program, the Faith and Politics Institute, and The Walter H. Capps Center for the Study of Ethics, Religion, and Public Life were pleased to host Vietnamese Zen Buddhist Master Thich Nhat Hanh for the Annual Walter Capps-Bill Emerson Memorial Lecture. Issue Areas: Religion and Peacemaking
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July 21, 2010
A panel of experts shared their perspectives on effective policies and faith-based initiatives to curb civilian rape of women in Eastern DRC. |
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July 8, 2010
This public event concludes a two-day symposium on women's approaches and work to build peace. With an emphasis on the roles of religion, meeting participants will reflect with a broader audience on their conclusions, concerns and ideas for making their work for peace more effective. A reception will follow at 5 p.m. Issue Areas: Gender and Peacebuilding, Religion and Peacemaking
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October 7, 2009
Grand Mufti of Egypt, His Excellency Dr. Ali Gomaa will speak about moderation in Islam and the challange of religious extremism. |
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August 28, 2009
Jehan Perera is executive director of the National Peace Council, an independent peace organization based in Colombo, and a regular analyst of Sri Lankan conflict and peace dynamics in online and print media. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu is executive director of the Center for Policy Alternatives, a think tank based in Colombo and dedicated to strengthening public input into governance and policy through research and analysis. Our two guests will speak about the current political and social context in Sri Lanka and the pathways to a sustainable peace and reconciliation. |
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January 18, 2008
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October 17, 2007
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