UN General Assembly Calls Upon Warring Parties of Current Armed Conflicts to Boldly Agree to ‘True Mutual Ceasefires’ during Upcoming Olympic Winter Games

.. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION ..

An article from the United Nations

Ahead of the upcoming 2026 Olympic Winter Games, the General Assembly today took note of a Solemn Appeal by the President of its eightieth session, who urged all warring parties to agree to “true mutual ceasefires” during the Games in line with the ancient principle of the Olympic Truce.

“The Olympic Truce proves that, even in times of division, humanity can still find common ground through sport,” said Annalena Baerbach (Germany), reading her Appeal (document A/80/598) into the Assembly’s official record.  “I call upon all warring parties of current armed conflicts around the world to boldly agree to true mutual ceasefires for the duration of the Olympic Truce, thus providing an opportunity to settle disputes peacefully.”

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Today’s Appeal recalls the ancient Greek tradition of the ekecheiria, translated as “Olympic Truce”, which serves as a hallowed principle of the Olympic Games, she said.  In modern times, the Assembly has taken up the related agenda item “Building a peaceful and better world through sport and the Olympic ideal” every two years, in advance of each summer and winter Olympic Games, adopting a resolution by the same name.

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Question for this article:

How can sports promote peace?

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Noting that the XXV Olympic Winter Games will begin shortly in Milano-Cortina, Italy, Ms. Baerbach cited the Assembly’s most recent resolution, which urged Member States to observe the truce individually and collectively from the seventh day before the Games’ start until the seventh day following the end of the XIV Paralympic Winter Games.  (See Press Release GA/13732  of 19 November 2025.)

“Through friendly competition, we can rise above our divisions and reaffirm our common humanity,” she said.  “The Games will bring together athletes from all parts of the world in the greatest of international sports events as a means to promote peace, mutual understanding, the rule of law and goodwill among nations and peoples — goals that are also part of the founding values of the United Nations.”

Pointing out that the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Games are on track to be the most gender-balanced in history, she added that the International Olympic Committee has decided to fly the UN flag in the Olympic stadium and the Olympic villages as a symbol of peace. 

“I welcome the leadership of Olympic and Paralympic athletes in promoting peace and human understanding through sport and the Olympic ideal,” she said, urging all Member States to demonstrate their commitment to the Olympic Truce and take concrete actions to promote and strengthen a culture of peace and harmony.

“May the implementation [of the Olympic Truce] reaffirm our shared conviction that, even in a divided world, unity remains possible and respect for our common rules means that we all win,” she said.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global, United Nations,

USA: Judge orders 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his dad released from ICE detention

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article from CNBC

A 5-year-old boy and his father must be released by Tuesday from the Texas center where they’ve been held after being detained by immigration officers in Minnesota, a federal judge ordered Saturday in a ruling that harshly criticized the Trump administration’s approach to enforcement.

Images of Liam Conejo Ramos, wearing a bunny hat and Spider-Man backpack, being surrounded by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers sparked even more outcry about the administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota.


U.S. District Judge Fred Biery, who sits in San Antonio and was appointed by former Democratic President Bill Clinton, said in his ruling that “the case has its genesis in the ill-conceived and incompetently-implemented government pursuit of daily deportation quotas, apparently even if it requires traumatizing children.”

Biery had previously ruled that the boy and his father could not be removed from the U.S., at least for now.

Liam and his father, Adrian Conejo Arias, who is originally from Ecuador, were detained in the Minneapolis suburb of Columbia Heights on Jan. 20. They were taken to a detention facility in Dilley, Texas.

Neighbors and school officials say that federal immigration officers used the preschooler as “bait” by telling him to knock on the door to his house so that his mother would answer. The Department of Homeland Security has called that description of events an “abject lie.” It said the father fled on foot and left the boy in a running vehicle in their driveway.

The government says Arias entered the U.S. illegally from Ecuador in December 2024. The family’s lawyer says he has a pending asylum claim that allows him to remain in the country.

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Questions related to this article:

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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Their detention led to a protest at the Texas family detention center and a visit by two Texas Democratic members of Congress.

In his order Saturday, Biery said: “apparent also is the government’s ignorance of an American historical document called the Declaration of Independence,” suggesting the Trump administration’s actions echo those that then-author and future President Thomas Jefferson enumerated as grievances against England’s King George.

Among them: “He has sent hither Swarms of Officers to harass our People” and “He has excited domestic Insurrection among us.”

