About Rose Castle Foundation
Our Vision
is of a more sustainable peace in some of the world’s most divided societies.
Our Mission
is to equip leaders with the skills, tools and habits they need to act across deep divides and transform unhealthy conflict.
A Global Network of Reconcilers
With more than 30 years of experience in the field, we specialise in creating spaces for faith-formed leaders to encounter each other authentically, re-humanising those they no longer see or hear, and working towards a more peaceful future where both sides flourish – one in which their differences still matter.
In this short film, hear how we are equipping a generation of reconcilers to build peace across some of the world’s most difficult divides.
Our Story
Founded in 2014 by Canon Sarah Snyder and Professor David Ford OBE, RCF is headquartered at the Rose Castle estate in Cumbria, United Kingdom, from which the Foundation takes its name.
A Place Shaped by Conflict, Reimagined for Peace
For 800 years, Rose Castle was the residence of the Bishops of Carlisle. Nestled near the border between England and Scotland, it was built both to be a house of prayer and to withstand the enemy. When the 68th Bishop of Carlisle moved out of the residence, its narrative inspired us to turn history on its head by re-opening the castle as an international centre for peace and reconciliation, where those in conflict can meet face-to-face in mutual hospitality.
Promoting a Better Quality of Disagreement
Before Rose Castle became our home, Sarah Snyder and David Ford developed our approach to faith-informed reconciliation at the Cambridge Interfaith Programme (CIP) in the University of Cambridge. The aim of their work was to explore how religion can be harnessed for peace, instead of being seen solely as a driver for conflict.
With more than 85% of the world’s population formed by a religious worldview, Sarah and David encouraged religious leaders not to seek shallow consensus or compromise, but to facilitate a better quality of disagreement by valuing our deep differences. And when we moved from CIP to Rose Castle Foundation, that principle became the cornerstone of all our work.
Our Approach: The Rose Way
We call our approach to reconciliation ‘The Rose Way’ because it is a journey rather than a one-off event. We work with emerging leaders who are motivated by their faith and moving into positions of influence across societal divides.
We equip them to lead through change, chaos and conflict, not just today but for the long term. They learn with those on the other side of their divides, re-humanising those they no longer see or hear, and working towards a more peaceful future where both sides flourish – one in which their differences still matter.
Global Reach & Impact Grounded in Learning
Rose Castle Foundation has trained and accompanied thousands of emerging leaders from over 30 countries—including religious leaders, educators, chaplains, peacebuilders, artists, and activists leading:
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We work closely with trusted partners across sectors and regions to embed robust learning frameworks into our programmes and co-design meaningful, context-driven change. This enables us to:
- Generate credible impact data
- Adapt responsively to local needs
- Support long-term formation of peacebuilders in complex, divided contexts
- Share learning to empower practitioners, researchers and professional networks
The People Behind the Mission
At the heart of Rose Castle Foundation is a diverse team of specialists in peacebuilding, education, religion, and organisational leadership.
Alongside our core staff, we are guided by an international faculty of trusted facilitators, scholars, and reconcilers—each bringing deep contextual expertise and lived experience from some of the world’s most divided settings.