Rose Castle Foundation

Equipping the next generation of reconciling leaders

The Rose Castle Foundation is a charity helping to lay the foundations for sustainable peace and reconciliation in the world.

We believe that any serious attempt to reconcile deep-seated conflict needs religious leaders to be involved.

That's why we are working with centres of excellence around the world to grow a network of experienced and emerging leaders, equipping them with the tools, skills, and knowledge they need to become reconcilers within their own communities and contexts.

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Our mission is to equip leaders to transform conflict. To do that, we work with partners in education, religion, and government across the world.

Sustainable peace

Building on over 20 years of experience in the field, we have discovered that residential programmes are a vital tool for long and lasting peace.

Our programmes cultivate hospitable relationships that aren’t threatened by difference, and that are committed to work for peace even in the most challenging circumstances. Where residential opportunities aren't possible, we offer unique virtual experiences that enable groups to build trust across divides and reimagine their role as reconcilers in a shared future together.

Sustainable peace

Building on over 20 years of experience in the field, we have discovered that residential programmes are a vital tool for long and lasting peace.

Our programmes cultivate hospitable relationships that aren’t threatened by difference, and that are committed to work for peace even in the most challenging circumstances. Where residential opportunities aren't possible, we offer unique virtual experiences that enable groups to build trust across divides and reimagine their role as reconcilers in a shared future together.

Transforming conflict

Rose Castle's thick defensive walls have stood for 800 years. To us, those walls represented an opportunity to invite strangers in, rather than shut them out.

Rose Castle has witnessed over 800 years of conflict at the hands of changing political and religious allegiances, but is now a landmark of exceptional hospitality. Inspired by the castle's story, Rose Castle Foundation was founded to support individuals and communities to come together across divides.

Today, the Foundation hosts programmes at Rose Castle and at other venues around the world, equipping leaders to transform conflict. The charity operates from the Rose Castle estate, and we are currently accepting bookings for programmes at the castle ready for the completion of its refurbishment in early 2022.

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Rose Castle Foundation was founded to support individuals and communities to come together across divides.

The story of the Rose Castle Foundation

Founded by Sarah Snyder in 2014, the Rose Castle Foundation builds on the work of the Cambridge Interfaith programme.

RCF Team

Every year emerging faith leaders would come together from across divides:

Israelis and Palestinians, Nigeria Muslims and Christians, and people from across the Middle East and beyond who were from deeply conflicted societies. These ‘enemies’ were brought into the same space to learn what peace might look like in their own context, leaving with some lessons in how to work collaboratively despite the political programme. 

Sarah had the vision of using Rose Castle, itself a witness to border warfare and conflict, as a safe space to bring people of opposing views together to learn better how to ‘disagree well’.

A fresh style of hospitality

The style of hospitality required to accept strangers across the deep divides of conflict is both risky and transformative.

How can enemies with a long history of alienating one another find a safe space in which to meet, break down barriers and build trust and respect?

At Rose Castle, they do not just learn about one another in workshop settings, they eat, socialise, relax, share their scriptures and traditions.

In doing so, they re-humanise those they have previously only known across metaphorical or actual walls. The Muslim Imam and the Jewish Rabbi. The street gang leaders. Communities fractured by entrenched "us" and "them" divisions.

Ready to create your own experience?

A fresh style of hospitality

The style of hospitality required to accept strangers across the deep divides of conflict is both risky and transformative.

How can enemies with a long history of alienating one another find a safe space in which to meet, break down barriers and build trust and respect?

At Rose Castle, they do not just learn about one another in workshop settings, they eat, socialise, relax, share their scriptures and traditions.

In doing so, they re-humanise those they have previously only known across metaphorical or actual walls. The Muslim Imam and the Jewish Rabbi. The street gang leaders. Communities fractured by entrenched "us" and "them" divisions.

Ready to create your own experience?