Category Archives: TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

How the “Hunger Games” saga became a symbol of revolt in France

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An article from France Info

From Paris to Marseille, orchestras play the film’s epic song before protesters who raise three fingers in the air as a rallying sign—symbols that have become universal for uniting struggles against authoritarianism.

Video of the rally in Paris

The song is frequently chosen to accompany social media footage of the crowds of high school students who have been demonstrating for several weeks. “The Hanging Tree” is also played and sung during these protests; it has been performed by the “Orchestre du Nouveau Monde” at the Place de la République in Paris, as well as by other orchestras—such as in Marseille on Thursday, November 5 —during the major day of mobilization against the high cost of living.

Surrounding the musicians, protesters hold up three fingers—the index, middle, and ring fingers. Both this music and this gesture are symbols drawn from the *Hunger Games* saga, a new installment of which is set to be released in theaters on November 18th. Originally a literary series by Suzanne Collins, first published in 2008, it went on to achieve immense international success.

To understand why protesters draw references from it, one must delve into the dystopian world of *The Hunger Games*. Suzanne Collins depicts an imaginary, post-apocalyptic society built upon the ruins of North America. It is ruled by President Snow, who maintains the Capitol’s power through fear and the repression of the workers living in the 12 districts that make up Panem. Each year, he organizes a series of brutally cruel televised games in which 24 teenagers—two selected from each district, one boy and one girl—are forced to kill one another until only one survivor remains. A young woman named Katniss, played by Jennifer Lawrence, becomes the symbol of the rebellion by convincing the youths to unite—rather than kill each other—in order to overthrow the regime.

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Question related to this article:
 
Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

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The gesture of solidarity from the film—three fingers raised—is being widely adopted at protests. A phrase also appears on placards: “If we burn, you burn with us”—a sentiment now directed at the French government.

The dystopian story, which explores themes such as class struggle, repression, media manipulation, and rebellion, has crossed over into reality through these symbols displayed on the streets. “The fact that this song resonates with people—the way it fits into these stories—and that people can take it and imbue it with even greater meaning, is very moving. But it’s also truly surreal,” director Francis Lawrence recently admitted, reflecting on this appropriation in France.

“The Hunger Games” also made an appearance during the midterms.

Fiction recently bled into American reality as well. Amidst the coverage of the midterm election results on Tuesday, November 3, a promotional spot for the upcoming sixth installment of the saga aired on both CNN and Fox News. It was interpreted by some as an implicit call from the studios to vote for the Democratic side. In the clip, the President of Panem begins a propaganda speech before the image is scrambled, interrupted by a call to rebellion: “Break the machine.” A few hours earlier, the series’ iconic star, Jennifer Lawrence, had posted a photo of herself on social media with three fingers raised, urging people to go out and vote.

This gesture, which has become a universal call to rebellion against authoritarianism, has been adopted in numerous protests around the world—from the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong to the Black Lives Matter movement. As early as 2014, students in Thailand raised three fingers to protest against a military coup, as did protesters in Myanmar in 2021. In both of these countries, the gesture is considered illegal and can even lead to imprisonment.

(Click here for the original French version of this article.)

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

View from the UK: The international anti-war movement is growing.

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Latest newsletter of the Stop the War Coalition,

The international anti-war movement is growing. People across the world are beginning to connect their crumbling standards of living with wars and militarism and are increasingly joining the dots between oppression at home and war overseas.

War and its domestic impact cost Trump the midterm elections. Palestine was also on the ballot, hence Trump’s announcement over military aid to Israel moments before the polls opened.

The mass protests across Europe, whether initially sparked by dilapidated schools or a housing crisis, are drawing links between rearmament and austerity. Anti-war placards and Palestine flags are everywhere. The international youth and student day of action called at the London anti-war conference in June is looking to be huge across the continent.

Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

International Youth Strike against War

On November 20, thousands of students across the UK and internationally will walk out of their schools, colleges and universities against the drive to war, the militarisation of education and the austerity that comes with it.

Here the education unions are supporting the student action. The UCU has called a day of action to coincide with the students and the NEU is backing the protests.

From Brighton to Edinburgh students are saying no to war and militarism. In London there will be a rally in Trafalgar Square where students from across the capital will come together at 1pm following uni and college walk-outs.

International Day of Action against War

On the following day, Saturday, November 21, there will be protests in towns and cities across the country. Similar protests are expected to take place around Europe.

Andy Burnham may have called for de-escalation in the Middle East but he is still sending fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to aid in the assault on Yemen and giving his full support to the war in Ukraine.

In London there will be a protest outside Downing Street at midday. A peace conference is being held in Preston. In Manchester, StW is supporting the Lucas Plan 50 years anniversary conference. Other protests and actions are taking place in Liverpool, Brighton, Bristol, Cardiff, Newcastle, Birmingham, Glasgow.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

How Social Media “Pumped Up” the Protests in Serbia

. DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION .

An article by Igor Išpanović in the website of Heinrich Böll Stiftung published
28 October 2025

(Editor’s note: The recent victory of the student list in the presidential election of Serbia was an important surprise and inspired us to seek out this article about how their movement was developed)

The wave of anti-corruption protests that began at the end of 2024 is unprecedented in its scope in Serbia’s democratic history. The ways students used popular digital platforms deserve credit for this.


A video of the student list electoral victory published on facebook.

