Skip to main content

Civil Peace Service celebrates its 25th anniversary

CPS experts from Germany support violence prevention in 45 countries around the world.  

05.11.2024
A village in Sudan – this is just one of the places where the CPS is actively involved.
A village in Sudan – this is just one of the places where the CPS is actively involved. © dpa

Berlin (d.de) – The Civil Peace Service (CPS) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a ceremony in Berlin. it was founded in 1999 by German civil society, church organisations and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The CPS is a programme aimed at preventing violence and promoting peace in crisis zones and conflict regions. Together with local partner organisations, nine German peace and development organisations are working towards a world in which conflicts are resolved without violence.  

The first six CPS experts travelled to partner countries in November 1999. Today, around 380 CPS experts work with 700 local colleagues and 580 CPS partner organisations in 45 countries to promote peace, prevent violence and pursue civil conflict resolution. German Development Minister Svenja Schulze: “25 years of the Civil Peace Service show that it is possible to change the world for the better! Whether in Africa, Asia, Latin America or Eastern Europe, whether as an IT expert, project manager or social pedagogue: peace service professionals work together with local people in places where they are able to make a difference.”