Peace Academy Foundation

PAF's Vision The PAF envisions a culture of peace as a relevant characteristic of relations within the region, in each country and between them. PAF emphasizes that peace is not only the “absence of war” and shares an idea of a culture of peace as defined by the United Nations General Assembly in 1998 “as consisting of values, attitudes and behaviours that reject violence and endeavour to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes with a view to solving problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations.” PAF's Mission Our mission is to help construct and affirm a culture of peace in all social spheres by exchange of theoretical and practical knowledge, skills, and experiences; development of existing and creation of new theoretical models for peace work; education for everyone who is active or wishes to be active in the field of peace work; and fostering connections between actors relevant for peacebuilding and promotion of peace work. PAF's Values Our work is based on following values: Appreciating diversity – PAF empowers and supports cooperation between different social groups engaged in peacebuilding; Commitment to dialogue – PAF supports and encourages the exchange of ideas, and constructive critique of existing theories and practices of peacebuilding; Readiness to learn and change ourselves – We see the work of the PAF as a process in which we all participate and make decisions on an equal basis; Linking academia with activism – PAF is a space for exchange of different perspectives and approaches, not a competitive space; Nonviolence and a culture of peace – These are the ultimate principles of our work and fostering them is our ultimate goal; Political aspects – we see peace work as a mode of political and civic activism and a necessary condition for creating positive social change.