Only a few months after people in Serbia took to the streets to protest government corruption, fears emerged that the protests would fizzle out. Cold weather and the approaching winter holiday period did not inspire hope that the momentum that students had previously contributed to by blocking major university centers in the country could be maintained. However, it was precisely in that uncertain moment that the expression “pump it up!” started to be heard more and more loudly among those present at the protests. It would soon become one of the rallying cries of the demonstrations. Reddit users played a key role in spreading this protest slang, which signals that the protestors’ efforts must be redoubled and that giving up is not an option.

According to comments on this online forum, the phrase was first used by user Pharaoh01414, reacting to events in the country during the holiday season, urging people, in all caps lock, to “go harder” and “just pump” until all the demands are fulfilled. The expression went viral, and the frenzied spread of this form of digital chanting was aided by a video clip from several years ago, which users dug up, featuring popular turbo-folk singer Darko Lazić shouting this very slogan at a wedding. On YouTube alone, that video currently has nearly one and a half million views.

Virality is becoming an increasingly important resource for social movements and activists. It allows for an incredibly rapid spread of information, which is why some scientists compare this phenomenon to contagion. Popular digital platforms are fertile ground for this, especially because they encourage or “reward” with visibility content that features emotions, from laughter to disgust and anger. Finally, amenable to so many different interpretations and adaptations, viral material becomes an unavoidable part of online discussions and spills over into the offline world.

The students have skillfully used the infrastructure of digital platforms and created a network that enabled them to instantly circulate and highlight the information they wanted. “Pump it up!” thus immediately appeared in many humorous posts, video montages, and memes. At the same time, it became the main chant and rallying cry at protests, inspired banners and performances (such as when citizens of Kragujevac used their bodies to form the shape of a pump to support the students who were cycling to Strasbourg), and entered other aspects of everyday life. This (un)seriousness served as living proof and a constant reminder that protest energy must not and will not subside.

Digital Natives Against Protest Fatigue

Demonstrations have become part of everyday life for Serbia’s residents, especially since Aleksandar Vučić, leader of the Serbian Progressive Party, who had been serving as Prime Minister, took over as President in 2017. From protests “Against Dictatorship,” through revolts against the planned Rio Tinto lithium mining project, to “Serbia Against Violence” and outpourings of collective grief and anger over two mass shootings, citizens have had countless reasons to take to the streets in recent years. However, in the previous decade, few such rebellions have resulted in the desired political outcome. This has led to disappointment and exhaustion among participants. Such accumulated negative feelings would spill over into the next protest cycle, causing the initial enthusiasm to fade faster and faster.

Scientists have called this phenomenon protest fatigue, and it manifests both physically and psychologically. It is not only a consequence of long-term emotional commitment to the goals of a certain movement and the physical effort exerted to achieve them, but is also caused by activists’ and protestors’ experiences of being threatened, subjected to police brutality and arrests, especially in undemocratic regimes. However, during the current wave of protests, students stood out as leaders of an all-encompassing social discontent. Many of them belong to “Generation Z,” and for most of them, this is their first serious political engagement. Their more direct involvement in protests, as well as the use of social media for broader mobilization, breathed essential energy into maintaining protest momentum in the fight against the authoritarian government of the Serbian Progressive Party.

Shortly after the students blocked their faculties, more than fifty Instagram accounts were created for various faculties. Moreover, they established a central account @studenti_u_blokadi (students_in_blockade) for communication and coordination of joint activities on this platform. According to research conducted by Radio Free Europe, this account has more followers than President Vučić, the Serbian Progressive Party, and the Serbian Socialist Party combined.

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Questions related to this article:

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

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These numbers are not surprising given the differences in media use in Serbia between people who favor the parties in power versus those closer to opposition actors. According to Reuters’ Digital News Report from 2022, TV is the main source of news for people with who favor the ruling coalition, while those who favor opposition parties, it is social media and online portals. Regardless, Serbia’s citizens are increasingly migrating to digital platforms in search of information, and in this regard, they have held the leading spot in Europe for several years.

On one hand, the blockading students’ Instagram profiles primarily serve as alternative media outlets, featuring news about events related to the blockades, calls for protests, appeals for donations. On the other hand, on X or TikTok, the students take a much more casual approach, posting humorous content, snippets from everyday life during blockades, and emotionally colored viewpoints. All of these accounts are managed by so-called working groups for media or public relations. They are registered for each faculty and function as smaller, relatively autonomous units within the broader organizational infrastructure of the faculty. Their task is to come up with content for the respective platforms, write statements, communicate with citizens, and mediate between journalists and students.

Protest “Hype,” or How Students Gave Citizens the ‘Green Light’

If each of the fifty identified Instagram accounts of the students’ blockade has a counterpart on just one more platform, such as X or TikTok, this would mean their online network comprises over a hundred accounts. Such a massive digital presence enables them to instantly make information or an event go viral, making it the first post citizens see when they open their applications. They achieve this through additional networking via various options offered by these platforms — sharing Instagram stories or tweets, as well as posting joint content, which is crucial for smaller faculties that are not sufficiently visible on their own.

This visibility is especially important when it comes to calls for protests and street actions, where the goal of the posts is not only to inform but also to mobilize citizens to take to the streets. In these cases, the students have particularly harnessed the logic of digital platforms to their advantage by gradually building “hype,” creating an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation before each major protest. Each of them having been given a memorable and catchy name, they become the main topic of conversation, weeks in advance.

