Peace Practice Alliance

Individuals dedicated to leading peace and systems change call for deep, ongoing community support, inspiration, and courageous spaces for learning. The Peace Practice Alliance holds space for peacebuilders to deeply connect, learn, reflect, and gain resources and certification with similarly visionary leaders around the world to further their peace leadership practices. The Peace Practice Alliance program cultivates and nourishes communities of peace leaders.

PROGRAM PILLARS

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CONNECT
peacebuilders from around the world in a heart-centered environment to build an inclusive, resourceful, and supportive community

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EQUIP
peace leaders with an understanding of peace leadership in a peer-learning environment

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PRACTICE
peace leadership within ourselves, in our relationships with each other, and in our communities 

THE EXPERIENCE

The Peace Practice Alliance is a six-month peace leadership experience. An international cohort of peacebuilders collaborates through an intensive virtual learning and community building journey exploring and developing peace leadership theories and practices. The Peace Practice Alliance consists of five modules that guide through integral peace leadership and how to apply it in our work and lives. Following a model of inform, inspire, and transform, participants have opportunities in each module to gain new knowledge and skills, actively engage and apply learnings in their own lives, and deeply reflect. The Peace Practice Alliance exists as a living system, and the experience evolves through the ongoing co-creation and collaboration of all participants.

virtual classroom

Participants will have access to an online learning platform that houses informational, inspirational, and experiential materials on personal, interpersonal, community, and global peace practices to strengthen and deepen their peacebuilding work in their respective communities.

global community

The heart of the Peace Practice Alliance is the morally courageous, soul-driven, inspired community of global peacebuilders. Participants will be part of and nourish an inclusive, tight-knit cohort to share stories and practices, provide support and encouragement, and cultivate relationships with fellow peacebuilders.

peace practice

Participants have opportunities to practice integral peace leadership in real time through experiential exercises, workshops, and cohort meetings. Participants also learn to apply peace practices to initiatives in their communities, regions, and the world. Participants use their Peace Practice Alliance experience to effect change with the support of a global community.

 

program grounding

The Peace Practice Alliance program grounds in Integral Peace Leadership, originated by Dr. Whitney McIntyre Miller and colleagues. They share, “peace leadership is about our abilities to work together to challenge violence and aggression and build positive groups, communities, organizations, and societies. Peace leadership provides a space for us all to work both individually and together to make the world the place where we want to live.”

Euphrates believes that each person’s commitment to practices of inner work and personal well-being, rooted in self-reflection and contemplative practice, is foundational to practicing peace. This practice leads to continual individual growth, healing, and transformation that nourishes relationships and communities. When we practice peace in supportive, inclusive, trusting, and courageous communities, our individual integrity and capacity for peace is enhanced and we become better equipped to carry and sustain those practices across all areas of our lives. These deep relationships to one’s self and others built on understanding, compassion, and love will inspire and expand awareness of the interconnectedness of all living beings. When more of us, individually and collectively, practice peace, critical connections between everyday peacebuilders will effect systemic change, ending violence in all forms.

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Program facilitation

We understand and believe no organization is an island, and magic emerges from collaboration. The Peace Practice Alliance exists and thrives because of meaningful partnership with our Learning Committee, a group of PPA alumni and partners who serve as advisors to the team and as facilitators throughout the program. Meet our Learning Committee members!

+Fahid Abu-Salah

Fahid Abu-Salah is a peacebuilder and a graduate student in Mechanical Engineering at the American University of Beirut (AUB), fully funded by the U.S. Department of State MEPI Scholarship. He is an alumnus of the 2024 Peace Practice Alliance (PPA) program and now serves as a Learning Committee member for the 2025 cohort. Fahid is passionate about youth-led peace initiatives and is establishing AUB’s first Peace Club. He has organized workshops on peace and conflict resolution, presented at international conferences, and received a grant from the Euphrates Institute to support his peacebuilding work. His vision is to empower young leaders across the MENA region to foster lasting peace.

+ Lisa Hilt

Lisa Hilt is an independent evaluation and research consultant who works primarily with organizations focused on peacebuilding and social justice. She has been working with Euphrates since the launch of the Peace Practice Alliance Program (PPA) in early 2020, leading evaluation and learning activities. Lisa is also a co-founder of the Peace Leadership Collaborative (with Euphrates and others). Before pursuing work as an independent consultant, Lisa worked as a Senior Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning Advisor at Oxfam for over a decade, providing support to multiple U.S. and multi-country programs and advocacy efforts. Outside of work Lisa loves reading, being in nature, coffee breaks, and long conversations with friends (old and new).

