This wide-ranging volume brings together theoretical insights on peace and conflict, with practical experiences in conflict-resolution around the world, under the banner of “City Diplomacy”.
Defined as peace building initiatives by local authorities to help resolve conflicts far away from home, City Diplomacy has the potential to breath new life into entrenched conflicts by offering new insights for dealing with complex issues. The book raises a number of relevant questions, including whether diplomacy is, or should, be the responsibility of states alone; what drives local governments to engage in peace-building; and whether they have sufficient capacity to do so. The issues raised in the book were debated at the First World Conference on City Diplomacy held in The Hague, The Netherlands from 11-13 June.
Edited by Arne Musch, Chris van der Valk, Alexandra Sizoo and Kian Tajbakhsh (June 2008). VNG International, The Hague