Among these campaigns, the one preceding the “See You on Vidovdan” protest on June 28 particularly stands out. The high level of anticipation was also in part due to the fact that it was the first major protest announced after a months-long pause following the largest protest gathering in Serbia’s democratic history, that had taken place in mid-March. The announcement of this protest was accompanied by a short video of a traffic collapse featuring footage of a traffic light changing color from red to green. The motif of the ‘green light’ then frequently appeared in posts from various students’ blockade accounts, as did the cryptic message “you will have the green light.” The students did not offer an explanation of this ‘green light’ at the time, which completely captured the citizens’ attention, and the topic kept coming up in their conversations and speculations.

Then, a few days before the protest, the students posted two demands to the authorities as an ultimatum to be fulfilled by 9 p.m. on the day of the protest. More than one hundred thousand people gathered at that protest, and the mystery of the ‘green light’ was solved just before it ended. That was when the students’ social media accounts began counting down the time that remained until the deadline they had set for the authorities — the first post was red, the second yellow, and the third green. This was also a signal to Serbia’s residents to engage in civil disobedience in response to the authorities’ failure to fulfill the demands, and that call resulted in a transition to a new phase of struggle and massive traffic blockades that followed in the coming days and months.

On the Reach of Virality, and Other Concluding Considerations

With the help of popular digital platforms and new technologies, the students have creatively and thoughtfully created an atmosphere of long-term protest readiness. However, on social media, attention is a precious resource, and it is very easy to fall into the trap of being overwhelmed and oversaturated with information. This is an especially thin line when it comes to viral content that often activates intense emotional responses with, in the context of the protests, a constant sense of urgency and the importance of every event. In this sense, the point at which the momentum of the protests was most threatened was precisely after June 28. That is when other social groups started to mobilize, gathered primarily around local assemblies. Suddenly, calls for action began to come more frequently and from multiple sides, and citizens were put in a position to weigh which struggle was more important to prevent burnout in the long run. Therefore, it is essential that this additional decentralization of protests be supported by better coordination between different actors to prevent the fragmentation of engagement and dwindling numbers on the streets.

Moreover, virality can also work in the opposite direction. One consequence of prolonged struggle is the adaptation of undemocratic regimes to the tactics of social movements, especially on digital platforms. Fake news and disinformation are the perfect viral content whose circulation aims to, among other things, cast doubt on facts and stifle space for discussion. Furthermore, the example of the phrase “ćaci” shows that the authorities have also become skilled in using social media logic. This word, which appeared at roughly the same time as “pump it up!”, refers to ignorant and corrupt people who support the current regime for personal gain. However, high-ranking officials and party members soon began identifying themselves as ‘ćaci,’ and President Aleksandar Vučić marked Students’ Day on April 4 by posting on Instagram a photo of himself in a T-shirt with the inscription “I’m a ćaci too.” Then, before the Vidovdan protest, a banner appeared saying “Better ćaci than Nazi” on the fenced section in front of the National Assembly. The latest in a series of viral iterations is the song “Better to Be a Ćaci” created using artificial intelligence. Although it has only about one hundred fifty thousand views on YouTube, it has become a popular musical background on TikTok and Instagram.

Finally, research is divided on the form of engagement encouraged by using digital platforms. On one hand, some speak of so-called “clicktivism,” the idea that liking, commenting, and sharing posts rarely translates into more serious social action. On the other hand, one of the most comprehensive studies on social media and engagement claims that access to these online forums affects a higher degree of political participation. One thing is certain — there are more and more protests worldwide, especially those originating from digital space. The next step is to use protest momentum in the social media era to create stronger and more consolidated movements fighting for social change, and students in Serbia have laid excellent foundations for this.

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DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

France’s religious leaders appeal for peace and sustained dialogue

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Vatican News

As Pope Leo XIV meets with French religious leaders in Metz, representatives of various religions release an appeal for sustained dialogue and efforts for peace in the world.

Religious leaders in France have affirmed their determination to serve “the whole human family together,” issuing an appeal for dialogue, fraternity, reconciliation, and peace in the presence of Pope Leo XIV.

The Metz Appeal looks back to the Assisi appeal forty years ago, warning that humanity faces a new turning point amid war, inequality, ecological instability, and technological transformations.

These upheavals, the leaders say, call religious communities to act together by protecting human dignity and caring for others.

Pope in Metz: God never inspires anything that disfigures human dignity 

 

The appeal stresses that peace means more than the absence of war. It requires justice, respect for human dignity, solidarity between peoples and generations, and shared care for “our common home.”

The leaders condemn discrimination and hate speech, expressing particular indignation at the resurgence in France of attacks against people and places of worship because of their origins or faith.

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(Click here for an article in Spanish)

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

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They also reject “the poison of totalitarianism,” recalling the suffering it inflicted on Lorraine.

“We affirm together that neither the name of God nor any religious truth or spiritual tradition may ever be invoked to justify violence and hatred,” they declare.

Dialogue, prayer, meditation and spiritual practice can open paths towards peace, the appeal says, noting that work for peace begins within each person, by recognizing and disarming whatever fuels fear and rejection of others.

Education and reconciliation

Acknowledging the wounds left by violence and misunderstanding, the religious leaders reject vengeance and humiliation, and commit themselves to becoming agents of reconciliation.

