Building National Capacities for Prevention
PDA Global Retreat 2019
The seventh iteration of the Global PDA Retreat will take place in Istanbul, Turkey from 20-24 May.
Global retreats are organized on a biennual basis by the Joint UNDP-DPPA Programme to provide a dedicated space for Peace and Development Advisors and other conflict prevention specialists to share their experiences, reflect on challenges and opportunities in their area of work, and identify good practices. This has proven to be an important way for building the ‘community of practice’, while also strengthening the aptitudes and effectiveness of PDAs and this broader community of practitioners in country.
Dates
20-21 May and 24 May afternoon (PDA Cadre); 22-23 May and 24 May morning (PDAs, UN and external Partners)
Key documents
- Agenda (as of 19 May)
Key objectives
1. Strengthen relationships and create a space for peer-exchange
The retreat will reinforce connections within the PDA cadre particularly through experience-sharing and peer-to-peer support. It also offers a forum for PDAs to exchange with key UN counterparts and other strategic partners of the Joint Programme, who bring in additional perspectives and expertise to the discussions. Equally, partners will gain a better understanding of the PDA function and support needs. The overall aim is to establish a strong community of practice and support system for the PDA cadre. Participants will also be invited to reflect on their skills and learning objectives, as well as the PDA/S role overall
2. Expand substantive knowledge and skills
The retreat will provide time to explore emerging trends, challenges, and opportunities facing the UN at country and regional level on issues related to conflict prevention, peacebuilding and sustaining peace. Participants will learn from various country experiences looking at cross-cutting issues and will identify approaches and tools that can be used in various contexts. Half a day will be provided for working groups organized under regional/sub-regional or other groupings. Working ‘clinics’ may be established to focus on skill-building.
3. Create a shared understanding of priorities and identify solutions
Participants will discuss the latest developments and priorities within the UN system including on the UN reforms, and the new phase of the Joint Programme. The purpose is to gain an understanding on how these institutional frameworks impact the work of PDAs. Participants will also help identify how these can be leveraged to strengthen their work at the country level, as well as make recommendations to address the challenges they have identified.
*Please note the key documents section below refer to the Joint Programme in its entirety and are not all fully related to the retreat. Please read through if of interest.