+ Fran Faraz

Fran Faraz is a Professor of Global and Peace Studies at Golden West College. Her professional and academic work is centered on Conflict Resolution, Social Justice, Environmental Justice, and Nonviolent Activism. From 2007 to 2022, she organized Golden West’s International Peace Conference, as well as numerous global peace-themed forums, screening documentaries, discussion panels, speaker series, and multiple workshops on several international and contemporary issues, such as genocide, migration, human trafficking, trauma recovery, environmental sustainability, and other events. An advisor to the Leadership Club, she mentors students with their academic studies and career paths. She has established four fellowships in the areas of Diversity, Social Justice, Environmental Sustainability, and Compassionate Communities. She has also established a scholarship for the Black Student Union (BSU) at Golden West College. A board member of the Center for Citizen Peacebuilding at U.C. Irvine, and the Euphrates Institute, she is active in Global and Peace Studies-centric work with a variety of institutions and organizations, including The Euphrates Institute and the Ojai Cultural Center. She has a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and a Master of Arts in History from Northeastern University.

+ Sally Mahé

Sally Mahe Sally is an educator, author and served as a leader in organizational development with the United Religions Initiative (URI). She is committed to exploring a deeper understanding of democracy. In the 70s she co-created The Law in Action Series, an innovative civics curriculum for middle school students. She received an M.ED from Harvard with emphasis on law and an MA in Theology from General Episcopal Seminary with focus on spiritual counseling. Sally served as core staff for 28 years with URI, an international interfaith peace organization. She co-authored The Birth of a Global Community-Appreciative Inquiry in Action and A Greater Democracy Day by Day. In 2024 she published The Global Heart of Democracy. Sally lives in California and loves spending time with her family.

+ George Sieburg

George Sieburg is the Finance Director at Asheville Community Theatre and an elected member of the Asheville City Schools board of education. A former seventh-grade English and language arts teacher in places as diverse as Baltimore, MD, Monteverde, Costa Rica, and Asheville, NC, he is passionate about educational equity and centering the voices of populations traditionally forced to the margins – be they students, women, Black and brown folk, people from immigrant communities, individuals who identify as LGBTQIA+, or anyone else who has been othered. Between his seven years teaching and his current role, George ran a small family business with his father for fifteen years. He holds a BA in Creative Writing from Northwestern University and an MS in Curriculum & Instruction from McDaniel College. He is honored to be a past Equity Fellow with the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED), a Policy Fellow with the Hunt Institute, a UNC School of Government Advanced Leadership corps member, and a member of the Euphrates Institute’s Peace Practice Alliance (PPA). He currently serves on the PPA’s Learning Committee and serves as board Treasurer of The Connectivity Project (TCP). He has served on the board of the Asheville City Schools Foundation (as treasurer, chair, and interim ED) and the finance committee of the Asheville Buncombe Community Land Trust (ABCLT). He is also a Teach for America alumnus [1997 Corps]. At Asheville Community Theatre he chairs the DEI/IDEA committee and sits on the Strategic Planning Committee. He lives in Asheville with his wife and their three daughters. In his free time, George performs on stage, cooks, reads, hikes, plays guitar, and writes. He is currently soliciting agents for his first novel, The Lighthouse, a modern reinterpretation of Virginia Woolf’s To the Lighthouse.

+ Salome Irimekyen Samuel

Salome Irimekyen Samuel is a social activist, peacebuilder, and the Executive Director of Pride of Sheba, a nonprofit dedicated to advancing gender equity and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Salome was raised by guardians whom she considers her second parents in the vibrant city of Jos, Nigeria. Growing up as the daughter of a politician and public servant instilled in her a strong sense of social justice from an early age. Driven by a deep commitment to building a more compassionate, peaceful, and just world, Salome leverages her expertise in research, peacebuilding, advocacy, and technology to create meaningful change. Her research on the challenges faced by LGBTQ+ individuals in Nigeria revealed the urgent need for economic empowerment, as many experience family abandonment, workplace discrimination, and violence. In response, Pride of Sheba is expanding its mission to include business mentorship through the Q Business Initiative Network and long-term advocacy for an Employment Equity Policy, ensuring greater opportunities for economic stability. Beyond advocacy, Salome has contributed to global conversations on social justice through her publication in an international journal. She envisions a future where inclusivity, economic stability, and social justice thrive. With a long-term goal of establishing herself as a leader in research, peacebuilding, and digital transformation, she remains committed to advocating for LGBTQ+ rights and systemic change. When she’s not championing social justice, Salome finds solace in nature, taking long walks or writing poetry to reconnect with the world around her. An avid reader and writer, she continuously seeks knowledge and fresh perspectives.

