About Us

Creating Friendships for Peace, Inc. is a volunteer grassroots organization whose mission is to promote and strengthen friendships between teens from divided communities and extend those friendships to their families and friends.  The friendships are developed through home stays with American families.  Each family hosts two teens – one from each side of a conflict.  The teen pair shares a bedroom and learns about each other, understanding their different perspectives and realizing that friendships can develop despite significant political and cultural differences.  With friendship, an atmosphere is created that allows for mutual respect and understanding – a key ingredient for peace.

CFP is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in the United States.  Our volunteers were active in Northern Ireland from 1987 until 2007.  We are currently active in Cyprus since 2009 and Israel/Palestine since 2018.

In our efforts to maintain neutrality, we do not accept government funding and rely solely on gifts from individuals, charitable foundations and businesses who wish to make a difference for peace in the world.

Latest News

Desmond Tutu

Tribute to Desmond Tutu

Creating Friendships for Peace (CFP) mourns the loss and celebrates the life of Archbishop Desmond Tutu CFP was blessed and privileged to witness and benefit from the wisdom, moral power and personal warmth and charm of Archbishop Desmond Tutu during our early years in Cyprus from 2009 – 2011.  He made indelible impressions on two CFP teen pairs, when he, UN Envoy Lahkdar Brahimi, and former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, representing The Elders, visited Cyprus to create a documentary film on Cypriot reconciliation.  In addition to financial support from the The Elders, Archbishop Tutu graciously provided the following encouragement to CFP’s …

The Elders documentary: Cyprus – Digging the Past in Search of the Future

As Communications Director of The Elders, I worked closely with members of the CFP from 2009-2011, in the process of making a documentary film in Cyprus on the very sensitive issue of missing persons.  The film followed three Elders – Jimmy Carter, Lakhdar Brahimi and Desmond Tutu – and four teenage members of CFP from the north and south of the island, as they learned about the hundreds of Cypriots from both the Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities who have been missing for decades.  They visited exhumation sites together, saw a forensic laboratory where the remains of the missing …

Alliance-for-Peace-Membership

CFP Joins Alliance for Peacebuilding

CFP is pleased to have been accepted into membership of the Alliance for Peacebuilding, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit, nonpartisan network of over 150+ organizations working in 181 countries to end conflict, reduce violence and build sustainable peace. We expect our membership to result in greater networking and partnership opportunities as well as provide educational resources for CFP host families and alumni.https://www.allianceforpeacebuilding.org/

CFP in Middle East

CFP In Israel and Palestine

Our efforts to initiate programs in Israel and Palestine continue to bear fruit. As a result of our ongoing discussions with Debate for Peace (https://debateforpeace.org/), we have identified CFP volunteer coordinators from northern Israel who will begin programming in the region. Although we are currently in the early stages of the program kickoff, we have slated the application process to start in early January and expect 6 to 10 pairs of teens from Israel (Arab and Jewish) to participate this initial year.  This year’s CFP program will include the U.S. Residential with the participants hosted by American families during the summer of 2022.  We remain optimistic that …

Thank-Yous-for-the-2021-Teen-Pilot-Project-Program

Thank You’s for the 2021 Teen Pilot Project Program

Volunteer Experts for 2021 Pilot Peacebuilding Seminar for US TeensLast spring, CFP piloted a peacebuilding seminar to US teens. Expert volunteers provided 9 sessions on topics important to peacebuilding: Free speech and responsible speech: Gordon Atkinson, JD/attorneyUnderstanding the biology of conflict, strategies for conflict resolution: Frederic Luskin, PhD/Stanford University lecturer and Shani Robins, PhD/Stanford University lecturers Active listening, effective communications, impact of different interpersonal styles: Rhonda Gessow, JD/mediatorPerspectives on the personal impact of major conflicts: Eleftherios Michael, PhD/University of Baltimore faculty/director Perspectives on the conflicts where CFP volunteers: CFP leadership joined by Cypriot, Israeli and Palestinian alumni.  Student presentations in the final seminar session and their survey responses confirmed …

Read Prior News

Our Programs

Cyprus Friendship Program

Cyprus Friendship Program

The Cyprus Friendship Program (CFP) brings together teenagers from both Greek-speaking and Turkish-speaking Cypriot communities to promote peaceful interaction and understanding between the two groups. CFP is a two year peace-building and leadership training program in Cyprus, with a four week component in the United States in the summer.

Middle East Friendship Program

Middle East Friendship Program

The Middle East Friendship Program brings together teenagers from both Arab-speaking and Hebrew-speaking communities to promote peaceful interaction and understanding between the two groups. The programme is a peace-building and leadership training program, with a four week component in the United States in the summer.

Testimonials

Desmond TutuThe Elders

Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu to 2012 CFP Graduation

“Sometimes you might feel that you are alone in this kind of work. Today, take a look around and realise that you are all part of something much bigger – bound together by a shared commitment to our common humanity. Remember that the sea is just drops of water that have come together. And together you can do extraordinary things.”

Institute of PeaceWashington, DC

2015 Peacebuilding Through Education Conference

“For peacebuilding to succeed it must take root at the community level. Communities working together to find common ground, support and communications. It must move beyond governmental action to individuals and community leaders to succeed long term.”

2019 Cypriot TeenCyprus

I would like to be considered as best friends with my pair after this month, and I plan on showing my relationship with him as an example to peers of mine, as a concrete fact that peace is possible and also essential.

2019 Jerusalem TeenIsrael/Palestine

My experience with my pair was super meaningful and important for both of us! Finally we got the opportunity to speak without being stopped by people and finally we got to some agreements and we understood each other.

Contact Us



Creating Friendships for Peace, Inc.

P.O. Box 981, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
301.250.8080
info@friendships4peace.org
EIN: 45-0666188