WASHINGTON—A workshop held at the U.S. Institute of Peace in June examined the recent initiative to develop an Office of the Coordinator for Reconstruction and Stabilization within the State Department. Co-sponsored by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), the workshop included officials from the National Security Council (NSC), the Departments of State, Defense and Justice, the Congress, and non-governmental organizations. Participants concluded that the creation of an o...

June 27, 2004 WASHINGTON—The members of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Institute of Peace elected J. Robinson (Robin) West as their new Chair on July 22. West will take over from Dr. Chester A. Crocker, Schlesinger Professor of Security Studies at Georgetown University, who has served as Chair since 1992. María Otero was elected the new Vice Chair of the Institute's Board, replacing Seymour Martin Lipset, Hazel Professor of Public Policy and Sociology at George Mason University. West is...

WASHINGTON—On July 22, the Senate approved S. Con Res. 109, which honors the United States Institute of Peace on the 20th anniversary of its establishment. Sponsored by Senators Daniel Inouye (D-HI), John Warner (R-VA), and Tom Harkin (D-IA), the resolution underscores the role of the Institute as a "source of innovative ideas and practical policy analysis on peacemaking in zones of conflict around the world." In introducing the resolution, Senator Inouye called the Institute "a unique natio...

WASHINGTON – In a speech at the U.S. Institute of Peace yesterday, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell hailed the Iraqi people for their courage in "taking risks at all levels…to serve their country” and praised the Allawi government for its "crucial first steps” to form a democratic society. He identified the new Iraqi administrative law as "a revolutionary document for this part of the world,” noted that a national conference is scheduled next month to select an interim Iraqi national counci...

WASHINGTON—Vivek Viswanathan of New Hyde Park, N.Y. was awarded first prize in this year's National Peace Essay Contest (NPEC), sponsored by the U.S. Institute of Peace. A student at Herricks High School, Viswanathan received a $10,000 college scholarship for his essay titled "Establishing Peaceful and Stable Postwar Societies Through Effective Rebuilding Strategy." In announcing the winner at the Institute's annual NPEC awards banquet on June 23, Institute president Richard H. Solomon commen...

The Institute of Peace mourns the passing of former President Ronald Reagan and acknowledges with great appreciation that in 1984 he signed into law the act establishing the Institute and nominated our first Board of Directors. In recognition of his contributions, the Institute awarded him—together with former President Jimmy Carter—the first Spark M. Matsunaga Medal of Peace in 1994.

WASHINGTON—The latest iteration of the U.S. initiative to promote reform in the Middle East, due to be unveiled June 9 at the G-8 Summit, seeks to move the democracy promotion agenda forward. At the same time, the U.S.-led Broader Middle East and North Africa Initiative and its centerpiece "forum for the future"—which seeks to bring together G-8 and regional ministers to discuss reform—face critical challenges. Revisions made to the initiative in the past few months attempt to allay concerns...

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Institute of Peace is pleased to announce the selection of its 17th class of Senior Fellows in the Jennings Randolph Fellowship Program. Named in honor of former U.S. Senator Jennings Randolph of West Virginia, a founder of the Institute, the program affords leading policy practitioners and researchers opportunities to examine non-violent approaches to the resolution of international conflict and post-conflict stabilization. In welcoming the new group, most of which wi...