+ Jenny Canau

Jenny Canau is a fun loving Mozambican, who lived in India, married in Nepal and resides in South Africa with her family and three children. Her involvement In the Anti-Apartheid struggle led her into practicing and lecturing in International Human Rights Law. After meeting His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1996, she shifted focus to “Inner development” and Co-founded Mindfulness Africa (2008) in Southern Africa. Jenny has offered retreats in meditation, mindfulness, compassion and community resilience, both in local and international communities for the past 20 years. Human dignity and innate compassion are at the core of her efforts to support ALL people, from vulnerable pregnant moms to marginalized youth. She is passionate to learn and unlearn from all wisdom traditions including the “neuroscience of the heart.” She has received facilitator training in International Interfaith Dialogue, Trauma and Resilience, Compassion and Integrity, Global Peace Leadership and more recently in Human Rights Advocacy at the United Nations (UNCHR). Jenny is excited to be supporting the PPA program, through the learning committee and in offering 1:1 PPA mentoring alongside Wazieh Offuh.

+ Wazieh Offuh

Offuh Wazieh Anthony is from Jos Nigeria. She is a Peace builder, faith change maker, a trauma healing facilitator, an advocate for women and children safety, an estate surveyor and valuer, an entrepreneurer. She is also an alumni of the Euphrates Institute Peace Practice Alliance program of 2021, a member of Euphrates Institute PPA program Learning Committee, a grant advisor committee member and lead advisor for the panel of empowerment women and girls of the Pollination Project.

Program Timeline

The Peace Practice Alliance program happens once a year beginning in February. The application process opens each year between October-November. You can sign up for our newsletter to receive regular updates on the program timeline.

The 2025 cohort has been selected and the program begins in February 2025. Please check back for updates on the 2026 application process.

Program Donation

The Peace Practice Alliance invites a sliding scale program donation to Euphrates to support the program and the community. Upon acceptance to the Peace Practice Alliance, participants are invited to contribute based on financial ability and an amount that feels joyful to contribute between $0-500 USD.

Program Certification

This program is academically vetted and accredited by the Centre for Executive Education at the University for Peace (UPEACE), established by the General Assembly of the United Nations. UPEACE is dedicated to providing an international institution of higher education for peace, with the aim of promoting among all human beings the spirit of understanding, tolerance and peaceful co-existence. Within that context, the Centre for Executive Education offers transformational educational experiences that allow participants to deepen their positive impact on the interconnected world around us.

Upon completion of program requirements, participants receive certificates of completion endorsed by Euphrates Institute and the Centre for Executive Education at the University for Peace (UPEACE).

 
 

Reflections from Peace Practice Alliance Alumni

Our alumni create a deeply passionate, loving, supportive, and uplifting community, including 163 peace leaders from 50 countries.
Hear from some of our alumni about their program experiences:

 

program evaluation

Each year Euphrates commissions an independent evaluation of the Peace Practice Alliance (PPA) program. A report is generated to summarize the outcomes and lessons from the evaluation of the 2024 PPA, which aims to answer the following questions:

  • To what extent did Euphrates achieve the PPA objectives to equip and connect peacebuilders and promote peace leadership practice? 

  • What changes, if any, did the participants experience as peace leaders as a result of the program?

  • What aspects of the PPA program supported or enabled these changes?

We are proud to share the results of this comprehensive evaluation. Within the six months of the program, members of the 2024 cohort experienced positive, and often transformative, changes as peace leaders. This includes greater confidence in their leadership capabilities, improved well-being, greater understanding of peace and what it means to be a peace leader, and increased commitment to action in their communities. Participants gained valuable access to support for their peacebuilding work and a broader community of peace leaders they can learn from and talk to about their work in the future. You can read more about the impact of the program in the full report here.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The PPA is for individuals who:

    • lead an initiative or small organization and want support and leadership guidance

    • identify as peace leaders and are looking for community and a professional network to support them in their peace work or who aim to self-identify as peace leaders and want to grow their knowledge and practice

    • seek to take a pause in their life and rejuvenate personally or professionally

  • The Peace Practice Alliance is supported by global partners including: 

    • Centre for Executive Education at the University for Peace established by the United Nations General Assembly 

    • United Religions Initiative

    • Crew for All

    • Worldwide Education and Research Institute

  • Eligible participants should have a strong proficiency in international English and an  interest or experience in peacebuilding, community development, or global citizenship. If you're passionate about leading social change locally or globally, this program is for You! Individuals must be over 18 years old to apply (though peace leaders of all ages are welcome to join other Euphrates activities!).

  • Applicants should demonstrate an alignment with Euphrates values. Applicants should demonstrate integrity, an eagerness to learn, a growth mindset, a commitment to practicing peace, and a desire/motivation to actively participate in community. Euphrates encourages applicants outside of the peacebuilding field to apply, and such applicants should demonstrate an interest in integrating peace practice into your work. Euphrates puts a strong emphasis on curating cohorts that are diverse in demographics and types of initiatives/professional backgrounds. Applicants from marginalized identities and contexts, and with intersectional interests, are encouraged to apply.

  • Once applications are submitted, a review committee reads each application and invites a shortlist of applicants to 30-minute interviews. Interviews are conducted over the course of two weeks, and a review committee creates a final list of accepted applicants.

For more frequently asked questions, please continue here.