EastWest Institute (EWI)

About

EastWest Institute (EWI) is a global network of influential stakeholders committed to and engaged in building trust and preventing conflict around the world. EWI has a 36-year track record of convening power, trust building and back channel diplomacy to develop sustainable solutions for today’s major political, economic and security issues around the world. Recognized as an “honest broker,” EWI’s success is predicated on providing a platform where political, military and business leaders find common ground and solutions to international conflicts. Headquartered in New York City, EWI has offices in Brussels, Moscow, Washington, D.C., Dallas, San Francisco and Istanbul.

EWI has a 36-year track record of convening dialogue and back channel diplomacy to develop sustainable solutions for today’s major political, economic and security issues.

What They Do:

-Engage in conflict prevention and resolutions, providing thought leadership and strategic counsel to governments, the private sector and other stakeholders worldwide.
-Bring conflicting parties to the negotiating table, often for the first time, to find common ground.
-Anticipate global challenges and develop solutions relevant to policymakers and corporate leaders

EWI Legacy

-Forged trust and understanding between the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War era, hosting the first ever military-to-military dialogue between NATO and Warsaw Pact countries.
-In the 1990s, the institute founded the Taskforce on the Future of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, focused on engaging opposition voices with the Milosevic regime, helping set the tone for a peaceful transition toward a new democratic government.
-Contributing to the reduction of cyber tensions between China and the United States, including developing ground rules for protecting digital infrastructure, as well as supporting a 2013 agreement between Presidents Vladimir Putin and Barack Obama to begin cooperation on cybersecurity.
-In 2016, co-launched the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace (GCSC) as a forum to promote norms of behavior and policy initiatives to improve the stability and security of cyberspace.
-Convenes annually the only three-party dialogue between the U.S. Democratic and Republican Parties and the Communist Party of China and between senior retired U.S. and Chinese military officers to ensure productive dialogue and common ground between the two nations.

EWI is a truly global entity. Their offices connect a diverse network of experts and influencers around the globe, providing a diverse knowledge base to support their ongoing programmatic work.