Upcoming Event

Informal Diplomacy & Peace Mediation

The Foreign Policy Forum, in partnership with the Faculty of Political Science, University of Zagreb, organizes a lecture by Paul Dziatkowiec, Director of Mediation and Peace Support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP).

Panel discussion in a formal conference setting with audience seated in front of speakers

At a time when traditional diplomatic channels face unprecedented strain—from stalled peace talks on Ukraine to escalating tensions in the Middle East—informal diplomacy and Track II mediation have become critical instruments for conflict resolution.

Drawing on over 25 years of experience as a diplomat and conflict mediator in negotiations spanning Nigeria, Myanmar, Thailand, and most recently Ukraine, Paul Dziatkowiec will examine how unofficial dialogue processes, back-channel negotiations, and discreet mediation efforts can complement formal diplomacy in navigating today’s most dangerous crises.

 

The lecture will explore the evolving landscape of peace mediation, the challenges posed by a fragmenting international order, and the potential of informal diplomatic tools to help prevent and resolve armed conflict—from the war in Ukraine to the Middle East and beyond.

 

Speaker

Paul Dziatkowiec, Director of Mediation and Peace Support at the Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP), Senior Adviser to the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and Fellow at Oxford Global Society. Former Australian diplomat and conflict mediator with experience spanning Ukraine, the Middle East, Africa, the Caucasus, the Arctic, and the Asia-Pacific.