Biery included in his ruling a photo of Liam and references to two lines in the Bible: “Jesus said, ’Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these,” and “Jesus wept.”

He’s not the only federal judge who has been tough on ICE recently. A Minnesota-based judge with a conservative pedigree described the agency as a serial violator of court orders related to the crackdown.

Stephen Miller, the White House chief of staff for policy, has said there’s a target of 3,000 immigration arrests a day. It’s that figure which the judge seemed to refer to as a “quota.”

Spokespersons from the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not immediately reply to requests for comment.

The Law Firm of Jennifer Scarborough, which is representing the boy and his family, said in a statement that it was working “to ensure a safe and timely reunion.”

“We are pleased that the family will now be able to focus on being together and finding some peace after this traumatic ordeal,” they said.

During Wednesday’s visit by Texas Reps. Joaquin Castro and Jasmine Crockett, the boy slept in the arms of his father, who said Liam was frequently tired and not eating well at the detention facility that houses about 1,100 people, according to Castro.

Detained families report poor conditions like worms in food, fighting for clean water and poor medical care at the detention center since its reopening last year. In December, a report filed by ICE acknowledged they held about 400 children longer than the recommended limit of 20 days.

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HUMAN RIGHTS, North America

Spirit of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam leads Interfaith Harmony Week

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from AWAZ The Voice

World Interfaith Harmony Week will be observed globally from February 1 to 7, 2026, continuing a tradition that inspires unity across faiths and nations. First proposed by King Abdullah II of Jordan at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2010, it was adopted through a UN Resolution on October 20.

The resolution affirmed that mutual understanding and interfaith dialogue are essential for a culture of peace and invited all people, regardless of belief, to celebrate through the inclusive principle of “Love of God and Love of the Neighbour,” or “Love of the Good and Love of the Neighbour.” Since the first observance in 2011, the movement has become a worldwide call for coexistence and compassion.

The 2025 observance in Delhi was a luminous reflection of India’s pluralistic spirit. Organised by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) India, the three-day Interfaith Conclave 2025 combined India’s ancient wisdom of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family—with contemporary peacebuilding frameworks. Leaders from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, Christian, Jain, Sikh, and Parsi traditions gathered to reaffirm faith’s unifying role in a divided world.

The conclave opened with Dr Markandey Rai, Chairman of GPF India, invoking India’s civilizational ethos of unity beyond boundaries. Goswami Sushil Ji Maharaj, convener of the Bhartiya Sarv Dharm Sansad, recalled Swami Vivekananda’s 1893 address at the Chicago Parliament of Religions as a timeless message of harmony. Speakers such as Bhikkhu Sanghasena, Fr. Rajakumar Joseph, Imam Faizan Muneer, and Swami Sarvalokananda highlighted shared moral values—truth, service, and compassion—that transcend religious identity.

What distinguished the Delhi observance was the participation of youth and creative engagement. A pre-event poster competition, Art for Harmony, invited young artists to visualise peace, while workshops on “Skills for Interfaith Dialogue” trained students in empathy and respectful communication. Youth-led roundtables on peacebuilding showed how dialogue, when combined with action, can transform communities. These initiatives align with global best practices that link interfaith learning to arts, service, and civic participation.

Across the world, interfaith dialogue has evolved into a vital tool for peace. The United Nations promotes it through the Alliance of Civilisations and UNESCO’s intercultural programs. Regional examples abound: Indonesia’s grassroots Forum Kerukunan Umat Beragama promotes local religious cooperation;

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Question related to this article:
 
How can different faiths work together for understanding and harmony?

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Europe’s institutional frameworks like the UK Inter Faith Network support structured engagement; and Nigeria’s Interfaith Mediation Centre unites pastors and imams to rebuild communities torn by conflict.

 Such models demonstrate that spiritual traditions can strengthen reconciliation and social trust.

India’s role in this global movement remains distinctive. Its history is shaped by inclusion—Ashoka’s tolerance, Akbar’s Din-i-Ilahi, Guru Nanak’s universalism, and Gandhi’s interfaith prayers. In an era of polarisation, India’s constitutional promise of fraternity remains its guiding light. The 2025 conclave reaffirmed that harmony means not passive tolerance but active collaboration—religious leaders and citizens working together for education, the environment, and women’s empowerment.

