Jump to content

Draft:Institute for Integrated Transitions

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
  • Comment: Regional initiatives need more source. -Lemonaka 00:43, 9 October 2024 (UTC)


The Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT)
Established2012; 12 years ago (2012)
FoundersMark Freeman
TypeNon-governmental organization
Legal statusNon-profit organisation
PurposeAid transitions to peace and democracy
HeadquartersBarcelona, Spain
Key people
Emmanuel Gyimah-Boadi (Chairman)[1]
Websitewww.ifit-transitions.org

The Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) is a non-governmental organisation based in Barcelona. It played a key role in the Colombia-FARC accords concluded in 2016, and is active across Africa, the Middle East, Asia and Latin America.

Founded by Mark Freeman[2] in 2012 following the onset of the Arab Spring, IFIT focuses on helping states transition out of cycles of war, crisis and authoritarianism.[3] It hosts several notable initiatives.

History and Objectives

[edit]

The institute aims to help fragile and conflict-affected states transition sustainably out of war, crisis or authoritarianism.[4][5][6] Its goals are stated as bridging social and political divides, reducing polarisation and breaking cycles of conflict or repression.[7]

The institute is active in Afghanistan[8], Colombia, Libya[9], Mexico[10], Nigeria[11], Sri Lanka, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela[12] and Zimbabwe.[13] It operates globally through a decentralised group of 330 experts working in thematic practice groups, country brain trusts[14], regional programmes[15] or global initiatives.[16] It is headquartered in Barcelona.[17] It's a member of three NGO networks: the Mediation Support Network[18], alongside the Alliance for Peacebuilding[19], and the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office[20]. The international advisory council includes Gareth Evans[21], Rafael Vilasanjuan[22], Sujit Choudhry[23] and Shaharzad Akbar[24].

Notable initiatives

[edit]

Brain Trusts and Colombia peace process

[edit]

The institute gained notability for its role in the Colombia peace process after 2012, serving as the international counsel to the Colombian delegation during negotiations with the FARC rebel group in Havana, leading to accords in December 2015.[25][26][27][28][29] The institute introduced national brain trusts in 2016.[30][31][32][33] These includes the Middle Belt Brain Trust in Nigeria[34] and a brain trust in Venezuela.[31][35]

Global initiatives

[edit]

