“How can we live together in peace?” is a question in the minds and hearts of many Nepalese people as
they try to come to terms with the violence of the past and present while attempting to lay the foundations
for a peaceful future.
The question is especially pertinent given that different models for the future design of the state are
being discussed as part of the ongoing formal peace process. So far, no one model has been able to elicit
support from across the political spectrum. With almost half the population living below the poverty line,
a widely felt sense of frustration about the lack of political progress adds uncompromising urgency to the
discussion.
The present volume of the Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series explores the potential and boundaries of
the concept of “peace infrastructure” or “Infrastructure for Peace (I4P)”. In this and other literature on the
topic,1
Nepal is often cited as an example, typically because of its Ministry of Peace and Reconstruction as
well as the local peace committees that have been established by the government in practically every district.