Globally, youth have become key agents of peace. Studies show that interfaith exposure in early years nurtures empathy and reduces prejudice. GPF India’s initiatives—Youth Peace Clubs and Indo-Pacific Peace Forums—reflect this belief that harmony must grow from communities, not be imposed from above.

As the world prepares for Interfaith Harmony Week 2026, the Delhi conclave stands as a reminder that dialogue rooted in shared values can heal divisions. It also showed that interfaith cooperation is not an idealistic aspiration but a practical necessity in a world confronting identity conflicts, environmental degradation, and social fragmentation. The Indian vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, echoed in the G20 theme “One Earth, One Family, One Future,” gives fresh meaning to this universal movement for peace.

When Interfaith Harmony Week 2026 unfolds from February 1 to 7, temples, mosques, churches, gurdwaras, and monasteries around the world will again open their doors in friendship. In classrooms and communities, art, music, and service will reaffirm that peace begins with the heart that listens.

The lamps of faith that light Delhi and distant cities alike will remind humanity that beyond every difference lies the same yearning for goodness.

In a time when the world struggles to rediscover empathy, India’s example offers a moral compass—showing that harmony is not a dream but a daily practice. As people of every faith join hands to celebrate this week, they affirm the simple truth that when love of the good guides our actions, humanity indeed becomes one family—a message of hope for a world learning again to live as one.

The author, Pallab Bhattacharyya, is the former Police Chief of Assam.

(Editor’s note: Interfaith Harmony Week is formally supported by the Arab League.)

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global, Mideast, South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY, ,

Mexico: Ethics as a Path to a Culture of Peace at the University of Colima

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Comentario

The Ethics and Conflict of Interest Prevention Committee of the University of Colima conducted a series of training sessions for staff from High School 1 and the Faculty of Accounting and Administration in Colima. These sessions focused on the practical application of principles, values, and rules of integrity in university workplaces.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

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The activities were led by Rosa Elizabeth García Uribe, the institution’s Comptroller General, and Brenda Lizeth Aguilar García, Director of Administrative Obligations Research. They emphasized the importance of strengthening ethical conduct in daily work as the foundation for respectful and harmonious coexistence.

These actions were supported by the General Directorate for Integral Development, the area responsible for promoting the cross-cutting theme of a culture of peace at the University of Colima. This support helped consolidate a comprehensive vision focused on respect, dignified treatment, and the promotion of human rights within the university community.

During the sessions, participating staff demonstrated openness and dynamism, and recognized the importance of the institution creating training opportunities that strengthen an organizational culture based on integrity, ethics, and peace.
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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

School Day of Non-violence and Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

by CPNN

The School Day of Non-Violence and Peace is celebrated on January 30.

This year the day was celebrated in Spain, Mexico and Cuba.


March by the students in Teror.

According to Wikipedia, this day was proposed by the Spanish poet Llorenç Vidal Vidal in Majorca in 1964 as a “starting point and support for a pacifying and non-violent education of a permanent character.”

Vidal chose the date of January 30 to commemorate the great prophet of non-violence and peace, Mahatma Gandhi, who was assassinated on this day in 1948.

It was popularized in France in the 1970’s by the Gandhian disciple Lanza del Vasto in his utopian  Communauté de l’Arche.

The day is recognized by UNICEF in Spain.

In Palma, on the Island of Mallorca in Spain, 3,500 primary and secondary school students took part in the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace event. The celebration included the reading of a peace manifesto by student representatives, followed by a concert by the musical group Pèl de Gall. Afterwards, doves were released, a universal symbol of peace and of the commitment to promoting coexistence and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

In the Mediterráneo secondary schools in Spain,  representatives from each secondary school group read their manifestos on behalf of their classes, linking their pledges to the chain of commitments from the previous group. This gesture symbolized the unity of all students in a shared commitment to positive and respectful coexistence. The grand finale was a reading of the poem “White Souls” by the high school students.

In schools of Zaragoza, Spain, there were artistic creations and exhibitions, fundraisers and charity runs, speeches and poems, music, games, and gatherings in the playground between students of different grades… all promoting peace, non-violence, and kindness.

In the Huerto Escolar Ecológico school in the Canary Islands of Spain, students made presentations for peace and non-violence on their school radio station.

In the Tafira – Nelson Mandela secondary school of the Canary Islands, students listened to “Poetry Committed to Peace” played over the school’s public address system during the first few minutes of each class and the 7th-grade students prepared an “Images for Peace” exhibition.

