LUGARIT received a grant from the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work on a project supporting the peace process in Syria.  The project aims at improving negotiations and dialogues in the Syrian political context. 

Project Goals 

• Project Goal: Improving track 1.5 and 2 negotiations and dialogues to enhance chances of peacebuilding at the local and national levels.

• Target Audience: Primarily track 1.5 and 2 Syrian political actors and representatives, in addition to the Office of Special Envoy (OSE) and other mediation efforts.

• Key Tools: Development of a virtual dialogue tool (Peace Game), to aid in scenario development and dialogue facilitation.

• Focus Areas: Early recovery, decentralization, and women empowerment, aiming to generate actionable ideas and solutions at both local and national levels.

Project Outputs

• Virtual Dialogue Tool (Peace Game): A pivotal outcome is the creation of a virtual dialogue platform, envisioned as an open platform that different stakeholders can tailor to their needs. This tool is designed to simulate different scenarios, helping participants to understand the stakes and work towards consensus.

• Policy Papers and Reports: The results from the dialogues will be compiled into policy papers and internal reports, shared with donors, OSE, and relevant Syrian parties to facilitate peacebuilding.

• Other Outputs: The project also includes the development of online dialogue platforms and consultation meetings with various stakeholders.

Challenges and Solutions

The project addresses various challenges in the Syrian peace process, such as the complexity of the crisis, the involvement of multiple foreign powers, and the lack of innovative local solutions.

It aims to utilize the Peace Game to provide insights and analyses to local, national, and international players, thus enhancing the quality of dialogue and decision-making.

The project recognizes the need to move from humanitarian to early recovery approaches and focuses on local, bottom-up solutions that could eventually lead to national reunification and peace.

Methodology and Implementation

The project will use dialogues on selected topics to gather data and insights, which will then inform further iterations and improvements in the dialogue process.

The Peace Game will be developed and tested in a pilot phase. This tool will allow for scenario development exercises and facilitate better understanding and consensus among participants.

Broader Impact

By focusing on decentralized and inclusive approaches, the project aims to create new avenues for peacebuilding at both local and national levels in Syria.

The integration of technology in the peacebuilding process, as proposed by this project, represents a novel approach to addressing the complex challenges in the Syrian context.

In summary, this project proposes an innovative approach to the Syrian peace process by leveraging technology to enhance dialogue, improve understanding among stakeholders, and develop actionable solutions for peacebuilding. It targets both local and national levels and encompasses various aspects like early recovery, decentralization, and women empowerment, with the aim of creating a more inclusive and effective peace process.