There is a long tradition for medical engagement against war, weapons and violence. Since 1863 the International Committee of the Red Cross has been promoting and monitoring the Geneva Conventions to protect non-combatants and to prevent unnecessary suffering. Different medical peace organizations have over the last 100 years advocated for disarmament, demilitarization, social justice and international arbitration. Examples are:

• Association médicale internationale contre la guerre (1905)
• Internationale Gesellschaft der Ärzte gegen den Krieg (1932)
• Physicians for Social Responsibility (since 1961)
• International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War (since 1980)
• Physicians for Human Rights (since 1986)

Despite this longstanding activism and preventive health work, marginal research and teaching exist in this field. It seems to be a need, not only for more empirical data, but also for more theory and conceptual framing. The Medical Peace Work partnership would like to stimulate a discussion about definitions, models, interventions and evidence. We hope herein to unite a health science perspective with a peace science perspective.

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