Peace Begins in Everyday Life – How Local Resilience Can Prevent Future Conflicts

What makes a society strong in times of uncertainty? How can municipalities foster peace, not just in times of crisis, but every day? Flaminia Minelli, Chief of the Policy Service in the Departement of Peace Operations of the United Nations, and Dmitri Teperik, Director General of Resilient Ukraine, will attend the 2025 Kvalitetsmässan to discuss how local resilience can become one of the most important tools of our time.

In 2023, more armed conflicts were reported than in any other year since World War II. At the same time, over 122 million people were displaced due to violence, persecution, and collapsing social structures. This development doesn’t only affect regions directly impacted, it can also challenges stable societies and push them to prepare, proactively and for the long term.

– We live in extraordinary times when it comes to peace and security. The global affects the local, and vice versa. That’s why we need efforts both from the bottom up and the top down, says Flaminia Minelli.

For nearly three decades, Flaminia Minelli has worked in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions, from Burundi and Afghanistan to Colombia and Kosovo. Today, she leads the UN Policy Service of the Department of Peace Operations, in charge of identifying emerging and evolving issues that can impact peace and security and the work of peacekeeping operations, forging consensus and developing capacities and guidance in areas such as climate, peace and security, information integrity, protection of civilians, and knowledge management.
Her experience has led to a clear insight: achieving peace is a long-term effort that requires addressing root causes.

– Humanity has often tried to resolve conflicts with military means. Military protection activities are only a part of puzzle, they buy time and provide space for fragile peace processes to take root, but when troops leave, violence can flare up again if the real causes of conflicts – inequality, marginalization, corruption – have not been addressed.

According to Ms. Minelli, long-term security and resilience are built from below – and are effective when supported from above. They grow from empowerment, participation, and a sense of meaning among people and are supported by accountable institutions.

Ukraine – Resilience in practice

Ukraine is a clear example of what local resilience can mean in practice. Since the annexation of Crimea in 2014, and especially after the full-scale invasion in 2022, many communities have lived in a constant state of emergency. Despite this, several municipalities have managed to maintain essential functions. According to Dmitri Teperik, Director General of Resilient Ukraine, this is not only thanks to formal preparedness, but also to strong interpersonal bonds.

– Resilience lives within people and cannot be commanded from above. It is built when people know who they are, what they can contribute, and what their neighbors need, he says.
Resilient Ukraine works to strengthen local and regional crisis preparedness through training and networks that connect municipalities, civil society, and other actors. For preparedness to be effective, it must be rooted in a deep understanding of the local community.

– Municipalities need to know their residents. It’s about situational awareness, understanding who needs help and who can provide it. That’s the foundation of any functioning crisis response, says Teperik.

But municipalities cannot bear the responsibility alone. A truly resilient community requires collaboration, especially with civil society. When governmental and municipal structures are stretched to the limit, it is often volunteers who step in first: organizing evacuations, distributing food, and offering psychological support. At the same time, civil society plays a crucial role long before a crisis, through the quiet, everyday work of building relationships.

– When people trust themselves and each other, they can achieve incredible things. We’ve seen people from completely different backgrounds unite to save lives, evacuate families, and even protect animals, says Teperik.

However, for this engagement to be effective, it needs direction and structure. Otherwise, spontaneous efforts risk being ineffective, or even counterproductive. That’s why municipalities must integrate civil society efforts as a natural part of their preparedness plans in advance.

– Good intentions can become counterproductive if not coordinated. Volunteers with the best intentions can become a disruption if they don’t know where they’re most needed. That’s why municipalities must develop collaboration models before a crisis hits. We need to give volunteers clear roles, proper guidance, and solid support. Otherwise, we make it difficult for them to contribute, says Teperik.

The inner dimension of resilience

But resilience is not only about external structures and collaboration. Security is also an internal experience, a sense of meaning, hope, and belonging. In communities marked by violence, war, or social exclusion, mental health is not a side issue; it is part of the crisis itself.

In terms of addressing root causes, Flaminia Minelli emphasizes that building peace must go through building a culture of peace, even in societies where threats may seem less immediate. She highlights education as a key preventive measure.

– We need to see education as more than just learning facts. The ability to feel empathy, collaborate, and understand one’s place in a larger context is just as important as anything else in a resilient society, she says.

Dmitri Teperik also stresses the need for a long-term perspective. Recovery after crises must include mental health and a sense of belonging. Without this, trauma risks being passed on, from individuals to groups, and from one place to another.

– We must not focus solely on physical infrastructure and forget people’s mental health. If trauma is not addressed, it can have long-term consequences and spread to other communities where people relocate, he says.

The 2025 Kvalitetsmässan

At the 2025 Kvalitetsmässan, Flaminia Minelli will participate in the seminar “Building Peace in Everyday Life – UN Tools for Safer and More Cohesive Municipalities.” There, she will propose ideas on how the UN’s tools and methodologies in the area of peace and security can be translated into tools for municipalities, even in peaceful countries.

– I want participants to understand that peace and security cannot rely uniquely on institutions, that there is a common responsibility in building safe spaces. If we care for our neighbours, our schools, and our youth, we can create communities that are resilient to conflict, and able to heal themselves if conflict arises, says Flaminia Minelli.

At the same time, Dmitri Teperik will take part in the seminar “Local Crisis Preparedness in Practice – Lessons from Ukraine,” alongside Oleksandra Keudel, Associate Professor at the Kyiv School of Economics. Together they will discuss how Swedish municipalities can learn from Ukraine’s experience with decentralization and practical cooperation.

– I hope participants rediscover their confidence. We already have everything we need, resources, knowledge, networks, and empathy. Now it’s time to put it to use, says Teperik.