--- title: "The Peacemakers: How 20 Voices Are Rewriting the Rules of Global Conflict Resolution" description: The most important conversations about peace rarely take place in government buildings or international summits. More often than not, they happen in communit... author: Dr Marina Nani (Editor-in-Chief) date: 2025-06-02T11:41:19.000Z updated: 2026-06-29T08:43:37.660Z canonical: https://richwoman.co/article/the-peacemakers-how-20-voices-are-rewriting-the-rules-of-global-conflict-resolution image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/at-the-heart-of-conflict.webp categories: Non-Fiction content_type: Feature region: Global publication: Rich Books about: - type: Person name: Cheryl Robson --- ## At the Heart of Conflict: Talking Resolution ### Book: At the Heart of Conflict: Talking Resolution By the Editor A ground-breaking new book that dares to bridge the divide between peacemakers and military strategists. Can peace be built by dialogue alone? When is the use of force necessary? Is there cause for hope? With 20 unflinching first-person accounts, the book uniquely gives voice to both sides of the conflict resolution debate from seasoned UN negotiators and grassroots peacebuilders to intelligence experts and military veterans. [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/-/es/At-Heart-Conflict-Talking-Resolution/dp/1913641422) A ground-breaking new book that dares to bridge the divide between peacemakers and military strategists. **Can peace be built by dialogue alone? When is the use of force necessary? Is there cause for hope? **With 20 unflinching first-person accounts, the book uniquely gives voice to both sides of the conflict resolution debate from seasoned UN negotiators and grassroots peacebuilders to intelligence experts and military veterans. Available from Aurora Metro Publications Visit Webite The most important conversations about peace rarely take place in government buildings or international summits. More often than not, they happen in community centres, refugee camps and conflict zones where ordinary people are doing the extraordinary work of healing and reconstruction. This reality forms the heart of *“At The Heart of Conflict: Talking Resolution,”* a compelling collection that brings together 20 individuals who are quietly revolutionising how we think about peacebuilding. Rather than another academic essay on international relations, editor Cheryl Robson has assembled something far more valuable: [the actual voices of people making peace happen](https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/world-happiness-foundation-response-to-a-call-for-peace-as-peace-advocates-call-for-end-of-wa). ## From the Frontlines “This collection emphasises the voices of local and international peacemakers over political elites, and critiques the traditional liberal peace era,” explains Robson. It’s a deliberate shift away from the familiar cast of diplomats and politicians who typically dominate peace discussions, towards the [grassroots leaders](https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/leadership-re-imagined-new-book-celebrates-feminist-leadership-as-a-pathway-to-collective-hea) who understand conflict from the inside out. The contributors represent a remarkable breadth of experience. Gershon Baskin shares insights from back-channel negotiations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, work that requires both diplomatic finesse and personal courage. Simon Mann explores the delicate balance between military interventions and political strategies across African conflicts, drawing from years of navigating these complex dynamics. ### The Voices Behind The Book #### **Victor Ângelo** Former Special Representative and Head of the United Nations Mission in the Central African Republic and Chad (MINURCAT) *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Gershon Baskin** Israeli peace activist focused on Middle East peace and reconciliation. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Nurcan Baysal** Human rights defender, author, and journalist. *Interviewed by Cheryl Robson* **Saskia Binet** Middle East North Africa Coordinator for the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF). *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Caroline Brooks** Senior Advisor on Organisational Develop-ment and Conflict Management for Amnesty International. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Latif Fayaz** Afghan translator who worked with both NATO and the UN. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Paulo Gonçalves**** ** Led UN aerial operations during Angola’s 1992 electoral process. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Maria Hadjipavlou** Founding member at Gender Advisory Team in Cyprus and President of Hands Across the Divide. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **John Holmes** Former MI6 and Military Cross Recipient with expertise in global security. *Interviewed by Martina Valusiakova* **Corey Levine**** ** Human rights and peacebuilding consultant. *Interviewed by Francesca Guetchev* **Simon Mann** Private Security Expert with experience in Angola and Sierra Leone. *Interviewed by Martina Valusiakova* **Patrick McGrann** Programme Director at Voices from the Void, advocating for peace in conflict zones. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Sandra Melone** Chairwoman and founder of peacebuilding organizations in Burundi and Europe. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Julie Norman** Associate Professor in Politics and International Relations at UCL. *Interviewed by Caroline Hendrickson* **Jehan Perera** Executive Director at National Peace Council of Sri Lanka. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Tony Schiena** Intelligence expert and Founder of Multi Operational Security Agency Intelligence Company (MOSAIC). *Interviewed by Cheryl Robson* **Simon Smith** Former UK Ambassador to Ukraine, focusing on international diplomacy and security *Interviewed by Cheryl Robson* **Anjan Sundaram** War reporter, author and academic focused on conflict zones and global issues *Interviewed by Caroline Hendrickson* **Emily Winterbotham** Director of Terrorism & Conflict Group, Royal United Services Institute. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Heela Yoon** Founder of Afghan Youth Ambassadors for Peace, empowering the next generation of leaders. *Interviewed by Inês Almeida* **Introduction**** ****by Helen Kezie-Nwoha** Helen is a feminist scholar, peace-builder, and human rights advocate with over two decades of experience advancing gender equality in conflict and post-conflict settings. She is the Founder and Lead Researcher at Researchers Without Borders and former Executive Director of the Women’s Inter-national Peace Centre. Her work spans Africa and beyond, providing strategic policy advice to regional institutions such as the African Union, particularly on the implementation of the Women, Peace and Security agenda. **Foreword by Oliver P. Richmond** Professor Oliver Richmond is a renowned scholar in International Relations, Peace, and Conflict Studies. He is the founder of the MA in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Manchester, where he also teaches core modules in the Department of Politics. Recognized for his significant contributions to the field, he received the 2019 Eminent Scholar Award from the International Studies Association. With extensive fieldwork experience in conflict zones, he has worked closely with international organizations, including the UN, and civil society groups. **Afterword by Jonathan Cohen** Jonathan Cohen is Executive Director of Conciliation Resources, a post he took up in 2016. Over the past 28 years at Conciliation Resources, initially as Caucasus Director and then as Director of Programmes, Jonathan has supported dialogue and peacebuilding initiatives in contexts including the South Caucasus, Kashmir, the Philippines, Colombia, Ethiopia, and Papua New Guinea. ## Women Leading Change Women’s voices feature prominently throughout the collection, reflecting their crucial but often overlooked role in peace processes. Contributors Saskia Binet and Maria Hadjipavlou offer perspectives on women’s roles in peace and security issues, adding to growing evidence about [female leadership](https://richbooksmagazine.com/article/women-s-leadership-networks-catalyse-12-billion-annual-social-impact) in conflict resolution. According to [UN research](https://www.unwomen.org/en/articles/explainer/gender-equality-in-peacekeeping-why-it-matters-for-global-security), peace agreements have a 35% greater chance of lasting at least 15 years when women participate in the peace process. This isn’t tokenism but recognition of practical reality. Women often maintain community networks that cross conflict lines, possess different approaches to problem-solving, and bring long-term thinking to processes that can become dominated by immediate political calculations. ## The Power of Local Journalism The collection also highlights journalism’s role in peacebuilding through contributors Anjan Sundaram and Nurcan Baysal, who report from Mexico and Turkey respectively. Their work demonstrates how accurate, nuanced reporting can either fuel conflict or create space for understanding. In environments where information becomes weaponised, journalists who maintain independence and humanity play an essential peacekeeping role. Paulo Gonçalves adds insights from UN and NATO peacekeeping missions, bridging the gap between international interventions and local peace efforts. His perspective illustrates how external support can either complement or undermine community-led initiatives, depending on how it’s implemented. ## Modern Challenges, Ancient Wisdom The book examines how contemporary challenges like climate change, migration, and technology are creating new dimensions in conflict. These aren’t abstract policy issues but immediate realities for communities dealing with resource scarcity, displacement, and digital manipulation of information. Yet the responses these peacemakers describe often draw on fundamental human capacities: listening, building trust, finding common ground and creating space for former enemies to see each other as people rather than symbols. ## A London Launch with Global Implications Robson will discuss these themes at an upcoming talk at the Quaker Library in Euston on 12th June at 6:30pm. The venue is fitting, the Quakers have a centuries-long tradition of practical peacemaking that prioritises direct engagement over grand gestures. The book features a foreword by Professor Oliver Richmond, a renowned scholar in International Relations and Peace and Conflict Studies whose work has significantly shaped critical perspectives on liberal peacebuilding. Helen Kezie-Nwoha, Executive Director of The Women’s International Peace Centre and a Nigerian feminist peace activist with over 18 years of experience in gender and conflict resolution across Africa, provides the introduction. Jonathan Cohen, Executive Director of Conciliation Resources and former Chair of the European Peacebuilding Liaison Office, contributes the afterword. **About the Editor** Cheryl Robson brings considerable experience to this collection as owner-publisher of Aurora Metro Publications , a leading independent publisher in London that she has helmed for over 30 years. Her publishing stable, which includes Supernova Books, Amber Lane Press and the newly launched River Light Press, has produced over 300 titles featuring award-winning authors, two Nobel prize winners, and even the King of England. Robson's commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices extends beyond publishing. She has been shortlisted twice for the ITV National Diversity Awards, whilst Aurora Metro has received similar recognition from the IPG National Diversity Awards. Through her charity Aurora Metro Arts & Media, she led the campaign to commission the only bronze life-size statue of Virginia Woolf in the UK, which was unveiled on Richmond riverside in November 2022 by Woolf descendants Emma Woolf and Sophie Partridge. [Website](https://www.aurorametro.com/)