Civil Peace Service
The aim of the Civil Peace Service (CPS) is to contain the outbreak of violence without resorting to arms, in doing so reinforcing civil structures for peaceful conflict resolution.
The programme started in 1999. Since then, specially-prepared experts have been sent to crisis areas, supporting local partner organisations in:
- preventing violent conflicts from erupting,
- resolving conflicts peacefully,
- building structures following conflicts which help to secure peace in the long-term.
In the Civil Peace Service (CPS), non-governmental and governmental organisations work together to avoid hatred and violence, and to facilitate understanding. Civil Peace Service experts are sent by these executing agencies on project placements, where they meet the needs of local partners for mediation and support in overcoming enmity, fear and mistrust. The experts work for fixed terms within a local organisation, or provide on-site training to facilitators.
The work of the CPS is carried out by: Aktionsgemeinschaft Dienst für den Frieden [Action Committee Service for Peace] (AGDF), Arbeitsgemeinschaft Entwicklungshilfe [Association for Development Cooperation](AGEH), Christliche Fachkräfte International [Christian Services International](CFI), Deutscher Entwicklungsdienst [German Development Service](DED), Internationaler Christlicher Friedensdienst [International Christian Services for Peace](EIRENE), Evangelischer Entwicklungsdienst [Church Development Service](EED), Forum Ziviler Friedensdienst (Forum CPS), and the Weltfriedensdienst [World Peace Service](WFD), and it is financed by the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)