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Past Congresses

10th MBBI Congress (Nairobi, 2023)

Here is the landing page for all the details of Nairobi.

MBBI hosted our 10th International Peace Congress in Nairobi, Kenya, and the first to be located in Africa, November 13-17, 2023. The theme was Identity, Belonging, and Migration, designed to address some of the significant impacts on individuals, families, communities, and countries around the globe as a result of climate change, social unrest, political shifts, and many other influences.

This was a Congress for learning new things, broadening perspectives, and stepping into taking action as an international peacebuilder, negotiator, and supporter. Speakers will invite questions, considerations, and actions: How do we define identity? What does it mean to belong? How does migration impact social structures?

Join us in Nairobi, Kenya, for engaging speakers, transformative dialogues, and interactive sessions that will focus on charting the next decade of collaborative best practices in peacebuilding. To extend the week, we will have a peacebuilder certificate training before the Congress, a gala dinner to end the Congress, and an excursion following the Congress to explore the beauty and brilliance of Kenya.

MBBI has always had strong connections with local peacebuilders in Kenya, and we are honored to have Hon. Lady Justice Joyce Aluoch as the Congress Chair. She is a former International Criminal Court (ICC) Judge and the Vice-Chair of MBBI’s Board of Directors.

9th MBBI Congress (Bali, 2019)

MBBI hosted a Peace Conference in Bali, to celebrate the strength of the South East Asian IPTI community. The 2019 International Congress was the official kickoff to MBBI’s 2020 Decade of Peace Initiative. This initiative will focus on building capacity and scaling the impact of conflict-transformation programs around the world. Our 2019 International Congress, attendees, and Founding Members of the 2020 Decade of Peace Initiative, played an integral role in shaping this years’ priorities and agenda.

1. The 2019 Peace Congress Overview:
Read below for the findings from the Environmental Scan, the Regional Perspectives on Global Issues, Open Space Sessions, Key Themes and Future Visioning.

2020 Decade of Peace Report

2. Congress Photographs:
Click Here to access these incredible photos from the Congress, and a very special thank you to Antonia Claire Stuart Photography.

8th MBBI Congress (The Hague, 2017)

MBBI hosted a Peace Conference in the Hague—the International City of Peace and Justice—to celebrate MBBI’s 10th anniversary by working on concrete issues that can contribute to peace. The working conference incubated open debate with a diverse group of participants and developed steps that may contribute to peace.

A group of individuals with primary experience in peacebuilding—experts, victims, politicians, and business-people; representatives of relevant disciplines and backgrounds; and multi-tiers of society to recreated a mutli-stakeholder process. As mediators, MBBI facilitated this inclusive process and worked towards an outcome that has an impact for peace at the grassroots and the people most-affected by conflict.

Click here to watch videos from this Congress.

7th MBBI Congress (Romania, 2015)

Building on the experience of the six previous events, the 7th Congress was another major step in developing the capacity for a more peace able world. More than 200 mediators and peacebuilders from 36 different countries had the chance to share ideas, experiences, and strategies while building friendships and networks.

The 7th Annual The Conference presentations and workshops focused on the following themes:

  • Historical conflicts and divisions
  • Emerging conflicts and tensions
  • Climate-change-related conflicts
  • Opportunities and challenges for conflict transformation through trauma-informed peacebuilding and restorative justice practices
  • 2015 MBBITI Training: Women in Peacebuilding

6th MBBI Congress (Turkey, 2013)

The theme of the Congress was Building Peace “Able” Communities: Enhancing the Role of Mediators. Additionally, MBBI's 6th Congress had a special focus on the role of women in mediation. The Congress was attended by over 200 inspiring speakers, trainers, and mediators from over 44 countries.

5th MBBI Congress (USA, 2012)

The 5th Annual MBB Congress was held at the Radisson Plaza in Baltimore Maryland, USA on March 1-4, 2012. MBB members and supporters from all over the world participated. William Ury, the co-author of Getting to Yes and co-founder of Harvard's Program on Negotiation, was honored with the MBB Peacemaker Award. Keynote speakers Melanie C. Greenberg (President and CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding), Sanam Naraghi Anderlini (co-founder of the International Civil Society Action Network), and Abderrahim Foukara (Washington Bureau Chief, Al-Jazeera Satellite Channel) contributed to a weekend few will soon forget.

Congress 2011 march LA 3 board members4th MBBI Congress (USA, 2011)

More than 190 people descended on the University of California—Los Angeles, USA to attend the 4th Annual Mediators Beyond Borders Congress, themed "From Conflict to Peace: The Mediation Revolution". The meeting was co-hosted by Model United Nations at UCLA and the Undergraduate International Relations Society. Keynote speakers were MBB Global Advisory Council Member Lawrence Susskind and MBB Board Member Ashok Panikkar.

3rd MBB Congress (USA, 2010)

Leaders challenged and taught, members and students asked and learned, and there was no shortage of high praise for the Third Annual Congress of Mediators Beyond Borders (MBB), themed “Preparing to Serve”, held in Washington, D.C., USA on March 5-7. Leaders in peacebuilding.  MBB Members from around the world exchanged ideas, honed and learned skills to promote and spread conflict resolution programs and initiatives worldwide, including discussing the many diverse ways to participate with MBB.

2nd MBBI Congress

Members gathered in New Orleans, LA, USA, to attend the second annual MBBI Congress. With attendees from all around the world, the emphasis of this event was developing, workshopping, and focusing on the implementation of MBBI's initial projects. With attendees from around the world, this congress helped to shape the growth of MBBI and its trajectory of a global community of mediators and peacebuilders.

1st MBBI Congress (USA, 2007)

MBBI members gathered at the St. Malo Catholic Retreat, Conference & Spiritual Center in Allenspark, Colorado, USA  to attend the Mediators Beyond Borders Founding Congress.  MBB members traveled from Scotland, Germany, The Netherlands, the United States, and Canada to chart the future of Mediators Beyond Borders International.