How do wars end?

How do wars actually end, and what does it take to make peace lasting and just? What lessons has the world still not learned about how wars end? In collaboration with Conciliation Resources, this episode reflects on what past conflicts can teach us about the pathways out of war, what current wars might tell us about the limits and possibilities of peacemaking today, and how peace processes can be designed to be not only durable but also just and inclusive. Looking ahead, we ask: in a world of increasing geopolitical tension and fragmented global governance, how might wars end in the future, and what role can civil society, diplomacy and public engagement play in making peace possible? Guests Sara Pantuliano (host), Chief Executive, ODI Global Sanam Naraghi Anderlini, Founder and CEO, International Civil Society Action Network (ICAN) Jonathan Cohen, Executive Director, Conciliation Resources Claire Hajaj, Executive Director, Inter Mediate Jago Salmon, Principal Policy Fellow, ODI Global This episode is dedicated to Nicholas “Fink” Haysom – a close friend and an extraordinary figure in global peacebuilding. Over a lifetime of service, Haysom played a pivotal role in some of the world’s most complex conflicts, from supporting Nelson Mandela during South Africa’s democratic transition to leading UN missions and peace processes across Burundi, Sudan, Sri Lanka and beyond. He was widely respected not only for his expertise, but for his integrity, humility, and deep commitment to dialogue as a path to lasting peace. For those who knew him, his loss is deeply personal. This episode honours his legacy and the values he lived by, and reflects on the responsibility to carry that work forward.

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How do wars end? is an episode from ODI podcasts by ODI podcasts.

This episode is 43:57 long.

This episode was published on Mar 19, 2026.

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