They describe religions as a privileged path towards the “unarmed and disarming peace” called for by Pope Leo XIV.

Building a culture of peace, they insist, requires both personal courage and collective commitment, involving families, schools, sports and leisure organizations, and religious communities.

The appeal concludes with three commitments: to pursue sustained and rigorous dialogue; to teach younger generations about one another’s traditions; and to stand together, even in adversity, to promote justice and peace.

Peace is built daily through respect and friendship, the leaders say, expressing hope that their gathering will awaken consciences and bear lasting fruit.

They ask that the Metz Appeal become “a compass of hope,” reminding everyone that “no lasting peace can be built without others or against them.”

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Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

‘The Bastille Has Been Retaken,’ Declares Mélenchon as Student-Led Protests Hit New Heights in France

TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article by Brad Reed in Common Dreams

High school students across France on Thursday once again took to the streets to protest against against the state of the country’s schools.

Euronews, citing information from France’s Interior Ministry, reported that 71,500 people took part in Thursday’s protests.

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See also:

‘Savagery’: Horrific Injuries as French Police Crack Down on Nationwide Student Protests

‘This Is Going Global’: Anti-Austerity Protests Spread From Spain and France to Chile, Belgium, and Beyond

Students taking part in the nationwide protests have been joined by teachers and parents, as well as members of labor unions who earlier this week marched in solidarity.

The demonstrations began in the suburbs of Paris last month, where students blockaded their schools to protest staffing shortages, dilapidated buildings, and a university application system that has been criticized for keeping students in the dark for months about their acceptance into programs.

In an interview with NPR published Thursday, 19-year-old French student Clara Houssain described the conditions of schools that were leading to the demonstrations.

“There’s rats in the schools,” said Houssain. “There’s holes in the windows… it’s not suitable conditions to study. They don’t have a French teacher for six months. And then we’re asked to pass an exam, and that exam is supposed to be fair. But it’s not fair if you haven’t had a teacher for six months.”

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Questions related to this article:

Is there a renewed movement of solidarity by the new generation?

(Article continued from the left column)

Jean-Luc Mélenchon, leader of the left-wing French party , France Insoumise, took to social media on Thursday to celebrate the success of the student demonstrations.

“The Bastille has been retaken,” he wrote, while posting a video of demonstrators at the July Column in Paris, built to commemorate the Revolution of 1830. “Powerful demonstration by the youth who carry their demands in the most beautiful way possible! Immense pride.”

The Guardian reported on Thursday that Édouard Geffray, the French education minister, met with students and teachers in the city of Reims and pledged to implement “an emergency plan to ensure absent teachers can be replaced on a long-term basis,” and to initiate a review of the university application system.

However, high school student union leaders who spoke with The Guardian said they were underwhelmed by the government’s promises so far.

Student leader Ryad Rani told the newspaper that the demonstrations “will continue,” accusing the government of offering “no concrete measures whatsoever, no response to our demands.”

Sabrine Kharbach similarly said that the protests would not stop “for as long as €10 billion hasn’t been put on the table,” a reference to the amount of money organizers say is needed for education investment.

A Paris secondary school teacher identified as Cathy said in an interview with Euronews that the student revolt had been brewing for a long time.

“The students have demands that are very close to the ones teachers have been putting forward years,” she explained. “The system is degraded and it’s because there has been no response for so long, that this is happening.”

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Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

UNESCO: Young Leaders Call for a New Culture of Peace

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

An article from UNESCO

Young leaders gathered at UNESCO Headquarters and the Sorbonne in Paris to present the Call by Young People and a Young People’s Reflection Document, the outcome of a youth-led reflection on the future of UNESCO’s mandate.

Conducted in the summer of 2026 with the support of France, bringing together the voices of 145 young leaders from 135 countries, the initiative calls for a new culture of peace in the minds of women and men for the twenty-first century.


Frame from video on Twitter (X)

Presenting the Call and Reflection Document in Paris

On 3 and 4 September 2026, eleven young leaders brought their ideas into direct dialogue with Khaled El-Enany, Director-General of UNESCO, and H.E. Mr Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, during events held at UNESCO Headquarters and at France’s Fabrique de la Diplomatie at the Sorbonne.

The Director-General and the Minister recognized the importance of youth engagement for peace and the critical role that young people must play in addressing the challenges of today’s world. Their exchanges with the young leaders called for placing youth not at the margins of the discussion, but at its very center.

The Director-General highlighted that: “Peace […] requires creativity, imagination, patience and tools. The role of UNESCO is precisely to provide new generations with these tools.”

Mr Jean-Noël Barrot, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, stated: “UNESCO perhaps embodies, more than any other entity within the United Nations system, the spirit of peace. This spirit of peace is inherently a spirit of the future, one that it falls to young people to uphold, nurture and pass on to future generations.”

The Call and the Reflection Document put forward concrete proposals on how UNESCO’s founding mandate to build peace can continue to be translated into ambitious and effective action, particularly in times of crisis.

They call for deeper and more meaningful youth participation in decision-making and for greater investment in key areas of UNESCO’s mandate, from inclusive education to climate action, from Open Science to the ethical development of artificial intelligence, and from the protection of cultural heritage to access to reliable information.

