OSCE Experiences In post-conflict settings, one of the biggest challenges in building sustainable peace was a certain lack of interest and support among local political elites for reconciliation initiatives and dealing with the past. To overcome this obstacle, some activities were focused deliberately on the grassroots level by working directly with conflict-affected communities to increase their impact. Another challenge encountered by the OSCE and other actors in the region relates to the return and inclusion of refugees and displaced persons stemming from violent conflict. Even when displaced persons could return to their former places of residence, they risked remaining vulnerable if their inclusion in existing social structures was not actively supported by the host society. Such situations can lead to discrimination and a lack of equal access to rights, such as the right to health care, employment, education, social care, and other rights connected with social inclusion in the local community.8 This psychologically- and politically-sensitive topic requires specific care and empathy from all involved parties, not the least from the OSCE. The examples included in the area of diversity illustrate some of the ways that these difficulties have been approached and overcome. Despite these and other challenges, many examples exist that demonstrate the OSCE’s work, often in co-operation with other international actors, to support social structures that not only strengthen and solidify transition processes but also contribute to building sustainable peace. The examples that follow relate to activities implemented by the six OSCE field operations in South-Eastern Europe. They have been generalized to highlight the lessons they contain independent of the specific contexts in which they were carried out. 8  UNHCR (2017), ODIHR (2010), UNHCR/OSCE (2001). 24