In the Teror secondary school , also in the Canary Islands, the event began with a march by the students, carrying a banner with the slogan ‘The first condition for peace is the will to achieve it’, and chanting in unison, “Who are we? IES de Teror. What do we want? Peace.” In the Manifesto for Peace read by the students, they also emphasized this message: “Peace is not just the absence of war. Peace is respect, dialogue, equality, and justice.”

The secondary school of La Aldea de San Nicolás in the Canary Islands presented the official video clip of the song “Let us live in peace”.  This audiovisual project is the result of intensive collaborative work aimed at raising awareness among the school community and the general public about the importance of coexistence, mutual respect, and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

In Salamanca, Spain, the event included the reading of a manifesto, accompanied by a musical performance by a teacher from the Divino Maestro school, followed by the formation of a large circle for peace. Afterwards, the Mayor of Salamanca received a delegation from the school in the Reception Hall.

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(Click here for the article in Spanish)

Questions related to this article:
 
How can we be sure to get news about peace demonstrations?

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In Villacañas, Spain, a large globe, the work of local artist Manuel García Mochales,was installed in the Plaza de España. Throughout the day, the various participating schools added their artwork and messages to this piece, transforming it into a collective symbol of Villacañas’ commitment to peace. The celebration also included musical accompaniment and the performance of a song that was sung together by all attendees, highlighting the importance of education as a fundamental pillar for building a culture of peace.

In Barcelona, Children from Turó Blau School, Elisenda de Montcada School Institute, Bosc de Montjuïc Institute, Pedralbes Institute, and Caterina Albert Institute shared a series of learning experiences and reflections on “Invisible Violence”. The event was facilitated by the Escola de Cultura de Pau.

Ecologistas en Acción. based in Madrid, took part in the planting of olive trees on the occasion of the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace on January 30. This is part of the campaign entitled “There is no peace without justice.” of the Palestinian Tide platform, comprised of more than 60 educational organizations.

In Lleida, Catalonia, Spain, A total of 1,500 children participated in the commemoration of the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace. The boys and girls left messages of peace on maps installed in the squares of Pau Casals, Magnolias and Sant Jordi. The schools Sant Jordi, Minerva, Sant Josep de Calassanç, Països Catalans, Enric Farreny, Màrius Torres, Parc de l’Aigua, El Carme, Frederic Godàs, Esperança, Maria Rúbies, Joan Oró, Santa Anna, Sant Jaume Les Heures, Santa Maria de Gardeny and FEDAC participated.

In Cieza, Spain, the San José Obrero School in Cieza once again transformed its commemorative day for the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace into a pedagogical and artistic experience. This time, students and teachers climbed onto the deck of a ship to present the play “Pirates of the Sea of ​​Peace”. With the theme that “peace is not conquered, it is built,” students and teachers explored diverse cultures to understand how each people live in harmony, learning the values of each place and performaing a traditional dance from each region.. During the performance, they docked at various ports to receive lessons from each community they visited, including China, Hawaii, Africa, India and Mexico.

The Football Club of Seville, Spain celebrated the day by a series of actions with the Entre Amigos Association in the Polígono Sur neighborhood to combat school absenteeism and bullying.

In Santander, Spain, to celebrate the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace, the mayor placed a plaque to rename the park next to La Anunciación Scholl as “La Paz Park” and a group of children from the school sang a song for peace..

In Peñaranda, Spain,  the school community of La Encarnación celebrated Peace Day in the school auditorium. The students carried symbols related to this commemoration, and a manifesto in favor of peace and against violence was read..

In Vitoria-Gasteiz , in the Basque region of Spain,  a total of 1315 students from all the Church schools in the capital of Alavesa – shared a central event in the New Cathedral for the School Day of Non-violence and Peace. The program included testimonies from several students, music, a prayer, and a manifesto for peace.

In Léon, in the Northwest of Spain, the educational community of the Divina Pastora School commemorated the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace. Students from each grade level created a peace pledge.

In Zocalo Monclova, Mexico, an event was held at the Ignacio Zaragoza Secondary School with educational and municipal authorities. The municipal government reiterated its commitment to promoting initiatives that strengthen a culture of peace in schools.

In the Yucatan, Mexico, the State Center for Social Crime Prevention held a soccer tournament to commemorate the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace.