The documents emphasize the importance of empowering young people as partners in addressing global challenges, strengthening resilience in times of crisis, and promoting intercultural dialogue. They also underline the need to ensure that UNESCO’s normative leadership translates into tangible benefits for communities, particularly those that are underserved, affected by conflict, or vulnerable to climate change.

Youth as a Priority Group

In line with UNESCO’s designation of youth as a global priority, this consultation is a strong example of the Organization’s commitment to creating meaningful opportunities for young people to contribute to its strategic thinking and to work alongside UNESCO in the implementation of its programmes.

The Call by Young People is being presented as part of the broader UNESCO80 reform initiative for consideration by UNESCO’s Member States at the Executive Board session to be held in October 2026.

Text of the Call by Young People for a New Culture of Peace

Call by Young People for a New Culture of Peace in the minds of women and men for the 21st century Paris, 3 September 2026

We, 145 youth leaders from 135 Member States and Associate Members, representing diverse regions, contexts and lived experiences across the world, brought together through the UNESCO 14th Youth Forum and on the occasion of the Organization’s eightieth anniversary,

Recall that UNESCO was founded on the conviction that, since wars begin in the minds of women and men, it is in those minds that the defences of peace must be constructed — and affirm that this remains an unfinished task, not a historical statement.

Observe that peace today is threatened as much by structural violence, displacement, planetary crisis, and the erosion of trust within and between communities and generations as by armed conflict. Education, sciences, culture, as well as communication and information can either help prevent these threats or, when poorly governed, further undermine the foundations of peace. In an era reshaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological development, these fields are also increasingly intertwined with digital environments that can amplify mis- and disinformation, polarization and division, while also creating new opportunities for dialogue and learning.

Determined to apply the lessons of our history in order to prevent conflicts by addressing their root causes and to resolve problems through dialogue.

Recognize that social cohesion and intergenerational solidarity are essential components for lasting peace, and that addressing discrimination, exclusion and inequality, while creating meaningful opportunities for dialogue, cooperation and shared cultural life, can strengthen trust within and between communities and generations, as well as contribute to more inclusive, peaceful and resilient societies.

Underline that young people are already taking action — as mediators, researchers, educators, and builders of digital and cultural spaces — yet too often without the recognition, resources or meaningful role in decision-making needed to sustain and strengthen their contributions.

Call on UNESCO, its Member States and their partners to turn these principles into sustained action through the following measures:

1. Embed youth partnership in decision-making systemically and structurally.

Youth participation in peace processes, conflict prevention and reconciliation remains far too limited today. In line with Security Council Resolution 2250, youth must therefore be better recognized as partners in conflict prevention and peacebuilding and included in institutional mechanisms for conflict prevention and mediation.

Within UNESCO, youth engagement should evolve from consultation to meaningful partnership. This means ensuring that opportunities to provide input are complemented by meaningful participation in decision-making: youth representation in National Commissions and Delegations to the General Conference, and in mechanisms such as the SDG 4 Youth & Student Network which ensures that youth are represented in education decision-making bodies alongside ministers. It also requires systematic follow-up: consultations, including this one, should be followed by public reporting on the recommendations adopted, actions taken in response, and the implementation outcomes. UNESCO should build on the Global Youth Grant Scheme and networks such as the Youth Climate Action Network to connect, resource and give visibility to youth-led initiatives already under way, rather than creating parallel structures, with particular attention to young women and girls, Indigenous youth, youth in African and Afro-descendant communities, youth from Small Island Developing States, as well as youth from marginalized and underserved communities.

2. Treat education as the first line of defence against hatred and division.

Discrimination and hate speech, online and in classrooms, disproportionately affect youth, especially girls and minorities. It can deepen existing divisions within communities, making inclusive and peaceoriented education essential to build understanding, challenge harmful narratives and strengthen social cohesion. Education has a critical role in equipping young people with the knowledge, skills and values needed to navigate differences, challenge harmful narratives and participate constructively in society.

(Click here for the article in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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UNESCO’s Recommendation on Education for Peace, Human Rights and Sustainable Development, media and information literacy, digital citizenship, social and emotional learning, and the non-violent handling of disagreement should be integrated into school curricula and teacher training as core components of education. This should be complemented by clear guidance to distinguish hate speech from legitimate criticism and disagreement, strengthen civic education and critical-thinking skills, and equip teachers to recognize and address discrimination and hate speech. To this end, national education policies should also include frameworks to protect minors and other vulnerable groups from violent, hateful and manipulative online content. Schools should further promote a “language of peace”, equipping young people with the skills to express disagreement constructively, engage in dialogue and navigate differences without hostility or violence. Curricula should also reflect the histories and contributions of African and Afro-descendant people as well as Indigenous peoples on their own terms, including their cultures, knowledge systems and diverse contributions. In crisis and conflict settings, where schools serve not only as places of learning but also as spaces for protection and psychosocial support, UNESCO, Member States and relevant partners should invest in continuity plans, cross-border recognition of learning, and the reopening of schools wherever conditions allow.

