Established in 1988, the Initiatives for International Dialogue (IID) is a Philippines-based advocacy institution promoting human security, democratization and people-to-people solidarity. IID conducts policy advocacy and campaign programs in Mindanao ,Burma/Myanmar, Southern Thailand, West Papua, and Timor Leste. It led the establishment of the Asia-Pacific Coalition for East Timor (APCET) in 1994 along with regional partners that spearheaded a people’s solidarity movement for the then occupied nation. In 2000, it established the Mindanao Peoples Caucus (MPC) – a platform and network of grassroots organizations, communities and NGOs affected and engaged in the conflict in Mindanao in the aftermath of the “all-out-war” declared by the then Philippine government against the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF). MPC meanwhile established the “Bantay Ceasefire” (Ceasefire Watch) a network of civilians in the conflict areas that monitored the implementation of the official ceasefire agreement between the Government of the Philippines (GPH) and the MILF. Together with other peace networks, IID anchored the establishment of the Mindanao Peaceweavers (MPW), the broadest peace network for Mindanao in the country and currently serves as its lead secretariat.
In line with this work, IID supports and accompanies key networks and platforms advancing inclusive peace and rights-based governance in BARMM. These include the Principles for Peace Bangsamoro Initiative, Kaakbay Bangsamoro, Titayan, SINDAW—IID’s Women, Peace and Security advocacy platform—and the Marawi Advocacy Accompaniment, which advances post-conflict recovery, IDP rights, and transitional justice in Marawi. In July 2025, IID also launched the Northern Mindanao–Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Coordinating Council (NMMIPCC) in Cotabato City to promote unity, equal representation, and the full realization of Indigenous Peoples’ rights and self-determination within BARMM.
Alongside its engagement in the Bangsamoro peace process, IID has also accompanied the GRP–NDFP peace process through sustained constituency-building and citizen-led platforms. This includes supporting Voices of Peace (VoP), a multisectoral space for civil society engagement and advocacy, and Alisto, a citizen platform that amplifies public voices, analysis, and calls for accountability in the peace talks.
IID is also the secretariat of the Asia-Pacific Solidarity Coalition (APSOC)– the spin-off network from APCET, Global Partnership for the Prevention of Armed Conflict – Southeast Asia (GPPAC-SEA), and the Burma Solidarity Philippines (BSP) which also emanated from the Free Burma Coalition (FBC) –Philippines which was then the strongest national solidarity network for Burma in the region.
IID is a co-founder and was a steering committee member of the Alternative ASEAN Network for Burma (ALTSEAN-Burma) and the erstwhile World Forum for Democratization in Asia (WFDA); the Burma Partnership (BP) and was a lead member of the National Organizing Committee of the Philippine Parliamentarian Caucus on Democracy in Myanmar. IID is also a Founding Steering Committee member of the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP) and the Civil Society Pillar of the Community of Democracies (COD).
IID was also a founding steering committee member of the Asia Democracy Network (ADN), where our Executive Director became its former Chairperson.
IID anchors and serves as the secretariat of Asian Circle 1325, a still loose network of women partners in the region from conflict-affected areas, that promotes the UN Security Council Resolution 1325 on women, peace and security. Relatedly, it is also a founding member of the national network on women, peace and security called WE Act 1325 (Women Engaged in Action on UNSCR 1325).
Currently, IID has been serving as a Core Group member of the CSO-UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding which meets annually at the UNHQ in New York or in the UN in Geneva.
IID’s network and coalition-building thrust reflects its grounded and broad presence in both the macro (regional, global) ) and local (MPC, MPW) arenas.
