Publications

---

Today, Afghans and Syrians constitute the highest numbers of immigrants in Germany and Europe. In this Policy Brief, the authors argue that policy must recognise the significant potential of Afghan and Syrian refugees and migrants in Germany and beyond as peace advocates and change agents in contributing to peace processes in Afghanistan and Syria.
Scholars and practitioners agree that refugees’ and migrants’ involvement in peace processes renders these processes more sustainable. They further recognise that their engagement in confronting the past increases long-term prospects for peace. In BICC Policy Brief 2\2021 “Engaging refugees and migrants as peace advocates-How Germany can contribute to peace in Syria and Afghanistan”, the authors Katja Mielke and Esther Meininghaus make the following policy recommendations to the German government:
\ Engage refugees and migrants as peace advocates
\ Create civic engagement for peace programmes that offer refugees and migrants in Germany opportunities to engage themselves in peace for their countries of origin
\ Launch new funding formats to support self-determined civic engagement for peace
\ Link Afghan and Syrian civic education for peace initiatives in Germany to peace processes