On 28–29 April 2010 a Francophone West African regional launch seminar for the recently-published French translation of the International IDEA report Reconciliation and Traditional Justice After Violent Conflict: Learning From African Experiences was held at the Institut de Gorée in Dakar, Senegal.

As Sudan slowly moves forward in its preparations for the elections scheduled for 2009, as part of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement, International IDEA continues to work with building the capacity of political parties. In April 2008, the Sudanese census began amidst a sea of controversy. The census is a prerequisite for the country's first democratic elections in 2009, as it will be used to determine the electoral boundaries as well as to map the cultural identity of the country.

The war that devastated Liberia for 14 years has ended, and the country is now in the process of rebuilding itself. In this interview Jerome Verdier, Chairman of Liberia’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) which formally began its work in June 2006, talks to International IDEA’s Mark Salter about the challenges involved in examining the causes - and consequences - of the Liberian conflict, while also attempting to develop strategies for overcoming the bitter and often painful legacy of the country’s recent past.

Addressed to the diverse and geographically dispersed community of reconciliation practitioners, analysts and policy makers, the RRN – accessible via the main International IDEA website - is intended to serve as an online forum for sharing information, best practices, links and other resources.

A mission to Bolivia by members of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) to Bolivia on 1-6 February 2007, sponsored by the UNDP/International IDEA programme for strengthening democracy in the Andean country, ended with a pledge for more in-depth sharing of ideas and experiences between the two countries.

From curfews and states of emergency to a people’s uprising and now a new Government in place! In November 2006, the seven party alliance and the Communist Party of Nepalese Maoists signed an historic peace agreement, ending a decade long armed insurgency in Nepal. Interview during a visit to International IDEA’s headquarters in Stockholm, Sweden, 26 January 2007, with the Institute’s Programme Manager for Asia, Leena Rikkilä, who works in Nepal.

A key question facing countries emerging from civil conflict is how best to deal with the per-petrators of past – and in many cases, all too recent – violence, while at the same time main-taining the fragile social harmony that often characterizes post-conflict societies. Should pri-ority be given to bringing the perpetrators of past human rights violations to justice, thereby combating the culture of impunity that has come to characterize many civil conflicts? Or is it more important to start by focusing on measures designed to ensure that peace and stability - and with them the prospects for a country’s longer-term recovery - are bolstered?

What are the key barriers to reconciliation and deeper democratic development in the Western Balkans region? That was one of the key questions addressed in IDEA’s international meeting on “Promoting Sustainable Reconciliation Processes In The Western Balkans”, 27-28 April 2006 in Stockholm. This meeting tested the grounds for a new IDEA reconciliation project in the region.

Andrew Ellis, head of IDEA’s electoral processes programme, will speak on “joined-up democracy building as a key element to successful institutional framework design” during “Parliaments, crisis, prevention and recovery”, an international conference taking place 19-21 April 2006 in Brussels.

Feature interview with Jehan Perera (JP), Executive Director of the National Peace Council in Sri Lanka, during IDEA’s Reconciliation Expert Network meeting in Stockholm, 14 March 2006.

“The Thai elections have become a plebiscite”, says Gotham Arya, director of the Research Center for Peacebuilding in Thailand. Read the interview and more background information on the 2 April elections in Thailand.

Experts from a wide range of peace building organizations attended today an IDEA seminar titled "Peace With/Out Justice? Challenges of Democracy Building and Conflict Management" to look into the current challenges of conflict management, reconciliation and post-conflict democratization.

As part of an IDEA-led discussion on the peace process in Sri Lanka, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, Leader of the Opposition and former Prime Minister of Sri Lanka will address IDEA’s network of reconciliation experts on “Building Consensus for Peace: Lessons From Sri Lanka”. As Prime Minister, Wickremesinghe signed the Ceasefire Agreement in February 2002 with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The Ceasefire Agreement is monitored by the Sri Lankan Monitoring Mission (SLMM), to be led by newly appointed Swedish Brigadier Ulf Ericsson.

Stockholm, 4 December 2005, International IDEA – The Board of Directors of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) announced today that Vidar Helgesen has been appointed as the new secretary-general of the Stockholm-based intergovernmental organization.