In Holguín, Cuba, the group Friends of Cuba, based in Victoria, Canada, held a solidarity meeting at the “Ronald Andalia Nieves” school, coinciding with the School Day of Non-Violence and Peace. Accompanied by representatives from the Party, the Government, and the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples, as well as neighbors and local students, the visitors participated in political and cultural activities and planted a tree as a symbol of brotherhood and commitment to a fairer world.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Europe, FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, Latin America,

English bulletin February 1, 2026

. THE PEOPLE KEEP RESISTING .

Again this month, as the menace of the culture of war continues to grow, the people’s resistance continues to grow as well, as they take to the streets in massive numbers.

The culture of war axis is led by Trump in the United States and Netanyahou in Israel.

The culture of peace is led this month by mass demonstrations in the United State, Colombia, Cuba, Venezuela and Turkey.

In a city with a population of 500,000, more than 50,000 took to the streets in Minneapolis, despite sub-zero temperatures, to protest the war launched by Trump against their city.

Other protest demonstrations against Trump’s war on the cities took place in all 50 states of the United States.

In Colombia, in Venezuela and in Cuba, people took to the streets to protest Trump’s kidnapping of the President of Venezuela by an attack that killed perhaps 100 people, including many Cubans.

There were many other demonstrations against the American intervention around the world, such as this one in France.

And in Turkey, people took to streets in massive numbers to protest Netanyahou’s continued genocide against Palestine.

Mention must also be made of the mass demonstrations in Iran. While they were directed against the policies of the state of Iran, they were also infiltrated and manipulated by the United States and Israel as part of their menace of war against Iran.

As we are more than ever threatened with a World War III that could destroy our world, we must hope that the people’s resistance will not only continue but will eventually prevail.

A people united can never be defeated.

The culture of war is not invincible. Empires do crash.

The same species that invented war is capable of inventing peace.

HUMAN RIGHTS


USA: Undeterred by Freezing Temps, Statewide Minnesota Strikes Demand ‘ICE Out Now’

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT


African Union: Our Aspirations for the Africa We Want

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION


IPU Statement on the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence

WOMEN’S EQUALITY


International Women’s Day 2026: Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls.
  

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY


Mass rally in Istanbul on New Year’s Day shows solidarity with Gaza

EDUCATION FOR PEACE


Mexico: USEBEQ Trains 5,000 Teachers to Foster a Culture of Peace

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION


Iran protests 2026: our surveys show Iranians agree more on regime change than what might come next

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY


Protests in France agains US attack on Venezuela

d-human rights

IPU Statement on the International Day of Peaceful Coexistence

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article from the International Parliamentary Union

The Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) joins the international community in marking the first International Day of Peaceful Coexistence on 28 January 2026.

This new international day was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in March 2025 through resolution A/RES/79/269, proposed by the Kingdom of Bahrain with support from the King Hamad Global Center for Coexistence and Tolerance.

At a time of toxic polarization, growing distrust and division, parliaments have a unique responsibility to promote peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies, and to fight intolerance through their legislative, oversight and representative roles.

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(Click here for the original version in French)

Questions related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

How can parliamentarians promote a culture of peace?

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By celebrating diversity, promoting peace education, and holding governments to account for human rights commitments, parliaments can and must create an environment in which every person is treated with dignity and respect.

The IPU’s agenda is firmly anchored in building more cohesive and just societies through parliamentary diplomacy, interfaith dialogue, and supporting parliaments to be inclusive and respectful spaces, representative of society in all its diversity.

At the 146th IPU Assembly in Bahrain in March 2023, hundreds of parliamentarians representing some 140 countries endorsed the Manama Declaration, Promoting peaceful coexistence and inclusive societies: Fighting intolerance, delivering a message of hope.

Across all its work, the IPU encourages parliamentarians to counter hate speech and divisive rhetoric, to protect freedom of expression while combating incitement to hatred, and to use their platforms to counter prejudice and misinformation.

The IPU calls on all parliaments and parliamentarians to redouble their efforts to foster dialogue, bridge divides, embrace diversity and champion a culture of peace in their constituencies, countries and beyond. 

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, global

Mexico: USEBEQ Trains 5,000 Teachers to Foster a Culture of Peace

… EDUCATION FOR PEACE …

An article from Quadratin Querétaro

With the goal of creating environments of respect, dialogue, and collaboration, where school communities interact harmoniously, learning to resolve conflicts peacefully, in order to foster a culture of peace, the Basic Education Services Unit in the State of Querétaro (USEBEQ) trained 5,114 teachers from the early childhood, preschool, primary, and secondary levels in the state.

