The Fiji Constitution Commission's aim is that this publication will be read by individuals who want to understand and make a contribution to the constitution making process. It is also intended to be used for civic education – programmes of education that have the aim of enabling people to understand the nature and role of the Constitution and the guiding principles, and to participate effectively in the constitutional process.

With violence in Syria making the headlines, Zahbia Yousuf and Marie-Joelle Zahar examine to what extent Lebanon can be responsible for its own fate, plus who's working to build peace, and how.

In this interview with Diario 15 (Bucaramanga, Colombia) Kristian Herbolzheimer, Director of Conciliation Resources' Colombia programme, reflects on opportunities for peace in Colombia based on international trends and developments. He suggests the need to acknowledge and build on multiple and parallel paths to peace that can and need to work even in the absence of a formal negotiating table.

The United Nations Guidance for Effective Mediation was issued as an annex to the report of the Secretary-General on Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution (A/66/811, 25 June 2012).

In these three chapters the authors describe the Schlaining Process: one of the few processes of unofficial diplomacy, involving work on conflict transformation with both Abkhaz and Georgian officials, politicians and civil society activists over 10 years. This section describes the interesting and complex process, which although essential, came up against a number of “realpolitik” obstacles.