In 1994, after the armed uprising by the Zapatista Army of National Liberation (EZLN), social and civil organizations, as well as Mexican religious leaders, recognized the need for a permanent international presence in Chiapas to help to avoid or lessen the risks of violent ends to conflict. In this context, in 1995, a group of international organizations with a long history of work in the areas of peace building, human rights, and nonviolent activism responded by creating a coalition consisting of members from the United States, Europe, and Latin America. They shared not only concerns about the situation in Chiapas, but also the hope that they could help to build a just, long-lasting peace in the state. From this came the project of SIPAZ, the International Service for Peace.
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