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Class 15 (2016-2018)

Patrick Bwire, Uganda

Duke University – Master in International Development Policy

Patrick is commonly referred to as a champion of peace in Uganda. “The story of a peace Champion in Uganda” further affirms this. Patrick is a Ugandan peace practitioner and former Rotary Peace Fellow at Duke University - USA. He is passionate about peace building, conflict transformation, youth and women empowerment, SDG localisation, climate change and conflict nexus, and addressing land conflicts. He holds a Master's of International Development Policy (MIDP) with a concentration in peacebuilding and conflict resolution from Duke University, a Masters in Project Management (Cavendish University), a Bachelor's (Makerere University), and a certificate in International Peace and Conflict Studies from the University of North Carolina - USA.

Patrick serves as the GPPAC (Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict) Regional Liaison Officer – Eastern and Central Africa region at Center for Conflict Resolution (CECORE), coordinating peace building efforts in 16 countries in the region. He also coordinates a popular youth Peace Champions project in fragile and post-conflict communities aimed at preventing youth re-radicalization. He is also a national coordinator of the climate change and conflict nexus project in Uganda - a UNDP supported initiative aimed at ensuring that those who are most affected by the impact of climate change have ‘’the required prevention, preparedness and response capacity.

He has previously worked with organizations like the Mary Lou Williams Center for Black Culture, and Leaders for Political Dialogue (LPD) in USA, National Land Commission and Peace Tree Network in Kenya, and World Vision – Uganda. He previously served as a Member of the Board of Advisors to Development International (DI), USA, and Board of Directors of Human Rights Network – Uganda.

Patrick was the lead researcher in a study on the Review of Uganda’s progress on SDG16+, focusing on peaceful, just and inclusive societies – conducted ahead of Uganda’s Voluntary National Review and UN High Level Political Forum 2020. He has continued to spear head SDG16+ localisation at national level, and contribute to global initiatives like the development of the SDG16+ CSO Toolkit under the TAP network.

Building on his Masters Project at Duke on land conflicts and Applied Field Experience (AFE), he has been instrumental in addressing land conflicts in Uganda – land being one of the key and growing drivers of conflict in the country. His direct interventions have included building the capacity of actors on land conflict mediation and developing a land mediation guide - in collaboration with GIZ and the Ministry in charge of lands.

Patrick is currently involved in the Master Training programme for training of UN Peace Keepers under the United States Institute for Peace (USIP) UN civilian peace keeping program.

Patrick is a Charter member of the “Global Partners in Peace Rotary Club” under District 7730 and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Patrick’s personal mission is "To Aspire, Inspire and Conspire for Peace and Development".

Applied Field Experience

Kenya National Land Commission , Nairobi, Kenya