IDEA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Parliament of Burundi organized a seminar on The role of parliaments in the national reconciliation process in Africa, 7-9 November in Bujumbura, Burundi. It was opened by the President of the Burundi National Assembly, Hon. Immaculée Nahayo and brought together parliamentarians from 15 African countries.

In Dakar, Senegal, IDEA and the Gorée Institute held a seminar on reconciliation after violent conflict for Senegalese government and non-government officials and representatives from Francophone West African countries. Participants at the May event discussed current reconciliation needs and challenges in Senegal (Casmance region), Mali, Burkina Faso, Togo, Côte d’Ivoire and Guinée Bissau.

IDEA and the Inter-Parliamentary (IPU) just released Making Reconciliation Work: the Role of Parliaments.

In cooperation with the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights, IDEA launched its new publication on 27 July 2005 in Costa Rica.

International IDEA wishes to share with all its friends - external partners, advisors and contributors – a sense of outrage and deep sadness over the murder of Abdulkadir Yahya Ali, Director of the Centre for Research and Dialogue (CRD) in Mogadisciu and prominent Somali peace and democracy activist.

Reconciliation: Sri Lanka Inter-Faith Symposium In April 2005, IDEA, together with the Sri Lankan Inter-Religious Peace Foundation (IRPF) held an In-ter-Faith Symposium titled ‘Help or Hindrance? The Role of Religions in the Sri Lankan Conflict’ was held in Colombo, Sri Lanka. Over 30 participants from the four major national faith traditions - Buddhist, Moslem, Hindu and Christian) – attended the event. Participants included both clergy and lay people, drawn from different regions of the country.

International IDEA launched the French translation of its Handbook Reconciliation After Violent Conflict in Dakar, Senegal in May 2005.

A new IDEA report looks at recent efforts to promote reconciliation in Sierra Leone and Timor L’Este, both countries that are attempting to address the legacy of a violent past in the broader context of ‘nation building’. The report, originally undertaken by IDEA for the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), highlights the lessons learned in both countries. The report is intended for international actors working to promote and support national processes of reconciliation in post-conflict countries.

In Lima, Peru, as part of their joint project on Reconciliation and Democracy in Latin America, IDEA and the Inter-American Institute for Human Rights (IIDH) organized three discussions 28-30 Nov. 2004 on how to strengthen reconciliation processes in a way that will positively contribute to democracy-building and respect for human rights.

With the BBC Burmese Service, IDEA in 2004 helped fund 20-part radio series in Burma to compare the Burmese experience to countries that are at various stages of political reform in their transition to democracy.

Reconciliation was chosen as the main theme of the 110th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU). The gathering, in Mexico City, Mexico, on 15–23 April 2004, brought together some 1,000 parliamentarians from all corners of the world.

International IDEA, in cooperation with the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), the Berghof Foundation and the Jaffna Justice And Peace Commission, held a series of workshops in Sri Lanka (24-28 February) to support the development of a national reconciliation agenda.

On 26th September International IDEA and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) organized a policy seminar in Geneva to explore ways of achieving justice and reconciliation in war-torn countries.

The day-long session, entitled, "From Divided Past to Shared Future: Reconciliation in Post-Conflict Societies", will seek to identify current trends, recent experiences and challenges for national and international initiatives aiming at truth, justice and reconciliation, particularly in post-conflict societies.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Stockholm-based International Institute for Democracy and Development Assistance (IDEA) are bringing together a group of experts in Geneva on Friday to explore ways of achieving justice and reconciliation in war-torn countries.

Stockholm, 30 June 2003 - During the 10th meeting of the Council of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), which took place on 25 June in Stockholm, Ms Lena Hjelm-Wallén, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden, was unanimously elected Chair of IDEA’s Board of Directors, which oversees policy and approves IDEA’s work programme and budget.

A Presentation by Ms Mónica Jiménez de Barros (outgoing Vice Chair of IDEA Board of Directors) given at IDEA Board and Council meetings on 22-25 June

International Seminar, 4-6 June, 2003 Theme: Post Truth Commission Processes in the World