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(Click here for the Spanish original of this article)

Question for this article:

Where is peace education taking place?

Is there progress towards a culture of peace in Mexico?

(Continued from left column)

According to Irene Quintanar Mejía, General Coordinator of USEBEQ (Basic Education Services Unit of the State of Querétaro), this strategy aims to prevent risky situations and safeguard the well-being and safety of students, teachers, and administrative support staff. She stated that it is therefore necessary to work continuously to strengthen the mechanisms for addressing and detecting these situations, thereby creating spaces of peace and healthy coexistence in school environments.

Regarding the culture of peace, USEBEQ offers various training sessions and workshops on self-care, the value of healthy coexistence, the responsible use and management of social media and digital citizenship, and the recognition and management of emotions. In the last year, these programs have reached 26,374 children and adolescents, 11,595 parents or guardians, and 5,450 teachers.

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, Latin America

Iran protests 2026: our surveys show Iranians agree more on regime change than what might come next

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION

An article dated January 12 from The Conversation

Iranians have shown a willingness to pay a devastating price for political change, as protest has consistently been met by the Islamic Republic with violence and mass killing. The death toll since Iranians took to the streets on December 28 has reportedly passed 500, with more than 10,000 arrested. Incoming reports put the casualty count much higher.

A clear majority of Iranians do not want the theocracy that came to power with the 1979 revolution. They want a secular democracy. But what does public opinion tell us about what that should entail and how this change should be achieved?

Measuring public opinion in one of the world’s most repressive countries is not an easy matter. Conventional surveys conducted through (landline) phones or by face-to-face interviews tend to reflect an implausibly homogeneous Islamic and pro-regime society. By contrast, Gamaan — the Group for Analysing and Measuring Attitudes in Iran — conducts surveys anonymously through the internet.

Our research is based on representative samples of anything from tens of thousands to over 100,000 respondents. In 2020 a Gamaan survey revealed a diverse, secularising and dissident society, in which around 70% rejected the compulsory hijab. These numbers materialised in the streets in 2022, during the “woman life freedom”  protests (find out more about sample characteristics, weighting information, and external benchmark tests at gamaan.org and this Wapor methodology webinar).

To improve randomisation, we collaborate with Psiphon VPN, which is widely used across Iran. By 2025, an estimated 90% of Iranian internet users relied on VPNs to access blocked platforms, including basic messaging apps such as Whatsapp.

This level of coverage enabled what we call VPN sampling, yielding large, socially diverse samples under conditions of safety and anonymity. Combined with scale, anonymity offers reliable insight into what Iranians really want. The latest survey on the 12-day war with Israel, taken in September 2025, secured more than 30,000 responses from inside the country.

Why protests, again? What is different?

Our surveys consistently show that the majority shares a consensus on what it does not want. Across provinces, rural and urban areas, age groups and gender, roughly 70–80% say  they would not vote for the Islamic Republic.

In all survey waves, support for regime change as a precondition for meaningful progress has been the most popular position. This support previously spiked during the “woman life freedom” protests. We believe we are currently witnessing another spike, given the increase observed after the 12-day war.

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Questions related to this article:
 
How can we be sure to get news about peace demonstrations?

(Continued from left column)

In contrast with the context of previous protests, the regime is militarily weakened from the 12-day war, during which many senior commanders were killed. Iran is now culturally weakened, no longer able to enforce the compulsory hijab. It is also economically weakened, with a plummeting currency.

Iranians believe that protests, foreign pressure and intervention are more likely to bring about political change than elections and reforms. They were thus emboldened when, for the first time, a US president threatened intervention  should protesters be killed. This came days after the abduction by the US military of the Venezuelan president, Nicolás Maduro, a key ally of the Islamic Republic.

What might lie ahead?

Protesters today separate the very idea of Iran from the Islamic Republic. They view the regime as an alien element, an occupying force. This has long been expressed in slogans such as “Our enemy is right here, they lie that it is America” and “Not Gaza, not Lebanon, I only give my life for Iran” (supported respectively by 73% and 64% when we tested them in 2021).

The popularity of Reza Pahlavi, the former crown prince in exile who represents inherited monarchical nationalism, can be understood in light of this Iran-first mentality. Pahlavi’s social base remained stable in Gamaan’s surveys between 2022 and 2025. Roughly one-third are strong supporters and another third strongly oppose him. The remaining segment somewhat agrees or disagrees, or expresses no opinion.

