Yale Peace Fellows
Bringing together rising leaders dedicated to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconciliation.
About
The Yale Peace Fellowship brings together 16 rising leaders each year who are working on the frontlines of conflict prevention, peacebuilding, and post-conflict reconciliation. Fellows come from a range of professional backgrounds—including civil society, diplomacy, politics, religion, and social enterprise—and are selected for their demonstrated impact and commitment to reach their full potential as peace leaders.
The Fellowship is designed to support leaders at a critical moment in their careers—offering space to learn, connect, and prepare for the challenges ahead. It is a space for thoughtful engagement with the strategic dilemmas and dimensions of peace leadership today.
In a world where formal mechanisms for peace are often under strain, and where local innovation and leadership is increasingly vital, the Yale Peace Fellowship seeks to strengthen the capacity of those working to prevent violence and repair divided communities.
Navigating the new frontiers of peace
Around the world, conflict is growing more complex. Multilateralism is in crisis, norms are eroding, and global systems are under pressure. New technologies and emerging threats—like disinformation, climate stress, political polarization, and social fragmentation—are reshaping how conflict emerges and unfolds, and how it must be addressed.
This changing landscape demands a new kind of leadership: grounded in context, capable of navigating uncertainty and complexity, and committed to building sustainable peace in and across divided societies.
In their own words
“It went beyond learning from others, and beyond the formal curriculum. What I really took out of that entire experience is a family — people working toward the same goals within their own contexts. We're not just sharing our experiences; we're each other's support system. We come to know each other's wins and setbacks, and we're able to stand by each other during those times on a personal level. That's what you need when you're working in a field as complex as peacebuilding.”
Anna Tarhata Basman
- Peace negotiator and former parliamentarian
“The Yale Peace Fellowship has been a truly inspiring and enriching experience, providing valuable time to reflect on the challenges and opportunities within peace processes while fostering lifelong friendships and global connections.”
Sylvia Thompson
- Senior Manager, CMI - Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation
“The fellowship came at a time when I was undertaking one of the most challenging tasks of my career. It equipped me with the 'third side' to not only achieve my goals— but also to appreciate the beauty of life.”
Jawwad Qamar
- Additional Inspector General of Police, Counter Terrorism Department, KP Province Pakistan
“The Peace Fellowship is an affirmation of my values and aspirations at a personal and professional level. Before the fellowship, my work portfolio felt like a stalemate. I now feel invigorated, with ideas on possible strategies. My cohort has been a source of positive energy and at the same time a challenge to do better and more for the sake of humanity.”
Margaret Ajok
- Transitional Justice Advisor, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Uganda
The Program
The Yale Peace Fellowship equips leaders to navigate an era of rapidly evolving conflict — one shaped by new technologies, eroding norms, and a shifting world order. Fellows gain the frameworks to understand this complexity, the negotiation and communication skills to act within it, and the space to reflect on the values that anchor their leadership. Along the way, they join a growing network of innovative peace leaders working across sectors and regions, learning from one another as much as from the program itself.
A week-long in-person seminar at Yale University
April 12-16, 2027
Fellows spend a week at Yale examining the forces reshaping conflict and peace today — from disinformation and climate change to the erosion of multilateral norms. Alongside faculty and expert practitioners, they begin sharing experiences and surfacing the dilemmas they carry from the field.
Interactive virtual sessions
April-June 2027
Over the following months, fellows reconvene virtually to build the skills that turn understanding into action — negotiation training, media training, and strategic communication for a fast-changing world. Fellows bring real dilemmas back to the group as they arise.
An international study trip
June 13-18, 2027
The program closes with a week of reflection at Rose Castle in the United Kingdom. Fellows step back from the field to revisit their own journeys, reconnect with what anchors their leadership, and consolidate the lessons of the program before carrying them forward.
Meet the Fellows
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Laurent Saint-Cyr
Member of the Board
Alternative Insurance Company
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Kholood Khair
Founder & Director
Confluence Advisory
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Caleb Gichuhi
Africa Lead
Build Up
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Jawwad Qamar
Additional Inspector General of Police, Counter Terrorism Department, KP Province Pakistan
KP Police
Peace in action
Watch Yale Peace Fellows discuss their life and work
Yale Leads podcast: Jaser Abu Mousa on Gaza and the Middle East
Peace Fellow Jaser Abu Mousa, a Palestinian political analyst and development specialist, speaks about his life, career, and hopes for peace in the Middle East.
Yale Leads podcast: Kholood Khair on Sudan's war
Peace Fellow Kholood Khair examines Sudan’s war, the international failures to stop it, and the urgent need to elevate civilian voices in the push for justice, democracy, and lasting peace.
Yale Leads podcast: Rabbi Elhanan Miller on religious and cultural dialogue
Elhanan Miller on the power of religious and cultural dialogue in building bridges between Jewish and Muslim communities, and how Elhanan’s Arabic-language media project aims to foster empathy across deep political divides.
Yale Leads podcast: Mengistu Assefa-Dadi on leadership in the Horn of Africa
Mengistu Assefa-Dadi explores the roots of conflict in the Horn of Africa, the decline of regional leadership, and the critical role of grassroots peacebuilding and local resilience in driving long-term stability.
Become part of something bigger
Peace Fellows join the International Leadership Center’s global community of more than 500 fellows across 100+ countries. The network spans three programs: Yale World Fellows, Yale Peace Fellows, and Yale Climate Fellows.
Fellows stay connected through the ILC community, regional gatherings, and ongoing collaboration across cohorts and programs.
How to apply
Who should apply
Working practitioners. Applicants should be accomplished in the field of peace and reconciliation, have a track record of strong leadership and a drive to grow professionally, and demonstrate commitment to cross-cultural understanding.
Citizens of a country other than the United States. While applicants who hold dual citizenship with the United States are eligible, strong preference is given to candidates whose work is focused outside the United States.
Language. Fluency in English is essential to full participation.
Availability. Peace Fellows must be available to fully participate in all parts of the program, including in-person for two weeks of the program: the opening convening on Yale University’s campus in New Haven (April 12-16, 2027) and the closing convening at Rose Castle, UK (June 14-18, 2027).
Admission is highly competitive. Each cohort of fellows is geographically balanced and represents a wide range of professions, talents, experience, cultures, people, and perspectives.
Yale University’s equal opportunity and nondiscrimination statement can be found here: https://www.yale.edu/eo-nondiscriminationstatement
What you'll submit
You will need to submit a résumé or curriculum vitae (maximum three pages), a personal statement (maximum 600 words), a 90-second video statement, recorded in the application system, one letter of recommendation and a $20 application fee. You can start, pause, and return to your application at any time before the deadline.
The application process for admission to the Peace Fellows Program is done entirely online. There are no paper forms to complete or mail.