AGORA: Values of Peace

Communicating Dialogue and Inclusion through Lived Experience

Recent years have witnessed a global trend toward increased militarization, accompanied by declining investment in peacebuilding efforts. In this context, the values underpinning private diplomacy in peace mediation – neutrality, inclusivity, and local ownership – offer a critical counterbalance. Grounded in the legacy of Martti Ahtisaari that all conflicts can be resolved, the work of CMI demonstrates the transformative potential of sustained and inclusive engagement, with a particular emphasis on gender-sensitive approaches.

This AGORA session examines how strategic communication can complement mediation efforts by reframing public discourse around peace. It argues that amplifying lived experiences humanizes the impacts of conflict, fosters empathy, and broadens public support for peaceful solutions.

The analysis draws on two illustrative cases: CMI’s ‘Keys for Peace’ campaign, which leverages personal narratives to underscore the value of dialogue, and the communication campaign in Moldova on Gagauzia Dialogue process, designed to strengthen communal bonds through shared storytelling. By integrating strategic communication with mediation practice, these examples highlight the capacity of values-based narratives to enhance the legitimacy and sustainability of peace processes. The session invites reflection on how such approaches can inform broader conflict resolution and peacebuilding strategies, making dialogue not just a tool for mediation, but a shared societal value.

Natalia Djandjgava is the Country Manager at CMI-Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation, Finland. She has over eighteen years of progressive professional experience in international organizations, such as the EU and UN, having worked in the sensitive political environment of the Transdniestrian settlement process and Gagauzia Autonomy in Moldova from the political perspective, development angle and mediation and conflict prevention approach. Natalia is an experienced mediator and facilitator of dialogue processes within sensitive settings.

Natalia is currently pursuing her doctoral degree at the Moldovan State University, at the Doctoral School of Social Science, specialization theory and methodology of international relations and diplomacy. Her research focuses on good governance, social peace and conflict prevention. Natalia is John Smith Fellow 2018, Goerdeler-Kolleg Fellow 2019, Geneva Center for Security Policy Fellow 2021.