The puzzle of peace – towards inclusive development in fragile contexts

WIDER Development Conference

The puzzle of peace – towards inclusive development in fragile contexts


In 2022, UNU-WIDER hosts two WIDER Development Conferences, the first took place in Helsinki on 16–17 May 2022. 

The puzzle of peace – towards inclusive development in fragile contexts

Check the programme to find presentation slides and links to the posters prestented here.

Across the two days, sessions covered a range of topics on the themes of peace, security, unrest, and the humanitarian fallout of conflict in different regions across the world. 

The programme included a keynote presentation by Sir Tim Besley and panel discussions on peacebuilding challenges and on post-conflict recovery. 300+ academics, policy practitioners, and development specialists — including from the United Nations, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland, the World Bank and other international organisations — joined the programme. 

Bringing together experts from academic and policy spheres, this conference aimed to contribute to solving the puzzle of peace through creating a platform for knowledge exchange, which can inspire and guide research and policy solutions. It provided an opportunity to identify challenges faced by practitioners working in fragile contexts and to discuss ways in which future research can support a way forward. Further, this event acted as a platform to take stock of global progress towards achieving SDG 16: Peace, justice, and strong institutions.

The two-day conference was held as an in-person event in Helsinki with the opportunity for audience members to join online.

Check the programme to find presentation slides and links to the posters prestented here.