Deadline: June 7, 2026
Applications are open for the International Geneva Peace Fellowship Programme 2026. The International Geneva Peace Fellowship Programme is a partnership between Interpeace and the Geneva Graduate Institute, with the generous support of the Foundation for the Adaptation of International Geneva, that fosters the next generation of leadership in peace and humanitarian diplomacy.
Responding to the growing challenges facing multilateralism, the Programme empowers emerging and mid-career professionals with the skills, networks, and practical experience needed to drive innovative solutions for peace.
Over an initial pilot phase, the Programme will support 10 fellows selected from recent graduates and junior to mid-career professionals, for a 9-month residential programme in Geneva. The programme aims to expand Geneva’s peace support capacities while building foundations for a brain trust of peacebuilding leaders and a mechanism to reinforce Geneva as a global hub for peace.
To this end, the programme aims to strengthen Geneva’s connectivity to key global centres by bringing together an international cohort of Fellows and providing them with access to research and field operations on peace and humanitarian diplomacy, along with an enabling environment within International Geneva — through a host of partners, and networks including the Fabrique de la Paix — the Geneva Graduate Institute’s research and student innovation and co-creation hub, Interpeace’s global partner network as well as the broader ecosystem of platforms and hubs of International Geneva.
Six Thematic Areas
The Programme is structured around thematic areas defined with partner institutions, reflecting emerging priorities in peace and humanitarian diplomacy. Each Fellow is selected against a specific thematic focus, ensuring alignment between individual expertise, institutional needs, and the bridging of policy and practice.
Fellows will be expected to work with partner organizations on practical projects as well as develop their own strategic ideas in one of the following themes:
- The new frontier of peacemaking: This thematic area focuses on bringing greater visibility to under-addressed and neglected conflicts, while strengthening mediation approaches that respond to how conflicts are changing today. It also engages with identifying entry points for dialogue, ceasefires, and inclusive peace processes in protracted conflicts. This theme promotes context-sensitive approaches to mediation that take into account climate change, environmental pressures, illicit economies, and digital dynamics, while ensuring that gender and inclusion remain central to efforts towards peace mediation.
- Health and peace: This thematic area is grounded in a holistic understanding of health as closely linked to environmental, social, and security dynamics, recognising that siloed approaches to health are no longer effective. It explores how health, as a central entry point, intersects with peace and security in contexts shaped by conflict, climate pressures, and technological change, treating these factors as part of health systems rather than external to them. In response to gaps in how knowledge production on health is siloed, the theme adopts an integrated approach that connects health and peace within broader multilateral efforts.
- Ecumenical peacebuilding and faith-based diplomacy: Advancing the concept and practice of ecumenical peacebuilding through engagement with global church networks and interfaith partners to support dialogue, reconciliation, and social cohesion in diverse country contexts. This thematic area explores how religious actors and institutions contribute to peace processes, including through mediation, community-level engagement, and moral leadership, while examining the role of faith-based diplomacy in shaping international policy discussions in Geneva. It also engages with efforts to connect locally grounded experiences of peacebuilding with multilateral processes, leveraging the ethical influence and convening power of religious leaders to promote inclusive and sustainable peace outcomes.
- Youth leadership, participation, and peacebuilding: This thematic area focuses on strengthening pathways for meaningful youth participation and leadership across peacebuilding, policy, and civic processes, positioning young people as agents of change and partners in dialogue, conflict prevention, and social cohesion, particularly in contexts affected by conflict, political transitions, and democratic backsliding. It advances youth-led and youth-inclusive approaches through community engagement, local peace initiatives, policy innovation, and advocacy, while promoting humanitarian values through education and strengthening understanding and respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL).
- Protection of civilians and contemporary conflict dynamics: Strengthening programmatic, policy, and humanitarian diplomacy efforts on the protection of civilians through programme assistance & management, and applied, field-informed analysis of evolving conflict risks. This thematic area engages with priority issues in conflict dynamics, including the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, emerging technologies such as drones and artificial intelligence, humanitarian access constraints, displacement dynamics, and civilian harm mitigation practices, with particular attention to risks affecting vulnerable populations, including women and children.
- Women, peace and security and inclusive peacebuilding: Advancing gender-responsive approaches to peacebuilding by strengthening the meaningful participation and leadership of women in conflict prevention, mediation, and peace processes. This thematic area explores how inclusive and gender-sensitive strategies can contribute to more sustainable and equitable peace outcomes, including through support to women-led initiatives, local peace infrastructures, and community-level engagement. It also engages with the structural barriers that limit women’s participation, examining pathways to enhance protection, representation, and access to decision-making spaces.
Eligibility
Open to:
- MA programme graduates who completed their studies within 12 months of applying, or advanced PhD candidates transitioning into policy and practice-oriented careers.
- Junior professionals at early stages of their career development.
- Mid-career professionals preparing for leadership roles in peace and humanitarian fields.
Candidates must demonstrate:
- Exceptional leadership potential in policy and/or practice — particularly in areas such as peace and humanitarian diplomacy, international affairs, and social movements;
- A balance between analytical and practical experience and/or strong research skills are considered an advantage;
- Excellent writing and communications skills in English and/or French; additional languages are an asset;
- Proven ability to work in a multicultural team;
- Ability to be flexible and adapt to different contexts and working environments;
- Availability to commit to a 9-month residency program in Geneva from September 2026 to June 2027.
Application
To apply for the Fellowship, candidates are required to submit the following through the application portal:
- A curriculum vitae (maximum 2 pages);
- A cover letter (maximum 1 page/approx.. 500 words) clearly outlining:
- the candidate’s preferred thematic area;o the candidate’s relevant leadership experience and why they would be a strong fit for the Fellowship; and
- the strategic idea or initiative the candidate would ideally seek to develop over the course of the Fellowship.
For more information, visit International Geneva Peace Fellowship.
