The Scottish Peace Platform: Building Momentum for Peace

I am honoured to sit on the Advisory Board of the Scottish Peace Platform (SPP), an inspiring initiative that aims to connect and coordinate Scotland’s peacebuilding community, amplifying evidence-based practice and inclusive voices at home and abroad.

The SPP seeks to convene, share learning, and broker partnerships so that Scottish actors can collaborate more effectively, influence policy, and contribute to sustainable peace in line with Scotland’s international commitments and best practice. It sits within the wider Scottish Peace Programme, recognising that Scotland has a thriving and diverse peacebuilding sector making a powerful contribution to peace and conflict resolution both within and beyond our borders.

A Vision Taking Shape

The idea of a focal point to connect Scotland’s peace sector was first outlined in the Scottish Programme for Government (2021), which committed to exploring the establishment of a Scottish Peace Institute.

In 2022, the Scottish Government commissioned a report by Professor Christine Bell, Dr Monalisa Adikhari, Chris Thornton, and Andy Carl to explore this potential. The report recognised the growing complexity of global conflict and Scotland’s distinctive offer in this space, from policy innovation to inclusive practice. Crucially, it recommended that the process of establishing a Peace Institute be iterative, evidence-based, adaptive, and responsive to the needs and ambitions of Scotland’s peace community.

The Scottish Peace Platform represents a tangible step in this long-term and evolving process.

From Commitment to Collaboration

In 2024, the Scottish Government launched a call for proposals for a Scottish Peace Programme, comprising two strands:

1. The new Scottish Peace Platform (SPP)

2. The continuation of the Women in Conflict 1325 Fellowship Programme, hosted by Beyond Borders Scotland in partnership with Edinburgh Law School, which has already trained more than 360 women peacebuilders from 40 conflict-affected countries since 2017.

Beyond Borders Scotland and the University of Edinburgh Law School submitted the successful bid to facilitate the SPP and have led the initiative through its inception period (March–September 2025).

Leadership and Partnership

The Platform is led by Noor al-Naser, Peace Platform Manager, and Shona McCallum, Peace Platform Project Officer, whose energy and commitment have been instrumental in shaping its early direction and collaborative ethos. They are supported by Tim Epple, Managing Director at PeaceRep, and colleagues based at the University of Edinburgh Law School.

PeaceRep (the Peace and Conflict Resolution Evidence Platform) is a global research consortium focused on rethinking peace and transition processes in a rapidly changing conflict landscape. Its involvement provides a strong research foundation and an international network that complements Scotland’s growing role in global peacebuilding.

Looking Ahead

The SPP seems to be emerging as a vibrant and inclusive space where Scotland’s peacebuilders can connect, exchange knowledge, and strengthen their collective voice. The Annual General Meeting, held yesterday (29th October 2025) in Edinburgh, marked a significant milestone in this process, setting the stage for the official launch webinar and events later this autumn.

While it is still early days, there is a clear sense of momentum and much to explore. Building meaningful collaboration across Scotland’s peacebuilding landscape will take time, dialogue, and experimentation. Yet the potential is undeniable: the SPP could become a cornerstone for how Scotland understands and contributes to peace in a complex and interconnected world.

As someone who has worked in peacebuilding and post-conflict recovery internationally, it is encouraging to see Scotland investing in its own infrastructure for peace, one that values evidence, collaboration, and lived experience as essential tools for long-term change.

I encourage everyone interested in peacebuilding, community resilience, and social justice, whether in policy, academia, practice, or grassroots action, to explore the Scottish Peace Platform website, join the conversation, and consider ways to collaborate and connect.

Scotland’s peacebuilding community feels strong, diverse, and forward-looking. The SPP offers us a shared platform to make that strength visible, connected, and impactful, but it will be up to all of us to help sustain and amplify its momentum.