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31-478: EWI was founded by John Edwin Mroz and Ira D. Wallach in 1980 as an independent, global organization that promotes peace by creating trusted settings for candid, global discourse among leaders to tackle intractable security and stability challenges. Mroz served as president and CEO of the institute for 34 years until his death, in 2014. The organization discontinued operations effective January 31, 2021. This decision

62-506: A U.S. State Department employee, coined the phrases track one and track two diplomacy in "Foreign Policy According to Freud," which appeared in Foreign Policy . The efforts of these conflict resolution professionals, generally operating through non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and universities , arose from the realization by diplomats and others that formal official government-to-government interactions were not necessarily

93-659: A chapter in Timing the De-Escalation of International Conflicts (Kriesberg & Thorson, 1991). Moreover, in the same year, "The Arrow and the Olive Branch," which was written as an article in The Psychodynamics of International Relations , Montville adds the third process in track two diplomacy. Aside from previous two processes of facilitating small workshops and influencing public opinion, he claims that

124-548: A non-citizen in recognition of the role he and his institute played in facilitating German reunification . Mroz was an active member of the Council on Foreign Relations and appeared frequently on BBC , CNN , ABC and other news programs around the world. He spoke regularly before business and professional groups including Institutional Investor, Fortune Global Forum, the Young Presidents' Organization , WPO, CEO,

155-728: A secret contact with the PLO through Mroz, which was aborted after the start of the 1982 Lebanon War . The substance of the talks between Mroz and Yasser Arafat was PLO recognition of Israel in return for U.S. recognition of the PLO. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the dissolution of the Soviet Union , the institute changed its name to the EastWest Institute, and widened its focus, consulting with European governments on

186-431: A situation where official and non-official actors cooperate in conflict resolution . Most important, Track Two Diplomacy is intended to provide a bridge or complement official Track One negotiations. Methods for conducting these activities are still evolving as is the thinking around which individuals—representing various roles and functions in society and government—should be included. Montville points out that "there

217-652: A special briefing for representatives of non-governmental organizations, the U.S. Department of State's Deputy Director for Political Affairs in the Office of Iraq presented a plea for help from NGOs (Paul Sutphin, 2004). Acting under Secretary Colin Powell's initiative and authority, the State Department's Iraqi analysts explained their frustrations in conducting dialogue, developing grassroots relationships, and rebuilding infrastructure . Far from admitting that

248-406: Is no evidence that conflict resolution workshops would work for the principal political leaders themselves—perhaps because they are too tough or even impervious to the humanizing process." John McDonald (Sep 2003–Aug 2004) seconds this assumption but feels that it is merely because the leaders are stuck in rigid roles and politically have less access to fluidity than individuals further removed from

279-540: Is that reasonable and altruistic interaction with foreign countries cannot be an alternative to traditional track one diplomacy, with its official posturing and its underlying threat of the use of force. Both tracks are necessary for psychological reasons and both need each other. Montville (Davidson & Montville, 1981) maintains that there are two basic processes in track two diplomacy. The first consists of facilitated workshops that bring members of conflicting groups together to develop personal relationships , understand

310-449: Is the practice of non-state actors using conflict resolution tactics (such as workshops and conversations) to "[lower] the anger or tension or fear that exists" between conflicting groups. These "non-governmental, informal and unofficial contacts" host activities to improve communication and understanding between citizens, such as through workshops and conversations. According to American peace activist Joseph V. Montville, who coined

341-655: The China Association for International Friendly Contact to organize forums, termed the U.S.-China Sanya Initiative, between retired People's Liberation Army officers and retired U.S. military personnel. The Sanya Initiative is supported by the China-United States Exchange Foundation (CUSEF), a Hong Kong–based nonprofit established by billionaire Tung Chee-hwa . In May 2009, EWI released its Joint Threat Assessment on Iran, produced by senior U.S. and Russian experts convened by

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372-655: The Peter Drucker Foundation ’s Organization of the Future (Jossey-Bass, 1997) and Leaders of the Future (Jossey-Bass, 2006). His work as a global change agent has been described in numerous volumes including Leaders Who Make a Difference (Jossey-Bass, 1999). Mroz was also the author of a landmark book on the Israeli–Palestinian conflict , Beyond Security: Private Perceptions Among Arabs and Israelis. Track two diplomacy Track II diplomacy

403-566: The Department has a strong defensiveness regarding its right, ability, and authority to conduct conflict resolution. The book was finally published in 1987 and states that The official government apparatus for analyzing international security issues and designing foreign policy has to equip itself to support and benefit from track two diplomacy. As part of the process, government analysts must improve their capabilities to understand how history, society, culture, and psychology interact. At

434-823: The Israeli–Palestinian relationship. The contacts began as a track two diplomacy, with an unofficial initiative by a Norwegian scholar , but had transitioned into track one diplomacy by the time it was finished, finalized with a handshake between Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO head Yasser Arafat on the White House lawn. Another example can be the sustained Jewish-Palestinian Living Room Dialogue Group which begun in 1992. From 2003 to 2007 it partnered with Camp Tawonga to bring hundreds of adults and youth from 50 different towns in Palestine and Israel to successfully live and communicate together at

465-832: The Russell 20-20, the International Chamber of Commerce World Congress, the Eurasian Media Forum, Davos , and the World Future Society Mroz died on August 15, 2014, in Manhattan, New York, from complications of a blood cancer and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). He wrote regularly in the international press on global change and international security affairs. Mroz contributed to Foreign Affairs , as well as to journals and books on leadership and management including chapters in

