June 25-27, 2007 | Nuremberg
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Peace and Justice


Peace and justice are key goals of the work of the United Nations and a number of regional organisations. Institutions and mechanisms designed to achieve justice are acquiring increasing importance worldwide, as the example of the International Criminal Court (ICC) shows. At the same time, situations in which peace and justice appear to compete with one another are also on the rise. Conflict leaders may accept peace agreements only in return for amnesty. Fragile security, precarious post-conflict power-sharing arrangements and weak institutions may limit the scope for achieving justice. Conflict victims may feel resentful if no one is called to account for their suffering. Peace-building may be further complicated if peace/security, justice/rule-of-law and other development priorities have to compete for scarce resources.

The conference aimed to contribute to a better understanding of the tensions that may arise in peace negotiations and post-conflict peace-building between peace and justice. Proposals were developed on how to deal with these tensions. To do this, practical experience from the fields of politics and civil society as well as academic expertise were called in. Starting from a holistic understanding of peace, i.e. including peace, justice, development and institutional reforms, the conference aimed to produce concrete recommendations for action on the question as to whether it is possible to cope with possible tensions between peace and justice. These recommendations for action will be addressed to decision-makers in national governments and international organisations, including particularly the United Nations and the International Criminal Court.