The Institute’s Peace Treaty Initiative seeks to develop an international law on peace negotiation.[36][37][38][39] The Global Initiative on Polarization, in collaboration with Ford Foundation, deals with what polarisation is and how to tackle its negative effects.[40][41][42][7][43] IFIT defines polarisation as 'a prominent division or conflict that forms between major groups in a society or political system and that is marked by the clustering and radicalization of views and beliefs at two distant and antagonistic poles'.[44][45] The Initiative on Apex Court Appointments seeks to create a global protocol for the election of supreme court judges. In September 2024, IFIT launched the Constitution Hill Global Guidelines on Apex Court Appointments.[46]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Institute for Integrated Transitions appoints Prof. Gyimah-Boadi as President of Board of Directors". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 2022-06-15. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  2. ^ "A Look Behind Closed Doors: Interview with Mark Freeman". Harvard International Review. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  3. ^ "Entrepreneurs as a key to peace: how fragile states can benefit from inclusive entrepreneurship". The New European. 2024-09-18. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  4. ^ "A Look Behind Closed Doors: Interview with Mark Freeman". Harvard International Review. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-01-09. The Institute for Integrated Transitions was set up at the onset of the Arab Spring. It was very much motivated by the idea of creating a think tank that would make easy and accessible key lessons about negotiations––and in particular transitions––available in the context of the Arab Spring, and more generally, to countries that might be emerging from conflict or authoritarian rule.
  5. ^ Carlin, John (2016-09-27). "How the seeds of corruption are sown in Spain's junior soccer leagues". EL PAÍS English. Retrieved 2024-01-09. the Institute for Integrated Transitions, which helps countries make the transition from war and dictatorship to peace
  6. ^ "Constitutional reform, communications & political transformation: An interview with Mark Freeman". Groundviews. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  7. ^ a b "What do we really know about polarization? Q&A with Mark Freeman". Ford Foundation. 20 June 2023. Retrieved 2024-01-09. we launched the Global Initiative on Polarization to deepen understanding of the diverse causes and consequences of severe polarization in democratic and nondemocratic settings
  8. ^ "In War, No One Distributes Sweets: Assessing Transitional Justice Responses & Approaches in Post-2001 Afghanistan". Afghanistan Research and Evaluation Unit Organization. 2020-12-21. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  9. ^ Valente, Giorgia (2024-08-30). "Expert Predicts Revolution in Libya, Fears Crisis 'Far Worse' Than 2011". The Media Line. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  10. ^ tcruvellier (2024-09-20). "Does transitional justice have anything to say on gang violence?". JusticeInfo.net. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  11. ^ "Preventing conflicts in Nigeria's Middle Belt - Daily Trust". dailytrust.com/. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  12. ^ "Creating a Favorable Environment for Negotiations in Venezuela". WOLA. Retrieved 2024-10-28.
  13. ^ "Institute d'études avancées de Paris - Résidents 2024".
  14. ^ "Building Peace from the Middle: The Critical Work of National Brain Trusts - War Prevention Initiative". 2020-03-24. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  15. ^ "IFIT - Regional exchanges for peace, democracy and human rights". Openaid. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  16. ^ LaReau, Renée (2021-05-20). "Master of global affairs students awarded Hesburgh and Offenheiser Fellowships". Keough School - University of Notre Dame. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  17. ^ Coll, Bernat (2016-09-30). "Freeman: "Si no se investiga el amaño, lo denunciaremos"". El País (in Spanish). ISSN 1134-6582. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  18. ^ "Member Organisations - Mediation Support Network". 2012-10-05. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  19. ^ "Our Members". Alliance for Peacebuilding. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  20. ^ "Member Organisations – European Peacebuilding Liaison Office". Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  21. ^ "Gareth Evans | Global Leadership Foundation". Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  22. ^ "Equipo - Rafael Vilasanjuan". ISGLOBAL (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  23. ^ "Bio – Sujit Choudhry". Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  24. ^ "WilmerHale Co-Hosts High-Level Convening on the Peace Treaty Initiative: Practice-Informed Lessons from International Arbitration". www.wilmerhale.com. 2024-01-04. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  25. ^ "Maduro y oposición buscan "amigos" en el extranjero". diariolasamericas.com (in Spanish). 2017-05-13. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  26. ^ "A Look Behind Closed Doors: Interview with Mark Freeman". Harvard International Review. 2020-05-11. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  27. ^ "Colombia, Sri Lanka and referendums: Interview with Juanita Goebertus". Groundviews. 2017-11-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  28. ^ tcruvellier (2018-10-30). "Mark Freeman: how you can negotiate justice and peace". JusticeInfo.net. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  29. ^ "Diàlegs a Casa: 'Pau a Colòmbia', amb Mark Freeman i David Bondia". Casa Amèrica Catalunya. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  30. ^ Nigeria, Guardian (2021-10-07). "Benue pensioners protest against alleged unpaid pension, gratuity". The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  31. ^ a b "Creating a Favorable Environment for Negotiations in Venezuela". WOLA. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  32. ^ "Effectiveness of Humanitarian Exceptions to Sanctions: Lessons from the Syria Earthquake - Syrian Arab Republic | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-12-12. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  33. ^ "The Peace or Justice dilemma in Ukraine - Fundación Rafael del Pino". Rafael del Pino Foundation. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  34. ^ "Preventing conflicts in Nigeria's Middle Belt - Daily Trust". dailytrust.com/. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  35. ^ Attah, Solomon (28 Jun 2021). "PMB's approach to insecurity reduce rates of poverty, unemployment, ensures peace – Sule".
  36. ^ "WilmerHale Co-Hosts High-Level Convening on the Peace Treaty Initiative: Practice-Informed Lessons from International Arbitration". www.wilmerhale.com. 2024-01-04. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  37. ^ "The Peace Treaty Initiative". Revista de Prensa (in Spanish). 2022-03-04. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  38. ^ Jo, Hyeran (2023-10-10). "Peace in Sudan is elusive for any would-be mediators – but a new window of opportunity has opened for outside intervention". The Conversation. Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  39. ^ BARCELONA, L. D. / (2016-05-27). "Mark Freeman: "Barcelona tiene el potencial para ser un centro de referencia para el bien común a nivel global"". elperiodico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-09. Beyond our international activities – such as the launch of the practical advisory group Law and Peace –, since September 2014 we have been collaborating with the BCN International Policy Sector Action Plan, which aims to make the city a place of attraction for NGOs
  40. ^ https://www.pressreader.com/mexico/el-universal/20230909/282041921718454. Retrieved 2024-01-09 – via PressReader. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  41. ^ Torreón, El Siglo de (2023-09-09). "El debate sobre la polarización: una actualización". www.elsiglodetorreon.com.mx (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-01-09.
  42. ^ León, Juanita (2024-08-13). ""La polarización es un hiperproblema y una grave amenaza": Mark Freeman". La Silla Vacía (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  43. ^ "Ford Foundation: frontline organizations and private/public partnerships hold keys to global COVID-19 recovery". Ford Foundation. 2022-05-09. Retrieved 2024-01-09. The Global Initiative on Polarization – a unique multi-year collaboration between The Ford Foundation and the Institute for Integrated Transitions (IFIT) – aims to bring a more global, practice-driven and solution-oriented perspective to the complex problem of polarization. Ford's Playbook recognizes this growing threat to democracy and peace, and highlights how stemming the rise of polarization is critical to an equitable recovery
  44. ^ "Finding Common Ground | Overcoming Polarization". Ford Foundation. Retrieved 2024-05-30.
  45. ^ Khan, Nabeel. "What is Polarization Anyway? – BCB #53". www.betterconflictbulletin.org. Retrieved 2024-10-23.
  46. ^ Steinbeis, Maximilian (2024-09-20). "The Drama of Democracy". Verfassungsblog. doi:10.59704/af88ed8200de85b5. ISSN 2366-7044.

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Institute_for_Integrated_Transitions&oldid=1255147331"