ICfC Mission

The Middle East, Sudan, India, Rwanda, Yugoslavia, even Western Europe…
despite the best efforts of peacemakers, there are continuing eruptions of violence throughout the world, most involving different ethnic and religious identities.
Almost all attempts at conflict resolution put the past to one side. But the past remains present, and historical grievances continue to stir up conflict, even when the parties are strongly motivated to cooperate.

There is no easy formula for resolving deep-rooted conflicts that have persisted for generations. But the International Center for Conciliation – the ICfC – has developed an entirely different approach to conflict resolution that is yielding promising results.

The Center has begun conciliation initiatives in a variety of settings and circumstances – in Israel, in India, in Western Europe, Cambodia and Vietnam, in North and South Korea. Our approach is built around ensuring that each adversary hears the 'other' and acknowledges their differing views of the complex pasts they share.

The effectiveness of our approach has been recognized by opportunities to partner with the World Bank, the US Department of State, the India School of Business and an Islamic Outreach Program undertaken by twelve major Western European cities, and led by the Mayor of Amsterdam.

There are countless causes for conflict, but historically-driven hatred is the major enabler of violence. Memories of past grievances, indignities and pain have made enduring peace and constructive coexistence elusive.
The list of adversaries is a long one, and the world has learned the costs of so many enduring conflicts. Only when opposing parties successfully address their historically-rooted sources of conflict can enduring peace and a fruitful coexistence become possible.

This is precisely what we accomplish through the help of our skilled mediators.