A Call to Action: Building the Future of Peace and Security

Presented by PiVOT Peace Lab, Polarization and Violence Transformed

Globally, we are experiencing increasing and record-breaking violent conflict and insecurity. However, a more peace and prosperous future is possible—if we make deliberate choices now. To meet the moment, we must commit to rethink and reenergize a new plan for how we collectively build support for peacebuilding and conflict prevention. At the Alliance for Peacebuilding The Future of Peace and Security Project and Coalition is working to advance a bold new peace and security plan that will rally support of champions from Congress to the private sector to ordinary citizens.

Facilitated by: Dr. Daniel Rothbart, Druscilla French Chair of Conflict Analysis and Resolution Director, Peace Lab, Polarization and Violence Transformed, The Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter School for Peace and Conflict Resolution, George Mason University

Speakers: 

• Elizabeth (Liz) Hume is the Executive Director at the Alliance for Peacebuilding. 

Elizabeth is an international lawyer and a conflict expert with more than 25 years of experience in senior leadership positions in bilateral, multilateral institutions and NGOs. She has extensive experience in policy and advocacy and overseeing sizeable and complex peacebuilding programs in conflict-affected and fragile states in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa. From 1997-2001, Liz was seconded by the US Department of State to the Organization for Security and Cooperation (OSCE) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo as the Chief Legal Counsel and Head of the Election Commission Secretariats. In these positions, she was responsible for developing the legal framework and policies in support of the implementation of the Dayton Peace Accords and UN Resolution 1244. After 9/11, Liz worked for the International Rescue Committee in Pakistan and Afghanistan where she established and managed the Protection Department for Afghan refugees and returning IDPs. Starting in 2004, she served in leadership positions and helped establish the Office of Conflict Management and Mitigation at USAID developing programs and policies to improve the USG’s ability to address the causes of violent deadly conflict. In 2007, Liz was the Chief of Party for Pact where she managed a USAID funded conflict resolution and governance program in Ethiopia. She also served as a Technical Director at FHI 360 where she managed a USAID funded peacebuilding and governance program in Senegal with a focus on the Casamance one of Africa’s longest-running civil wars.

• Peter J. Quaranto currently serves as a senior fellow for the future of peace and security with the Alliance for Peacebuilding. 

Peter serves concurrently as a visiting professor of the practice and distinguished global policy fellow for 2025-2026 in the Keough School of Global Affairs at the University of Notre Dame. Peter has two decades of experience working across the U.S. Department of State, White House, Congress, and with civil society to elevate peacebuilding and conflict prevention in foreign policy efforts. Previously, Peter served as the acting principal deputy assistant secretary in the Department of State’s Bureau of Conflict & Stabilization Operations (CSO). In this and other leadership roles within CSO, he worked to enhance U.S. diplomacy to anticipate, prevent, and respond to violent conflict around the world. Peter was at the center of implementing the Global Fragility Act law, including authoring the related Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability.