PeaceTech in a Crisis: A Simulation-Based Learning Experience

Learn what PeaceTech is and what matters in the field, then put it to the test in a live crisis simulation set in a fictional country.

What is PeaceTech, and what actually matters to the people using it in the field?

This interactive workshop opens with an introduction to PeaceTech and the lessons of practitioners working in fragile and conflict-affected settings: what helps, what harms, and why the needs of peacebuilders and communities must come before the technology.

Then we put it into practice. You’ll step into Westhaven, a fictional country where an earthquake has displaced thousands, old wounds are reopening and rumours are spreading faster than aid. Working in teams as government, civil society, a social media platform, an international mission and a populist movement, you’ll respond to the crisis as it unfolds. Your tools include satellite imagery, emergency SMS, community radio and AI.

Every tool has a catch. You’ll leave with a clearer sense of what PeaceTech can and cannot do, how good intentions can backfire, and why Do No Harm matters most when the pressure is on.

You’ll also be among the first to test a new training resource. Your feedback will help shape the Westhaven simulation, which will then be released open source for anyone to use for free.

What to expect

• An introduction to PeaceTech and peacebuilder-centric design
• A two-round crisis simulation in small teams, with live “news reports”
• A group debrief on what worked, what didn’t, and what it means for real-world practice
• A chance to help shape a new open source training resource

Programme
9:30 Registration
10:00 to 12:30 Workshop and simulation (followed by lunch)

Who should attend
Peacebuilders, humanitarian and development practitioners, diplomats, policymakers, technologists and students interested in how digital tools are used in conflict and crisis. No technical background is needed.

Organised by
The International Institute for Peace (IIP) and the Agency for Peacebuilding. Simulation designed by the PeaceTech Alliance.