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The Commonwealth’s Civil Paths to Peace

Nabeel Goheer, Director and Lauren Stasinowsky, Governance Support Officer,

Strategic Planning & Evaluation Division, Commonwealth Secretariat

ivil Paths to Peace (CPP) is the Commonwealth

approach to conflict prevention and promoting

sustainable peace. At the 2005 Commonwealth

Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), heads of govern-

ment requested the Commonwealth Secretary-General

“to explore initiatives to promote mutual understand-

ing and respect among all faiths and communities in

the Commonwealth.” In response, the Secretary-General

convened a Commonwealth Commission on Respect and

Understanding which was chaired by the Nobel laureate

Professor Amartya Sen and comprised eminent persons

from across the Commonwealth. The commission’s report

was presented to the 2007 CHOGM.

The CPP approach is deeply rooted in the concepts of respect

and understanding. It hinges on the appreciation of multiple

identities and celebration of diversity in a globalized and inter-

connected world. It is anchored in the Commonwealth values of

multilateralism, tolerance, dialogue, democracy, human rights

and social inclusion and identifies young people, women, educa-

tion and the media as four important areas of focused effort.

At the 2011 CHOGM, heads of government reiterated the

importance of the CPP approach. The related communiqué

emphasized that promoting tolerance, respect, understanding

and religious freedom is essential to the development of free

and democratic societies.

The CPP approach

CPP has a very narrow and focused mandate – it is about

finding ways for different groups of people to see each other as

human beings with a variety of concerns and affiliations that

do not need to be constantly at loggerheads with each other.

The Commonwealth could play a significant constructive role

in the use of dialogue and multilateralism in dealing with issues

related to violent conflict. The commission also suggested that

in doing so, we should recognize the positive and construc-

Children participating in the Commonwealth Class, learning about the Commonwealth values of respect and understanding

Image: British Council

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