Private philanthropy supporting the next generation of peace mediators

The MAS ETH MPP is a two-year postgraduate program for mid-career professionals involved in mediating violent political conflicts and supporting dialogue and peace processes globally. The program has the vision of contributing to a more peaceful and secure world by providing peace mediators with the knowledge, skills and techniques to effectively mediate violent political conflicts. Since its launch in 2017, a total of 59 participants from 36 countries over three cohorts have graduated from the program.

The MAS ETH MPP is built on a close partnership between ETH Zurich and its key strategic partners, the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the United Nations (UN) and the foreign ministries of Germany and Finland. The strategic partners send their own expert staff to the program along with providing scholarships to participants from the UN and non-OECD countries, allowing a diverse set of highly talented and experienced professionals from around the world to take part.

The ETH Zurich Scholarship in Peace Mediation Fund, supported by Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance with CHF 425,000 over 10 years, will empower and raise the profile of peace mediators through its sponsorship of highly qualified participants from ASEAN and Latin America for the MAS ETH MPP. The scholarship fund will also support fellowships to facilitate the participation of experts from diverse backgrounds as trainers for the program.

The ETH Zurich Scholarship in Peace Mediation Fund will therefore contribute to the MAS ETH MPP’s continued efforts to increase diversity and inclusion not only among its program participants but also among its trainers in order to deliver best-in-class teaching at the program.

Professor Andreas Wenger, Program Director of the MAS ETH MPP, explains: “While the MAS ETH MPP will continue to be firmly founded on its close strategic partnerships with the UN, Switzerland, Germany, and Finland, the scholarships supported by Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance are important contributions to ensuring not only a high degree of quality but also increasing the diversity and inclusion of the program as a global initiative. They also provide us the grounds to initiate strategic discussions on further private sector support for our efforts in the fields of mediation research, practice, and policy.”

John Nagulendran, Co-Founder of Nagulendran Philanthropy Alliance, says: “As a newly established philanthropic fund with a focus on capacity-building in the peace mediation sector, we are delighted to partner with ETH Zurich and work with ETH Foundation in the establishment of the scholarship fund. We look forward to welcoming the inaugural scholars and supporting the world-class MAS ETH MPP as a postgraduate program for excellence in the training of peace mediators.”