Bishop Peter Price
The former Bishop of Bath & Wells, The Rt. Rev. Peter Price, has become the new Chair of the Board of Trustees for peacebuilding NGO Conciliation Resources. With his long-standing interest in international affairs, Peter is well-matched to head up the organisation.

The issues of our common humanity, human dignity and reconciliation have influenced and affected a great deal of my life. For as long as I can remember I have had a profound sense of justice, a desire to see the resolution of conflict, the ending of war and the re-making of the human community. 

It is an honour to take on this role with such a creative organisation as Conciliation Resources. Over the past 18 years they have played an instrumental role in supporting peace in a number of regions, including in the Philippines as part of the innovative International Contact Group, in Central Africa working with local communities affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army conflict, and in Europe on the Basque Peace Process. 

Peter Price, Chair of peacebuilding NGO Conciliation Resources

Conciliation Resources is delighted to welcome Peter Price as Chair. As part of his new role, Peter will be helping guide the direction of the organisation as it continues in an exciting phase of growth.

As well as a wealth of experience of international affairs, Peter brings with him a great passion for addressing injustice and violence. He also has a very real commitment to finding peaceful ways of transforming conflicts and promoting reconciliation. We are sure he will be an inspiration in helping lead our work.

Andy Carl, Executive Director, Conciliation Resources

A practical interest in the resolution of conflict

No stranger to war and violence, Peter Price has 40 years experience of reconciliation, beginning in Northern Ireland but including Latin America, Africa and The Middle East. In 2011 he was able to revisit friends in El Salvador, including one Bishop he was instrumental in saving from execution 20 years ago.
 
While serving in the House of Lords, he used his influence to pressure politicians to find alternative, non-militarised solutions to some of the world’s conflicts. In his final appearance in the House of Lords, the Bishop urged G8 leaders to seize a “rare opportunity” for hope in resolving differences on Syria. 
 
A great believer in the potential for ‘a different kind of world’, Peter has first hand experience of some of the practical means of achieving peace, but is all too aware that it can be a difficult path.

There is within humanity, and within religious traditions of all kinds, a deep longing for a peaceful, just world. In political life there is no one who does not pay at least lip service to such a possibility. However presented, undertaking peacebuilding towards reconciliation is a labyrinthine and demanding process.

Whilst peace agreements are crucial, the long-term challenge of working with conflict-affected communities on the multiple issues that lie behind a conflict is equally important.

Conciliation Resources balances both of these things in their work. When the Good Friday agreement was signed I observed that it would be between ten and thirty years before the pain of conflict, its losses, political compromise and traumas would finally loose their grip.

In my experience, movements for peace begin with those most affected by conflict. Making peace requires extraordinary commitment and courage from all conflicting parties. Facilitating a permanent end to violence requires determination and imagination to seek solutions, and build trust between conflicting parties and communities.

Peter Price, Chair of peacebuilding NGO Conciliation Resources

Following a summer break, Peter Price will be chairing his first board meeting at Conciliation Resources’ London office in early August.