Fostering peace through dialogue on culture

Taliban checkpoint en route to Nuristan, Afghanistan (Credit: Jonathan Rider)

Jonathan Rider, Christopher Rider, Ashley Jackson & Pascal Bongard

This briefing paper explores how cultural heritage can serve as a powerful entry point for dialogue with armed groups. Drawing on case studies from Afghanistan, Mali, Myanmar, Sudan, and Syria, it highlights how cultural programming is often permitted by NSAGs and offers opportunities for engagement where other forms of access are restricted or politicised. Cultural heritage is frequently sidelined in peacebuilding efforts, but this paper finds growing interest among diplomats and policymakers in using heritage as a confidence-building tool and a vehicle for sustainable peace.

Despite this potential, barriers remain, including concerns about legitimising armed actors and limited coordination between cultural practitioners and political missions. The paper recommends concrete steps to close these gaps: mapping heritage activities, linking cultural and political actors, and investing in tools to better understand NSAG motivations and behaviour. This briefing is part of a broader collaboration between Aleph Strategies and the Centre on Armed Groups, supported by the British Council’s Cultural Protection Fund.