496-503: The State Department was limited in its right, ability, and authority to conduct conflict resolution, they admitted that they couldn't build relationships or spend money fast enough to rebuild Iraq in time to appease the Iraqis and needed help to do it. This may not be the ideal situation in terms of NGO and State Department cooperation. "Further Exploration of Track Two Diplomacy" was published in 1991 as an Occasional Paper (McDonald), and as

527-425: The conflict from the perspective of others, and develop joint strategies for solving the conflict. The second process involves working to shift public opinion: "Here the task is a psychological one which consists of reducing the sense of victim hood of the parties and rehumanizing the image of the adversary." Montville emphasized that Track Two Diplomacy is not a substitute for Track One Diplomacy, but compensates for

558-425: The constraints imposed on leaders by their people's psychological expectations. However, track two diplomacy is not a replacement for track one diplomacy. Rather, it is there to assist official actors to manage and resolve conflicts by exploring possible solutions derived from the public view, without the requirements of formal negotiation . In addition, the term track 1.5 diplomacy is used by some analysts to define

589-623: The direct involvement of official actors), hosting international conferences, and authoring publications on international security issues. In 1980 he published Beyond Security: Private Perceptions Among Arabs and Israelis , which examined the persistence of the Israeli-Palestinian dispute. In 1981 the State Department under the Reagan Administration took the diplomatic initiative and established

620-711: The institute. The assessment, which concluded that the planned system would not protect against an Iranian nuclear threat, helped inform the Obama administration's decision to scrap the ballistic missile defense plan proposed by the Bush administration and replace it with a plan of its own. In 2016, the institute helped set up an information portal which allows operators of critical infrastructure to share security information internationally. John Edwin Mroz John Edwin Mroz (May 1, 1948 – August 15, 2014)

651-568: The most effective methods for securing international cooperation or resolving differences. Track two diplomacy is unofficial, non-structured interaction. It is always open minded, often altruistic , and ... strategically optimistic, based on best case analysis. Its underlying assumption is that actual or potential conflict can be resolved or eased by appealing to common human capabilities to respond to good will and reasonableness. Scientific and cultural exchanges are examples of track two diplomacy. The problem most political liberals fail to recognize

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682-551: The original second track has been expanded into nine tracks: peacemaking through diplomacy, conflict resolution, commerce , personal involvement, learning, advocacy, religion , funding, information. One of the successful track two dialogue processes can be the Oslo Accords of 1993 between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), which achieved some remarkable breakthroughs in

713-632: The other of troop movements. After the fall of the Berlin Wall and the eruption of conflicts in Southeastern Europe, EWI worked to foster economic stability in the region, encouraging cross-border cooperation and training leaders for democratic states. In the 2000s (decade), EWI's operations expanded geographically to China , Southwest Asia and the Middle East , focusing on issues like cybersecurity, economic security, and countering violent extremism . Since 2008, EWI has partnered with

744-895: The reunification of Germany and other post-Communist challenges. Mroz served as an advisor to more than 20 governments including the United States , Germany , Turkey , Ukraine , Poland and the Russian Federation , as well as the G-8 , the European Commission , the African Union , NATO , and the Council of Europe. He received numerous international awards including the Das Verdienstkreuz 1. Klasse (Officer's Cross), Germany's highest award to

775-402: The term, track I diplomacy entails official, governmental diplomacy between nations, such as negotiations conducted by professional diplomats . Track II diplomacy refers to conflict resolution efforts by practitioners and theorists. These efforts involve "improved communication " to further "a better understanding of [conflicting groups'] point of view". In 1981, Joseph V. Montville, then

806-430: The third process is cooperative economic development. Although it may not seem essential to conflict resolution, it is meaningful in the sense that it provides incentives , institutional support, and continuity to the political and psychological processes. In 1996 Dr. Louise Diamond and John McDonald published Multi-Track Diplomacy: A Systems Approach to Peace . Since then the model has been more robustly developed and

837-409: The top echelon of government (McDonald, Sep 2003–Aug 2004). In 1986 John McDonald and Diane Bendahmane (1987) produced Conflict Resolution: Track Two Diplomacy , a book that compiled the thoughts of several Track One and Track Two professionals confirming the need for government to support, encourage, and work with Track Two. The Department of State refused to print the book for eighteen months because

868-577: Was founded in 1980, when then CEO John Edwin Mroz and Ira D. Wallach set out to study means of addressing areas of political dispute across the Iron Curtain . In 1984, EWI hosted the first track 2 military-to-military discussions between the NATO and Warsaw Pact countries. These talks, focusing heavily on the establishment of confidence-building measures (CBMs) between the two parties, ultimately resulted in an agreement requiring each side to alert

899-586: Was married to Karen Linehan Mroz (1972–2014). In 1980 Mroz and Ira D. Wallach set out to address areas of political dispute across the Iron Curtain by forming the Institute for East West Security Studies (later renamed the EastWest Institute), an international not-for-profit, non-partisan "think and do" tank focusing on international conflict resolution through a variety of means, including track 2 diplomacy and track 1.5 diplomacy (conducted with

930-571: Was taken at the conclusion of a four-month strategic assessment in light of increasing challenges resulting from the global pandemic and related financial challenges facing many nonprofit organizations. EWI's initiatives focused on a number of different areas including cybersecurity , preventive diplomacy , strategic trust-building (which encompasses Russia-United States relations and China-United States Relations ), Economic Security, and Regional Security (focusing on specific areas such as Southwest Asia ). The Institute for East-West Security Studies

961-625: Was the founder, president, and CEO of the EastWest Institute , best known for his diplomatic efforts in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Mroz was born on May 1, 1948, in Lowell, Massachusetts . He grew up in nearby Westfield, Massachusetts , where his father was a dentist. He completed his BA at the University of Notre Dame , followed by an MA at Northeastern University , and an MALD at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy . He

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