News Releases

Releases for the public and media announcing new events, people, projects, or publications at USIP.

Latest Releases

United States Institute of Peace Names New Vice President
December 17, 2008

The U.S. Institute of Peace today announced that Tara D. Sonenshine will become Vice President for Planning and Outreach effective January 5, 2009. In that capacity, Sonenshine will oversee strategic planning, public outreach and publications. She will also manage the planning of the Public Education Center that will be part of the Institute’s new headquarters project on the National Mall.

Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States Sends Interim Report to Congress
December 15, 2008

Today the Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States ("the Commission") submitted an interim report to members of the U.S. House and Senate Armed Services Committees. The interim report summarizes the Commission’s activities since it began its work in spring 2008 and reiterates its commitment to deliver a final report on April 1, 2009.

Genocide Prevention Task Force Delivers Blueprint for U.S. Government to Prevent Genocide and Mass Atrocities
December 8, 2008

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, former Secretary of Defense William Cohen and other leading figures call on new administration and Congress to make preventing genocide and mass atrocities a national priority.

New Board Members Begin Tenure at U.S. Institute of Peace
October 16, 2008

Today Ikram U. Khan, Kerry Kennedy, Stephen D. Krasner and Nancy Zirkin were sworn in as members of the Board of Directors of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). The four were nominated by President George W. Bush in March 2008 and confirmed by the Senate on June 4, 2008.

United States Institute of Peace Welcomes 22^nd Class of Jennings Randolph Senior Fellows
October 6, 2008

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) today announced the names of the eight Jennings Randolph Senior Fellows who began a 10-month residency at the Institute on October 1. The Jennings Randolph Senior Fellowship program is a highly competitive international program that provides scholars, policy analysts, policymakers, and other experts with opportunities to spend time in residence at the Institute, reflecting and writing on pressing international peace and security challenges.

United States Institute of Peace Welcomes 22^nd Class of Jennings Randolph Peace Scholars
September 18, 2008

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) today announced the names of this year’s 10 Jennings Randolph Peace Scholars who will each receive a grant of $20,000. The JR Peace Scholar Program is a competitive pre-doctoral award program open to American and non-American students writing doctoral dissertations at American universities on topics related to the prevention and management of international conflict and post-conflict stabilization efforts.

BP America Foundation Contributes $1.5M to United States Institute of Peace Headquarters Project
September 8, 2008

Just as major construction is beginning for the United States Institute of Peace’s (USIP) permanent headquarters project at the corner of the National Mall, the Institute is very pleased to announce a $1.5 million contribution from the BP America Foundation that will bring the Institute a step closer to completing this new public facility.

Back To School With a New Tool: Secondary School Teachers Ready to Integrate Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution into Upcoming Lesson Plans
August 12, 2008

Sixteen high school teachers from around the country will begin the new school year armed with strategies to teach peacemaking and conflict management, without adding any new textbooks, classroom hours or expenses.

In Memoriam: Institute Mourns Former Board Member Peter W. Rodman
August 5, 2008

The U.S. Institute of Peace was deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death on August 2 of Peter Warren Rodman. Rodman served as the Department of Defense’s ex officio representative on the Institute’s board from March 2004 until March 2007.

Francis J. Ricciardone Begins Tenure at United States Institute of Peace
July 16, 2008

The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) welcomes as a visiting expert Francis J. Ricciardone, Jr. from the U.S. Department of State. Ricciardone served as Ambassador to Egypt from 2005 to 2008. While at USIP, he will draw on eight years of residence in Egypt over the course of four decades to illuminate how the United States and Egypt can interact effectively to advance areas of mutual interest and to manage their differences.

Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the U.S. Begins Work
July 11, 2008

The newly created Congressional Commission on the Strategic Posture of the United States recently began its work to — in the words of its congressional charter — “examine and make recommendations with respect to the long-term strategic posture of the United States.” The United States Institute of Peace (USIP) has been selected to facilitate the commission’s work.

