Peace-building is the action of working to strengthen peace to avoid future conflict.
Did you know that you can help out with peace-building work in your own community?

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	Want to find out more? Check out these other cool sites! Hague Appeal for Peace Hague Appeal Youth Network No War Zone Issue Fact Sheets UN Cyberschoolbus: Peace Education UNESCO: Peace in Our Hands United Nations: Peace and Security United Nations and Peace-building

The term “peace-building” started to be recognized internationally after 1992 when Boutros Boutros-Ghali, then the United Nations Secretary-General, announced his Agenda for Peace. Since then, “peace-building” has been used to refer to any project that helps to rebuild the institutions and/or the structure of a war torn country.
There are many tasks involved in peace-building, such as removing weapons, remaking laws, assisting governments, helping the economy, as well as bringing home refugees and Internally Displaced Persons.

Peace-building works to provide a safe and stable environment so that peace can be achieved. While peace-building has only been used after conflict, it can also be used to prevent future conflicts in unstable communities. Peace-building works at all levels of a community; It is important that government, civil society, NGOs, and youth take part in laying a foundation for peace.
Youth have an especially important role to play in peace-building work; Young people are directly affected by the issues of peace and conflict, and are the next generation of peace-builders.

	Some Quick Facts… From 1990-2000 civil wars, ethnic cleansing and actions of genocide claimed more than 5 million lives, many or most of them civilians. Almost one third of all countries in the world have experienced violent conflict in the past 10 years. · The UN is currently involved in 13 peace-building missions around the world. (Source: United Nations)