After twenty-one years leading Conciliation Resources, co-founder and Executive Director Andy Carl is moving on. Andy has been a continuous source of inspiration and insight, guiding Conciliation Resources to become a recognised force for peace around the world.
A search for a new Executive Director will be launched shortly. In the interim, our Board of Trustees has appointed Director of Programmes Jonathan Cohen to the role of Acting Executive Director.
“After more than two decades of the best years of my life, doing work I have loved with staff and partners I will always deeply respect, I have made the decision to move on,” said Andy Carl. “I am very proud of what we have achieved together and of what Conciliation Resources has become. I will be excited to see how it develops its role in building peace globally.
Today’s global challenges are no less urgent than when we started in 1994. The counter-currents of conflict and peace are just as present now as then. But I believe we have gained significant ground.
“We saw then that the demands of preventing, ending and transforming conflict were too big just for states and multilateral institutions. Profound challenges remain, but the vital contribution of independent professionals and NGOs like ours is now recognised. Peacebuilding today is an important and acknowledged field of practice. Conciliation Resources has played a key role to make change happen.
It has been a real honour to work with our talented staff and trustees, and to be welcomed alongside some of the bravest and most innovative activists for peace and justice in the world."
Chair of our Board of Trustees, Peter Price said; “Andy’s passion, commitment and extraordinary gifts have helped to champion the importance of peacebuilding and in particular the voices of those living with violent conflict. He has positioned Conciliation Resources to achieve our vision of seeing a world where people work together to resolve conflicts peacefully.” He continues; “Andy will be deeply missed.”
Nouneh Sarkissian, Media Initiatives Center in Armenia said: “Andy should be proud because he has created an organisation with a human soul. The organisation is a very good partner. I’m sure the inspirational atmosphere which Andy created when he started Conciliation Resources will continue through the powerful team he has built.’
Ed Garcia, in the Philippines, said: “I am proud and privileged to have known Andy since late 80s. I wish to thank him for his belief in the primacy of local peacemakers in building peace from the ground. He has linked their capacities with peace workers from diverse places with similar dreams to create networks of hope.
He has built bridges between and among peacebuilding organisations, and has shared valuable lessons that we are all truly grateful for.”
Andy plans to continue playing creative and active roles in the global field of peacebuilding.