3. Turn memory and culture into bridges for mutual understanding, not battlegrounds for division.

The traumas of history cannot be overcome through silence or by forgetting; a peaceful future requires acknowledging the past and learning from it. When history and culture are used to divide, they can entrench mistrust and resentment. Teaching the history of conflict should be evidence-based, open to multiple perspectives, and designed to build empathy rather than resentment, drawing on UNESCO’s Programme on Holocaust and Genocide Education and its Memory of the World Programme to keep archives, testimonies and documentary heritage accessible to educators and young people. Youth meaningful participation can be fostered through initiatives such as oral history projects, community mediation, and digital efforts to counter misleading information and harmful narratives. Tangible and intangible cultural heritage, as well as Indigenous knowledge systems, require the same level of protection: stronger risk assessment and preparedness before conflict, and genuine accountability for attacks against them during conflict.

Protecting cultural heritage and the memory of the world is not only about preserving the past; it also helps sustain cultural continuity and enables communities and generations to engage with history, different perspectives and identity in ways that foster mutual understanding. Cultural exchange and engagement with different historical memories can create space for mutual understanding, helping communities encounter one another beyond inherited narratives of division, particularly in contexts shaped by historical conflict. This also highlights the importance of supporting teachers in connecting historical memory to reconciliation and the prevention of future violence.

4. Advance Open Science and access to knowledge as pillars for peace.

Science education and critical thinking can strengthen resilience to information manipulation and polarization, particularly in digital spaces. Open Science complements these efforts by making scientific knowledge more accessible, shareable and inclusive across communities and borders. Yet financial, technological and linguistic barriers continue to limit access to scientific knowledge, especially for researchers and institutions with fewer resources. Open Science should therefore support equitable participation in scientific collaboration, publishing, innovation and knowledge creation through investment in digital infrastructure, connectivity, scientific capacities and science communication. UNESCO’s 2023 Open Science Outlook reports that only around one-third of academic articles published between 2000 and 2021 were openly available, rising to around half for articles published in 2021. By strengthening international scientific cooperation, enabling knowledge-sharing across borders and connecting researchers and communities around shared challenges, Open Science can contribute to a culture of peace. This should include advancing the proposed Global Open Science Fund – supporting countries and communities in developing the capacities needed to participate in and benefit from Open Science. Together, these efforts position science and knowledge as drivers of peace, strengthening international cooperation and informed decision-making, which are essential to solving today’s complex global challenges.

5. Defend the integrity of information as a condition for peace.

Dis- and misinformation can spread faster than reliable information can be verified or corrected, while an estimated 2.6 billion people remain offline, with access most limited in low-income developing countries. A safe and inclusive information environment requires both closing the digital divide and strengthening the quality and diversity of information available to communities. This includes accessible information, community-based fact-checking, local-language journalism, greater transparency around the systems that shape what information people encounter, as well as stronger protection for journalists, whose killings rose by 38 per cent in 2022–2023 alongside an impunity rate of 85 per cent in 2024. UNESCO should build further on its Guidelines for the Governance of Digital Platforms and the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists, while supporting independent journalism, community media and spaces for young people, particularly those in rural and marginalized communities, to access information and participate in civic life.

6. Govern artificial intelligence to serve peace rather than division.

Artificial Intelligence trained on a narrow range of languages and cultural contexts can reproduce the inequalities it claims to address, and without appropriate safeguards, its use may contribute to bias, surveillance and discrimination, particularly affecting young people. UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence requires stronger implementation in practice, including independent and periodic scrutiny of AI systems for bias and disparities in content moderation, ethical impact assessments involving diverse populations, and greater transparency around AI-generated content and the algorithms that shape content recommendations.

As digital spaces have become increasingly central in young people’s lives, youth should be meaningfully included in discussions on how these digital spaces and technologies are governed. Young people should be recognized not only as users of AI systems, but as partners in shaping the policies and systems that affect their lives, while supporting them in developing the AI literacy skills needed to participate meaningfully in these processes. Given the distinct and rapidly evolving impacts of artificial intelligence on young people, UNESCO and its Member States should explore, through the appropriate processes and with the meaningful participation of young people and relevant partners, whether the existing normative framework should be complemented by youth-focused guidance, including, as appropriate, a dedicated standard-setting instrument on youth and artificial intelligence. Any such work should build on and complement UNESCO’s Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence, with particular attention to young people’s rights, safety, well-being, agency and meaningful participation throughout the AI life cycle.

Beyond these safeguards, it is essential to address inequalities in access to AI and its impact on youth employment, while ensuring that its benefits are shared equitably through the development of local skills and capacities.

7. Safeguard education, sciences, culture as well as communication and information for a culture of peace in times of conflict and crisis.

While prevention and early action to address the root causes of conflict and crisis must remain a priority, when crises and conflicts do occur, education, sciences, culture, and communication and information must be protected from disruption. An estimated 272 million children and youth were out of school in 2023, a figure UNESCO itself considers an underestimate due to data gaps in conflict-affected countries and regions. The rights to education and to participate in cultural life, as well as the right to share in scientific advancement and its benefits, must be upheld even in situations of displacement, crisis and conflict. By protecting access to learning, cultural expression, knowledge, and reliable information during crises, UNESCO and Member States can help preserve the connections, cooperation and shared understanding on which peace depends. This should include expanding the UNESCO Qualifications Passport to ensure that displaced students’ qualifications and previous studies are recognized across borders, establishing pre-arranged financing through mechanisms such as the SDG4 Emergency Fund, and providing support for young researchers and knowledge holders working under conflict or crisisrelated pressures. In times of crisis and conflict, maintaining access to reliable information is equally important to sustaining education, scientific cooperation and cultural life, helping communities remain connected and able to respond to challenging circumstances. Together, these measures help safeguard UNESCO’s fields of education, sciences, culture, and communication and information as essential pillars of a culture of peace.