Robert Boorda Takes Lead of USIP Baghdad Operations
Rusty Barber Returns to Washington to Oversee Iraq Programs
July 9, 2008

Robert Boorda, a former Navy lawyer, has replaced Rusty Barber as Chief of Party, Iraq in the US Institute of Peace’s (USIP) Baghdad office. Barber, a former Foreign Service Officer who served in the post for the last 15 months, has returned to Washington, DC to oversee all of USIP’s Iraq programs.

National Prizes Awarded in Peace Essay Contest
June 27, 2008

Three high school students—one each from Tennessee, Arkansas and Virginia—have won scholarships of $10,000, $5,000 and $2,500 respectively as national, first and second place prizes in the National Peace Essay Contest (NPEC) conducted each year by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).

USIP to Break Ground for Headquarters by National Mall
May 30, 2008

On Thursday, June 5, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) will hold a groundbreaking ceremony for its permanent headquarters and Public Education Center (PEC) located at the Northwest corner of the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Experienced Peacebuilder Named Vice President at United States Institute of Peace
April 15, 2008

On May 5, the United States Institute of Peace (USIP) welcomes Dr. Abiodun Williams as Vice President of its Center for Conflict Analysis and Prevention. Williams brings a combination of experience in the classroom and on the ground that makes him uniquely suited to head this primary division of USIP.

National Peace Essay Contest Winners Announced
April 11, 2008

Forty-seven American high school students have been selected as winners of the National Peace Essay Contest sponsored each year by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP). Each student is invited to join other winning contest essayists from around the country in an all-expenses paid weeklong seminar in Washington, D.C. this June.

USIP Iraq Programs Make Significant Security Contributions
April 8, 2008

General David Petraeus called Iraq's security situation 'uneven' in testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today, saying significant gains made in the last year are 'fragile and reversible'. Addressing the country's remaining security gaps by pursuing peacebuilding at the national, provincial, and neighborhood level will be a crucial part of building a sustainable peace, says the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), which has led successful peacebuilding programs on the ground in Iraq since 2004.

In Memoriam: Christopher H. Phillips
February 21, 2008

Christopher H. Phillips, USIP board member from 1993 to 1996, passed away on January 10, 2008 in Gloucester, MA.

Pakistanis Want Larger Role for Both Islam and Democracy
January 7, 2008

An in-depth survey of Pakistani public opinion by WorldPublicOpinion.org and USIP reveals majority support for a moderate and democratic Islamic state, though a small but significant minority shows sympathy for Islamist militant groups.

Institute Mourns Passing of Former Board Member and Friend Elspeth Davies Rostow
December 14, 2007

The U.S. Institute of Peace lost a great friend, strong supporter, and early leader with the death on December 9 of Elspeth Davies Rostow. Rostow was the first woman appointed to the Institute’s Board of Directors. She served as a Board member from 1987 to 1995, as Vice Chair of the Board from 1989 to 1991, and as Board Chair in 1991 and 1992.

Madeleine Albright and William Cohen to Co-Chair Genocide Prevention Task Force
November 13, 2007

Former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former Secretary of Defense William Cohen today announced that they will co-chair a Genocide Prevention Task Force jointly convened by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the American Academy of Diplomacy, and the United States Institute of Peace. The Task Force will generate practical recommendations to enhance the U.S. government's capacity to respond to emerging threats of genocide and mass atrocities.

USIP-Facilitated Iraq Reconciliation Conference Begins Restoring Stability to Triangle of Death South of Baghdad
October 19, 2007

At the conclusion of a reconciliation conference in Baghdad, 31 tribal sheikhs from Mahmoudiyah, a district of approximately 500,000 people just south of Baghdad, signed a path-breaking statement that puts forth 37 goals to improve security and quality of life in a region a that has experienced such horrific violence it has commonly been referred to as the "Triangle of Death."