The current surge in pro-Pahlavi slogans suggests that his popularity is attracting segments of the latter moderate or undecided population. But our surveys found that his popularity is unevenly distributed. It is lower in provinces with higher ethnic minority populations, such as the Kurds, Azeri Turks and Baluch.

Although there is no consensus on the form or structure of an alternative political system, it is noteworthy that in 2025 there was, for the first time, a marked increase in support for monarchy. Given the significant size of those who do not voice a strong opinion on the alternative, any group that can successfully topple the Islamic Republic will have an advantage in convincing the majority to adopt its proposed model.

Iranians overwhelmingly support a “democratic political system” – with 89% in favour. Support for political liberalism, however, is weaker. In 2024, 43% agreed with having “a strong leader who does not have to bother with parliament and elections”. This view is significantly higher among those without higher education – among monarchists, it is 49%.

These facts should not be lamented or mocked but understood, if the threat of a lack of liberalism is to be mitigated. While nationalism may generate the force of a revolutionary storm capable of toppling the regime, long-term stability, after the fall of the Islamic Republic, will also require an acceptance of Iran’s cultural and ideological diversity as permanent features of a truly free nation

(Editor’s note: In suppressing the demonstrations, the Iranian government claimed that it was manipulated by the United States and Israel, i.e. by agents of Mossad and the CIA. Reliable sources from Israel, such as the Jerusalem Post, suggest that this probably has some truth.

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USA: Undeterred by Freezing Temps, Statewide Minnesota Strikes Demand ‘ICE Out Now’

. HUMAN RIGHTS .

An article by Julia Conley from Common Dreams (reprinted according to Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 3.0)

Twin Cities residents are weeks into the Trump administration's deployment of thousands of federal immigration agents in an operation that has seen a legal observer and young mother fatally shot; US citizens dragged out of their homes and vehicles by masked officers; one of President Donald Trump's top Border Patrol officials lobbing a gas grenade at lawful protesters; children as young as 2 detained; and armed agents seemingly lurking around every corner.


Demonstrators participate in a rally and march during an “ICE Out” day of protest on Friday, January 23, in Minneapolis. Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

But the trauma inflicted on the cities during "Operation Metro Surge" appeared only to have strengthened residents' resolve to push US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) out of Minnesota on Friday as residents filled the Minneapolis' downtown area to march in subfreezing temperatures and assembled at a nearby airport through which an estimated 2,000 people have been deported.

The demonstrations were part of a “no work, no school, no shopping” general strike that labor, faith, and community leaders and businesses have joined in calling for in recent days as outrage has grown over ICE's arrests of immigrants and citizens alike and attacks on residents' First Amendment rights.

Demonstrators carried signs reading, "ICE Out Now," "Stop Pretending Racism Is Patriotism," and "Stop Disappearing Our Neighbors."

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Questions related to this article:

The struggle for human rights, is it gathering force in the USA?

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Businesses and cultural institutions were closed in solidarity across the city and the state on Friday; Truthout reported that about 700 businesses shut their doors across Minnesota, while businesses that remained open planned to donate their proceeds from the day to immigrant rights groups.

Organizers said about 100 clergy members were arrested at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport protest. They were among the protesters who blocked the road at a departures terminal, singing, "Before this campaign fails, we’ll all go down to jail, everybody has a right to live.”

According to union leaders, 12 airport workers are among the Minneapolis-area residents who have been detained by ICE in recent weeks.

Chelsie Glaubitz Gabiou, president of the Minnesota Regional Labor Federation (MRLF), AFL-CIO, acknowledged that the weather on Friday was "dangerously cold."

“Negative-10°F with wind chills. Like the high is going to be -10°F with wind chills of up to -20F,” Glaubitz Gabiou told the Guardian. “We are a northern state, and we are built for the cold, and we are going to show up.

Organizers said the goals of the general strike were for ICE to leave Minnesota, the ICE agent who killed Renee Good earlier this month to be held legally accountable, and no additional federal funding for ICE operations.

Seven US House Democrats joined the Republican Party in passing a funding bill for the Department of Homeland Security this week. The legislation still needs to get through the Senate.

Nationwide, data has shown that nearly three-quarters of people arrested by ICE have had no criminal convictions, but the Trump administration has continued to claim it is detaining the "worst of the worst" violent criminals, even as agents have clearly been shown arresting people who are authorized to be in the US and have no criminal records.

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