Supporting Civil Society Engagement at times of contested spaces

Among the dialogue processes facilitated within the framework of the Civil Society Platform for Peacebuilding and Statebuilding (CSPPS) in recent years, the Istanbul Process has played a prominent role. In the aftermath of the August 2008 conflict between Russia and Georgia, the International Center on Conflict and Negotiation (ICCN), located in Tbilisi, initiated a dialogue between Russian and Georgian political experts. These meetings were later dubbed the Istanbul Process for its location, which participants deemed conducive for a sensitive dialogue process. Since its inception, the Istanbul Process has become the longest-living dialogue between high-profile experts from Russia and Georgia and has developed serious capacity to influence the relations between the two countries.