forumZFD is a non-governmental international organization with a head office in Cologne, established in 1996 by peace and human rights groups – in reaction to the Balkan crisis. Currently, we are working with peace consultants in Germany and twelve other countries in Europe, the Middle East, and South East Asia. In the region of the Balkans, forumZFD is present in Serbia, Macedonia, Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Our Academy for Conflict Transformation offers specialized training to people in international peace work. Through campaigns, lobby work, and public relations we actively advocate civil peace policy. We are a recognized organization of the German Civil Peace Service (CPS). We finance our work through public and private grants, donations, and membership fees. The core of our mandate is our commitment to peace and the belief that there are indeed alternatives to violence in the face of conflict. We see conflicts as inevitable in all human societies, however, conflicts can be dealt with in different ways. We promote a culture of non-violence, dialogue, dealing with the past, peace education, and civil society activism.