Opening words by President of the Republic Tarja Halonen at “Every Peace Matters”, the 10th anniversary seminar of CMI on 19 April 2011

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It is a great pleasure and honour for me to open the 10th anniversary seminar of CMI – “Every Peace Matters”. Established by my predecessor, President Martti Ahtisaari, Crisis Management Initiative has now been operational for ten years. The organisation produces information and practical solutions for peace processes and conflict resolution.

The personal role of President Ahtisaari is naturally of great importance. He has been involved with many societies in transition and in creating many peaceful resolutions. The range of participants in this seminar demonstrates the wide global appreciation for his work. The highest recognition was the Nobel Peace Prize in 2008.

Kofi Annan, the former UN Secretary-General – and our good friend – will be speaking at this seminar later. Mr Annan continues his active work for better global governance and a fairer, more secure world. His foundation has developed programmes and partnerships in sustainable development and peace and security.

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The best crisis management would be that there were no conflicts at all. At the global level, this translates into the fostering of democracy, human rights and the rule of law, as well as the promotion of good governance. The importance of economically, socially and ecologically sustainable development has also grown in recent years. Attaining the United Nations Millennium Development Goals is one of the most important global commitments of our time – a promise made by all countries to strive for a better future.

The United Nations is the only truly global security organisation. Finland supports multilateral cooperation and is a firm supporter of the UN – also in peace mediation. Finland has submitted a joint initiative with Turkey for a UN Resolution concerning peace mediation. We are hopeful of this initiative producing results by next autumn.

Regional organisations – such as the European Union, the OSCE and the African Union – are important and can support the work of the UN in securing peace and resolving conflicts. We need to strengthen the ability and will of conflict parties to settle their disagreements. Countries should also be encouraged to assume a constructive role in their region. In Europe, we have many good experiences of this.

We have also seen the same phenomenon in Africa: conflict parties are more likely to trust the African Union and mediators from their own continent. During the events that have spread like bushfire across northern Africa and the Middle East, the statements of the Arab League have been of great importance.

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Although genocide can take place overnight, it takes far longer for it to emerge. The roots of conflict may run deep in a complex tangle of past events, and it may only take a single, seemingly minor event to ignite the situation.

The media, both old and new, has multifaceted effects. However, the basic rule is that the seeds of conflict are sown long before the events that attract the attention of the media. Conflicts also outlive media interest.

International cooperation and external mediation are often necessary for reaching a settlement. Sometimes a successful outcome may depend on the personal ability of an individual or individuals to settle conflicts. We in Finland are pleased that many Finns have been considered worthy of such trust. In addition to President Ahtisaari, individuals such as Sakari Tuomioja, Harri Holkeri, Elisabeth Rehn and Pekka Haavisto have all been involved in international peace mediation tasks.

I believe that societies have a broader need for conflict-resolving skills. In some regions, these skills have been retained surprisingly well in the middle of various transitions. However – especially in sustained undemocratic situations – the mutual trust between people may suffer such damaging blows that outside assistance is required to restore it.

The grassroots actions of ordinary people should not be overlooked – nor should their importance to the success of peace processes be underestimated. In Northern Ireland, for example, Catholic and Protestant women worked together making day-care arrangements for their children. The idea was that the children would grow up together and learn to respect each other.

In the Middle East, Palestinian and Israeli women aim to build trust between communities in extremely challenging circumstances. The UN supports the work of the International Women’s Commission founded by these women.

In Liberia, women are actively involved in building the future of a country after the destructive civil war. The international Colloquium on Women's Empowerment, Leadership Development, International Peace and Security was organised in 2009 in Monrovia. Thousands of enthusiastic men and women from across the world took part in the event. I had the pleasure of chairing the event together with Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the President of Liberia.

Women often run the daily life of families in societies. This is why women are such an enormous resource for achieving change. During this seminar, we will hear the story of a former child soldier. Women in general can have a major role in adjusting child soldiers to ordinary life.

The aim of the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace and Security is the comprehensive inclusion of women in peace processes. Binding on all UN Member States, the Resolution should act as a guideline in all peace resolution and mediation tasks.

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Each conflict is different, with its own road to peace. Even so, there is a lesson to be learned in each successful process. This is why they should be documented and studied more thoroughly, so that we do not need to reinvent everything. I have proposed the establishment of an open international “archive” that could be used to distribute and exploit information.

There are several encouraging examples – including Northern Ireland, the end of the civil war in Guatemala, as well as the peace talks in the province of Aceh in Indonesia.

Achieving a sustainable state of peace is a long process. Even after the signing of a peace treaty, it can take years for a society to heal – it takes time to establish mutual trust. The various parties and communities must demonstrate flexibility, and willingness to compromise. Long-term international presence is also often required – perhaps through military but, especially, civilian crisis management.

A guarantee of peace and stability is also the manner in which the majority treats minorities and respects their rights. Kosovo and the West Balkans in general are examples of this. People must have the opportunity to influence the development of their society, to take part in decision-making, and to disagree without having to be afraid. There are always elements of unfairness – past and present – in our societies. But the ability to resolve these by respecting each other and without violence increases the security of our societies.

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In summary, perhaps the most important lesson to be learned from all successful peace processes is a very simple one: peace and stability benefit all – in every respect.

Finally, I would like to congratulate President Ahtisaari and Crisis Management Initiative for the work you have done in the search for peace and stability in conflict regions around the world.