The terrorist attacks that regularly dominate news coverage of Pakistan have overshadowed deeper trends that constrain the space for political, social and religious diversity within the country. How can the arts and music bridge divisions and contribute to peacebuilding in Pakistan? The U.S. Institute of Peace hosted a forum on this question on April 18 to hear how artists and other practitioners see themselves playing this role.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Gender

No country weighs more heavily on America's economy, cybersecurity and strategic posture in Asia than China. China's foreign policies are being shaped by changes within the country that can be hard to measure and evaluate. USIP and Georgetown University gathered a dozen experts for a daylong assessment of how China's internal economic, political and security pressures are influencing policies critical to the United States and peace and security around the world.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Eight days after the prime ministers of India and Pakistan met suddenly in December to renew diplomatic dialogue between their countries, a squad of guerrilla fighters, apparently from Pakistan , disrupted the effort with an attack on India’s Pathankot air force base. The governments quickly postponed a planned meeting of their foreign secretaries. A pattern of such crises has recurred over the past decade and a half, and the United States often has sought to quietly mediate to avoid war between the nuclear-armed neighbors. What lessons can we learn from those experiences, and how should U.S. diplomats prepare for future disruptions? A panel of scholars and analysts who have helped manage U.S. relations in South Asia joined USIP’s Moeed Yusuf to examine these and related issues.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Six years after the end of the conflict in Sri Lanka, the country’s new president set out to address longstanding challenges of reconciliation, accountability and political grievance built up during decades of the country’s violent internal conflicts. On February 25,  the U.S. Institute of Peace hosted Sri Lanka’s Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera for a discussion, co-sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, of how the initiatives to advance reconciliation, post-conflict development and stronger democratic institutions are progressing.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

The Taliban’s two-week seizure of Kunduz in September revealed weaknesses in Afghanistan’s security forces and unforeseen Taliban capabilities. It has generated deep concerns about stability, security, the future of the peace process, and underappreciated humanitarian issues. On October 28, USIP convened experts to analyze Kunduz and its fallout, including President Obama’s decision to extend the U.S. troop presence in Afghanistan beyond 2016.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

The Prime Minister of Pakistan, His Excellency Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, reflected on developments in his country and the broader region and assessed the future of relations with the United States in an address, during his official visit to Washington, D.C. His address took place at the U.S. Institute of Peace on Friday, October 23 at 10:00am.

Environment;  Justice, Security & Rule of Law;  Peace Processes;  Economics

Ambassador Dan Feldman, the U.S. Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, assessed regional security issues and efforts to open peace talks with the Taliban in a presentation on August 5 at the U.S. Institute of Peace. Comments also were provided by USIP Chairman of the Board of Directors, Stephen J. Hadley, and USIP’s Vice President for South and Central Asia, Dr. Andrew Wilder, and then the discussion was opened up to the audience.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention

Director Joshua Oppenheimer showed and discussed his award-winning 2014 documentary, The Look of Silence, at the U.S. Institute of Peace on July 14.

Conflict Analysis & Prevention;  Nonviolent Action