OWLS FOR PEACE AS A GLOBAL ORGANIZATION

Until now, Owls for Peace has been a grassroots effort, led by dedicated individuals operating without formal structure. The key idea is that we, academics, are in contact with farmers, local NGO dedicated to nature conservation and governmental bodies to get approval and support from the top leaders. This informal approach has served us well, enabling direct engagement and impact. However, as we aim to unite even more communities and expand our reach globally, stronger coordination and organizational capacity are becoming essential. We are therefore taking the next step: the creation of an organization, Owls for Peace. This new structure will enable us to scale our efforts, establish lasting partnerships, and deepen our impact—for both people and the planet. We suggest that this initiative should be best embedded within International Ornithologists’ Union (IOU) for the following reasons:

1. Localized expertise: The IOU unites ornithologists worldwide in a shared mission of research and conservation. The Owls for Peace initiative enhances this mission by integrating scientific expertise with the promotion of human values. In today’s turbulent global political landscape, it is more urgent than ever to formally launch this initiative on a global scale. Success depends on the coordinated efforts of individuals and local expert groups, pooling their knowledge and dedication to create meaningful, worldwide impact.
2. Extensive network: The IOU maintains a broad and well-established global network, providing an ideal platform for integrating and expanding the Owls for Peace initiative.
3. Strong conservation ethos: As an organization deeply committed to research and conservation, the IOU is prepared to engage in challenging conversations with stakeholders, advocating effectively for environmental priorities.

The creation of Owls for Peace

We envisage to establish Owls for Peace in Switzerland, a country renowned for its political neutrality. Switzerland would be a natural and symbolic home for an organization dedicated to fostering diplomatic dialogue and shared action.

The running of Owls for Peace

We envisage that the successful establishment of Owls for Peace requires a well-structured organizational management team maintaining smooth internal processes and advancing the organization’s mission.

The core team should likely include:

• A Director, responsible for overall leadership and strategic direction;
• A Vice-Director, to support the Director and provide continuity;
• A Managing Secretary, tasked with facilitating internal communication among members; and
• A Financial Development Officer, responsible for identifying and securing funding opportunities to support projects across various countries, with particular focus on initiatives in economically disadvantaged regions.

Global Engagement

Owls for Peace will consist of a permanent core team and local collaborators in various countries around the world. Each group of researchers will be led by a designated team leader who will serve as the primary point of contact for national Owls for Peace initiatives. The team leader will be responsible for preparing reports, managing communication, and coordinating outreach efforts. People or groups interested to join the Owls for Peace initiative will have to subscribe to the International Ornithologists’ Union (see https://www.internationalornithology.org).

Report content

Evaluating the effectiveness of the Owls for Peace initiative is essential to ensuring accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement. To that end, regular evaluations will be conducted in each participating country and compiled into a comprehensive Global Annual Report.

The report will include both quantitative and qualitative indicators, such as (example for the current core species, the barn owl):

• Number of nest boxes installed
• Number of nest boxes monitored and occupied
• Biological data from occupied nest boxes, barn owls and prey
• Number of individuals invited to observe barn owl families
• Number of workshops and conferences held, including attendance figures
• Number of visits to schools or holiday workshops to foster early ecological education
• Amount of fundings received locally
• Social media engagement and media coverage by journalists
• Collaboration with local and national authorities
• Scientific contributions and publications by Owls for Peace members
• Interest and involvement from governmental organizations
• Invitations to conferences, cultural events, and public forums

To maintain consistency and transparency, activity reports from each country will be submitted to Owls for Peace annually. Based on these submissions, a global report will be compiled and published in the following year, providing a clear overview of progress, challenges, and strategic goals for the period ahead.

Partners

We already have a team of countries participating in the Owls for Peace initiative. So far, their involvement includes using barn owls for natural rodent control as an alternative to rodenticides (as in Cyprus and Greece), conducting scientific research (such as in Switzerland and the USA), or combining both approaches (as in Israel). Below is the list of participating countries along with their respective coordinators:

Czech Republic (Karel Poprach); Cyprus (BirdLife); Germany (NABU); Georgia (Denis Kitel); Greece (Vasileios Bontzorlos); Hungary (Akos Klein); Israel (Yossi Leshem); Jordan (General Abu Rashid Mansour); Morocco (Imad Cherkaoui); Palestinian Authority (name not given for security reason); Switzerland (Alexandre Roulin); Ukraine (BirdLife); USA (Matthew Johnson); Zimbabwe (BirdLife).

We are actively reaching out to a wide range of additional groups. Our team has begun compiling a list that includes not only new countries, but also organizations within countries already involved in Owls for Peace. To support the development of this growing network, we are currently engaging with associations of bird ringers. We have already initiated consultations with EURING and the relevant organizations in the United States. So far, we have received confirmations of interest from several European ringers.

3. Science and Research

Owls for Peace promotes nature conservation through a variety of complementary approaches. One of the core pillars of our initiative is science, firmly aligned with the principles of Scientific Diplomacy—using (cross-border) scientific collaboration as a tool to foster dialogue, trust, and mutual understanding.

Our scientific efforts focus on facilitating high-quality, collaborative research on barn owls in natural and agricultural landscapes. Key activities include:

• Development of Digital Research Tools. We are currently creating a dedicated digital platform to support researchers working in the field. This tool will guide standardized data collection, promote consistency across regions, and allow for the secure and efficient sharing of data and related information among participants worldwide.
  • The platform via which the data will be entered and shared (if individuals agree) is called TYTO^db, a start-up we currently move into the accelerator phase. The group of Alexandre Roulin at the University of Lausanne and of Bettina Almasi at the Swiss Ornithological Station in Sempach are using the original version of this digital tool for data input, storage and analysis. Thanks to this digital tool, we can now access and analyse any type of data accumulated for over four decades in Switzerland.
  • Being aware of the potential of TYTO^db, we have completed the two parts of a start-up development course and we are currently working on the prototype.

• Standardized Field Equipment. To ensure consistency in data collection and enable robust comparative studies across regions, we will design and distribute standardized, small-scale equipment. This includes specialized tools and materials for measuring owls (e.g., wing length, plumage traits), identification guides for analysing prey remains found in pellets and nests, as well as protocols for capturing adult owls and conducting monitoring. Clear schedules and step-by-step procedures will be provided to support researchers in applying best practices in the field.
• Training of personnel. We plan to conduct field visits both in the participants’ home countries and in Switzerland to ensure consistency and high quality in data collection.
• Collaborative Publishing. We will actively support international research groups—particularly those in economically disadvantaged regions—in publishing their findings. Emphasis will be placed on collaborative authorship to foster inclusivity, increase visibility, and encourage knowledge sharing across borders. Publishing is often one of the most challenging aspects of data valorisation in research and beyond, particularly for early-career scientists and those with limited institutional support. Beyond demonstrating the impact of our initiative, published research is a powerful source of pride and motivation for local scientists, novices and communities.

By grounding our mission in rigorous scientific practice and open, inclusive collaboration, Owls for Peace seeks to build a global community where biodiversity conservation and dialogue go hand in hand. These efforts will be carried out in close partnership with a wide range of academic, civil and governmental societies.