On the occasion of Geneva Peace Week 2025, Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) officially launched UCP Academy, an online learning platform designed to equip individuals and organisations with the skills to practise Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP)—a proven, practical approach to protecting civilians, preventing violence, and fostering peace.
UCP Academy has been developed in collaboration with the Creating Safer Space network and will soon feature a course on “Unarmed Community Self-Protection” based on CSS and related research (watch this space!).
The Academy will feature:
- Opportunities for collaboration and mentorship across regions and sectors.
- Resources to support community-led initiatives for the protection of civilians.
- Foundational and advanced UCP courses with field-tested strategies.
Developed by Creating Safer Space, UCP Academy also hosts the revamped UCP Knowledge Database, the biggest public repository on Unarmed Civilian Protection, community self-protection and related topics. It includes academic research publications, working papers, NGO documents, films, music, and more and is now available on a user-friendly, open access platform.
UCP Academy and Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) also announced the launch of the Changemakers Programme—a global initiative designed to scale up civilian-led initiatives while equipping participants with the tools to integrate Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) strategies into their work. Changemakers is open to individuals worldwide, including practitioners, researchers, artists, and policy advocates committed to advancing civilian-led protection initiatives. Selected participants will receive training, mentorship, and opportunities to collaborate on real-world projects that enhance the ability of communities to protect themselves and others amid violent conflict and displacement. Applications are now open!
Read NP’s press release about the launch here.