Looking Ahead

These recommendations will only matter if they are followed through with and by youth. We call for transparent follow-up on the conclusions of this consultation, reflecting the standards of transparency we are asking UNESCO to foster in its work. UNESCO’s mandate to build the defences of peace in the minds of women and men was written for a different century, but it was written to last. Eighty years on, it falls to this generation, working alongside UNESCO, its Member States and their partners, to carry that mandate into an era of profound societal, environmental and technological change, shaped by planetary boundaries and an increasingly fragmented international landscape. We must ensure that the peace envisioned by UNESCO becomes a peace we truly get to live in.

Together, we call for a new culture of peace for the 21st century: one that we build across generations, make a reality in our time, and pass on to those who come after

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Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

Indonesia: Building peace from the slopes of Mount Muria

TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY .

An article by Teguh Karyanto from Anabaptist World

Wiyata Wacana Christian Religious College (STAKWW), in collaboration with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC), held a peace curriculum development discussion with Christians and Muslims on the slopes of Mount Muria, Central Java, on May 6, 2026. — Ellia Christin Wardhani

The demonstration that led to the Aug. 13, 2025, demonstration  in Pati, Central Java, is a reminder that the need for education that builds a culture of peace is becoming increasingly urgent. Differences in interests and views can easily develop into violence if not managed through dialogue and peaceful conflict resolution. This condition shows that peace is not just an ideal, but a skill and value that needs to be built in social life.

Building on this awareness, the Wiyata Wacana Christian Religious College (STAKWW), in collaboration with Mennonite Central Committee, held a peace curriculum development discussion on the slopes of Mount Muria, Central Java, on May 6. This activity brought together academics, church leaders, peace practitioners and international partners to formulate a curriculum that is able to instill the values of peace, reconciliation, justice and conflict transformation in theology education in Indonesia.

Through the development of this curriculum, STAKWW and MCC hope to prepare church and community leaders who not only have a strong theological understanding, but are also able to become agents of peace who bring dialogue, strengthen reconciliation and build a more just and harmonious coexistence in a pluralistic society. Here are five things about peace service.

1. STAKWW Pati initiates peace curriculum development

This discussion is a strategic step for STAKWW in developing a curriculum that is relevant to the challenges of the pluralistic life of the Indonesian people. The participants had a dialogue about concepts, learning materials, teaching methods and the implementation of peace education in the context of the church and society. This activity is expected to produce a curriculum that is not only academic, but also shapes the character of students as peacemakers. Through collaboration between academics, practitioners and church leaders, this curriculum is designed to be able to respond to the needs of community service and empowerment in a contextual manner. This discussion found topics of nonviolent learning and conflict transformation.

2. The slopes of Mount Muria become a space for peace reflection

The choice of location on the slopes of Mount Muria, which is on the north coast of Java, has its own meaning. The region, which is known as a place for a tradition of dialogue, tolerance and harmonious community life, was the right space for reflection to discuss the values of peace. The calm atmosphere encouraged participants to hold deep conversations about the importance of education as a means of social transformation. In addition to being a place for discussion, the beautiful natural environment also invited participants to reflect on the relationship between spirituality, concern for others and responsibility for creation. This learning experience that is integrated with the local context strengthens the participants’ commitment to bring the values of peace into their daily lives and ministry.

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Question for this article

Religion: a barrier or a way to peace?, What makes it one or the other?

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3. MCC shows commitment to peace education

This activity received support from Mennonite Central Committee, which is strongly committed to promoting peace, reconciliation and community development. MCC’s support for the development of a peace curriculum in Indonesia, as well as strengthening cooperation between theological educational institutions and international networks, are building a culture of peace. Through this partnership, STAKWW Pati has the opportunity to enrich a global perspective while developing an educational approach that remains rooted in the local Indonesian context. Continued collaboration is expected to encourage the birth of various educational, research and community service initiatives oriented towards peaceful transformation.

4. Cross-generational and cross-institutional collaboration

The discussion brought together lecturers, researchers, church leaders, students and international partners in an open-dialogue atmosphere. Various experiences and perspectives were shared to enrich the preparation of the peace curriculum, so as to be able to respond to the challenges of social conflict, cultural diversity and the needs of the church in building a peaceful coexistence. Such cross-background interactions create mutually enriching learning spaces, where each participant can contribute based on their experience and expertise. Through collaborative dialogue, participants also identified various learning strategies that encourage students to become agents of peace who are able to bring reconciliation in society.

5. Building a generation of peacemakers

Through this activity, STAKWW affirmed its commitment to produce graduates who not only have theological competence, but also become agents of peace in society. The peace curriculum is expected to be the foundation for the birth of church and community leaders who are able to build dialogue, strengthen reconciliation, and present the values of love, justice, and peace in the life of the nation and state. Through an integrative learning process, students will be equipped with the knowledge, skills, and character needed to respond to various social problems wisely and constructively. Thus, STAKWW hopes that its graduates can make a real contribution to the realization of an inclusive, harmonious, and empowered community in facing various challenges in the future.

