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WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) announced that the Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST), in conjunction with the Library of Congress, will be collecting oral history accounts during Dayton 2025 as part of a project telling the story of how the Dayton Peace Accords came together 30 years ago. Representatives from ADST and the Library of Congress will be set up at the Roger Glass Performing Arts Center at the University of Dayton throughout the duration of the Spring Session interviewing relevant dignitaries and officials about their roles in reaching the historic peace accords that brought an end to the conflict in the Balkans. “Collecting oral histories to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords is essential to preserving the lessons of diplomacy and conflict resolution,” said Congressman Mike Turner. “This project highlights the pivotal role the accords played in bringing peace to the Balkans. As Dayton prepares to host the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Spring Session in May, our city once again has the unique opportunity to shape the future of transatlantic security.” “Oral histories capture the backstory of American diplomatic history that official accounts miss,” said Susan R. Johnson, President, Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training. “ADST's oral histories serve as invaluable primary sources for journalists, documentarians, academics, and current and aspiring diplomatic practitioners; they humanize the work of diplomacy and make it come alive for the American people. ADST is honored to collaborate with Congressman Turner on capturing the important work that went into the Dayton negotiations and the subsequent efforts to implement the DPA.” “ADST's oral history projects are a wonderful opportunity for everyone to enter into ‘the room where it happened,’” said Eric G. Nelson, former U.S. Ambassador, Bosnia and Herzegovina. “A project around the Dayton Peace Accords is a wonderful opportunity to learn from the history of a uniquely successful combination of US diplomatic and military power to end a war and stop a genocide. The DPA gave Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) an opportunity to rebuild a country where all citizens could be secure and prosper. The partnership with Congressman Turner and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly helps focus on the responsibility of BiH's Parliament to build a better future on the foundations of DPA.” “As Winston Churchill famously said, ‘Study history. In history lie all the secrets of statecraft,’” said Fran Leskovar, Manager, Dayton Peace Accords Oral History Project. “By understanding the Dayton Peace Accords (and their implementation) in much more detail, future generations of American leaders will be more than equipped to efficiently and effectively promote our national security interests abroad and manage the conflicts of the future.” Background: To mark the DPA’s 30th anniversary, ADST is collecting new oral history accounts while drawing on our already existing collection on the Western Balkans at our own and the U.S. Department of State archive. These interviews will be organized by November 2025 into an interactive website anthology, 30th Anniversary of the Dayton Peace Accords: The Art of the (Im)Possible. This website would offer open access to a comprehensive narrative of DPA negotiations, implementation, and interviewees’ reflections and “lessons learned.” This web-based DPA oral history anthology will serve as an educational resource for those examining the complexities of peace negotiations or searching for approaches to addressing today’s conflicts. Congressman Turner will record an oral history account reflecting on his time as Mayor of Dayton during the Dayton Peace Accord negotiations. The Association for Diplomatic Studies and Training (ADST) is an independent 501(c)(3) non-partisan educational organization founded in 1986 and located on the campus of the National Foreign Affairs Training Center (NFATC) in Arlington, VA. ADST promotes a better understanding of U.S. diplomacy and the work that goes into promoting U.S. interests around the globe by recording and sharing the experiences of America’s diplomatic practitioners and national security leaders. We are home to the world’s largest publicly available collection of diplomatic oral history, a resource warmly praised by foreign affairs practitioners, members of both U.S. political parties, scholars, and educators. |