Ram Manikkalingam founded and directs the Dialogue Advisory Group (DAG). He has extensive experience working on mediation and diplomacy at senior levels in government, civil society and with international organisations. He has taught politics at the University of Amsterdam. He previously advised then President Kumaratunga on the ceasefire and reconstruction in peace talks with the LTTE. Prior to that, he led the Rockefeller Foundation’s work on International Security, where he supported programmes to end the recruitment of child soldiers, ban anti-personnel mines and monitor the work of the UN Security Council. At DAG, he led teams that disarmed the Basque separatist armed group ETA, and the Irish Republican dissident armed group INLA. He currently works on several efforts to pursue political dialogues in difficult conflict situations, and divides his time between Amsterdam and Colombo.