About the HD Centre

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD Centre) began operations in August 1999 and is today one of the world's most influential conflict mediation organisations. From its beginning as a venue in Geneva, Switzerland, where discreet discussions  took place among those who had a practical impact on humanitarian policy and practice, the HD Centre has evolved into an independent global mediation organisation, with a presence in Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Its aim is to help alleviate the suffering of individuals and populations caught up in both high-profile and forgotten conflicts, by acting as mediators and by providing other mediators with the support they need to work effectively.

Our mission

As a neutral and impartial organisation, our mission is to support only those solutions that offer the best prospect for a just and lasting peace, in line with international law. We aim to contribute to efforts to improve the global response to armed conflict. We believe that dialogue based on humanitarian principles can assist in achieving political settlements, and that the informal initiatives of a private foundation can usefully complement formal diplomacy.

We pursue our objectives with a commitment to new approaches, to learning, and to collaboration, working with others across borders, beliefs and professions. We undertake and promote action to prevent and resolve armed conflicts, in particular through tailor-made support to peace processes where our involvement adds value, including:

• facilitating discussions, including acting as a mediator where appropriate
• ensuring that the parties are able to participate effectively in negotiations
• mobilising humanitarian, diplomatic and/or political responses
• contributing policy input on relevant substantive issues
• providing other specifically adapted services, such as financing mechanisms and other logistical support, where the assistance of a private foundation is required.

We also aim to strengthen peacemaking expertise and the capacity of the HD Centre by learning from and contributing to research. We do this by sharing what we learn from our own operational engagements, through policy development and dissemination, and by staying abreast of and commenting on best practice in relevant fields.

Unique strengths

As a private peacemaking organisation, the HD Centre’s strengths and distinguishing traits include:

• The ability to conduct mediation at the leadership level of parties to conflict;
• The political independence and impartiality that is valued by belligerents in third parties;
• Rapid, flexible response and the effective management of discreet processes;
• Readiness to support other lead mediators;
• Contact with high-level and influential networks (particularly in Asia and Africa);
• Creativity and willingness to take risks;
• Convening power;
• Significant scale;
• Administrative efficiency.

For more information, please take at look at the Foundation's legal statutes, or pages on HD people and contact us.