The discussion on the development of the Peace Curriculum at STAKWW is an important milestone in strengthening the role of theological education as a means of social transformation. With the support of MCC and the collaboration of various parties, this initiative is expected to give birth to a contextual peace education model, rooted in Christian values, and able to make a real contribution to the realization of a peaceful, inclusive and civilized Indonesian society.

More than just curriculum development, this initiative is a long-term investment to shape a generation of church leaders, educators, and agents of change who are able to build dialogue, manage conflicts constructively, and bring about reconciliation in a pluralistic society. From the slopes of Mount Muria, STAKWW and MCC affirmed their commitment to continue to knit a web of peace through education, so that the values of love, justice and respect for the dignity of every human being can be realized in the life of society, nation and state.

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Teguh Karyanto is a pastor at Javanese Mennonite Church (GITJ) Pesantenan Pati, lecturer of Wiyata Wacana Seminary Indonesia, secretary of GITJ Synod, member of Global Anabaptist Higher Education Network (GAHEN) and specialist of Mission Commission under Mennonite World Conference (MWC).

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East Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

The Peace Makers Academy 2026 is accepting applications for an international peace hackathon in Paris

. TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY .

Special to CPNN from the Peace Makers Academy

At a time when societies across the world face increasing polarization, conflict and uncertainty, the Peace Makers Academy 2026 will bring together 25 young leaders from diverse nationalities for an intensive four-day international experience dedicated to peacebuilding, leadership and collaborative action.

This year’s edition is built around the theme “From Resources to Peace: Science, Innovation and Citizen Action”.

Organized in Paris from 15 to 18 October 2026, the Peace Makers Academy is far more than a training program. Designed as a three-day international Peace Hackathon, the Academy combines experiential learning, intercultural dialogue and project-based collaboration to empower participants to become concrete actors of peace within their communities.

Built around the conviction that peace is a skill that can be learned, practiced and multiplied, the Academy offers participants a comprehensive 360-degree approach to peacebuilding through expert-led workshops, simulations, keynote lectures and collaborative challenges.

Rather than focusing solely on theory, the program encourages participants to design practical and innovative responses to real societal challenges. Throughout the event, interdisciplinary teams will work together to develop initiatives capable of creating measurable local and international impact.

From dialogue to action

One of the Academy’s defining features is its action-oriented methodology.
Instead of limiting discussions to global challenges, participants are invited to co-create practical solutions addressing issues such as social cohesion, inclusion, dialogue, youth engagement and community resilience.

The hackathon serves as a laboratory for innovation where participants move rapidly from identifying challenges to designing impactful initiatives that can be implemented beyond the Academy.

This emphasis on implementation reflects a broader vision of peace—not merely as the absence of conflict, but as the active construction of inclusive, resilient and cooperative societies.

Building an international network for peace

Beyond technical skills, the Academy seeks to create a lasting international community of changemakers.

(Click here for the article in French.)

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Question related to this article:
 
Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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Participants will have the opportunity to establish professional relationships with experts, facilitators and fellow young leaders representing multiple countries and cultures. These connections are intended to continue long after the Academy concludes, encouraging future collaborations and cross-border initiatives.

Final round of applications

The final application round is now open for candidates wishing to join the 2026 cohort.

Young leaders, students, professionals, entrepreneurs and engaged citizens between 18 to 40 years old, with a strong interest in peacebuilding and international cooperation are encouraged to apply. The program will be conducted entirely in English.

Peace Makers Academy 2026
Dates: 15–18 October 2026
Location: Paris, France
Language: English
Participants: 25 selected candidates from diverse nationalities

As the final selection process begins, this is the last opportunity to become part of an international community committed to building peace through collaboration, innovation and leadership.

About JCI and JCI France

The Peace Makers Academy is organized by JCI France, the French national organization of Junior Chamber International (JCI).

Founded in 1915, Junior Chamber International is a global nonprofit organization of active young citizens aged 18 to 40, bringing together more than 160,000 members in over 100 countries and territories. JCI develops leadership through projects that create positive change in communities while advancing active citizenship, entrepreneurship, international cooperation and the achievement of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. JCI holds consultative status with the United Nations ECOSOC.

Through the Peace Makers Academy, JCI France contributes to this global mission by providing young leaders with practical peacebuilding skills, fostering intercultural dialogue and empowering participants to transform innovative ideas into tangible actions for more peaceful and inclusive societies.

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Press contact: Eva JOURJON — peace.academy@jcef.asso.fr — +33 6 29 09 87 21

(Editor’s note: On August 15, we spoke by telephone with Eva Jourjon who reassured us that applications are still being considered, despite information on the internet saying that applications are closed.)

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Europe, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

India and Pakistan: A Conversation That Refused To End

DISARMAMENT AND SECURITY .

Special to CPN from Nawal Amjad

On Thursday, 2 July 2026, people from two countries with one of the greatest global flashpoints came together — India and Pakistan. These countries fought a war last year, but here is thing about the need to pursue peace: it is not a permanent end goal but a continuous process — and every worthwhile process has to be revived like it did not exist, but also like it never stopped.

The event was hosted in collaboration by civil society organizations like, Socialist Yuvjan Sabha (India), Socialist Students’ Union (India) with Centre for Peace and Secular Studies (Pakistan), including luminaries like Dr. Sandeep Pandey, Ms. Lalita Ramdas and Ms. Diep Saeeda, who enabled the space for a discussion between people of the two countries.

The event was moderated by Rumaan Mecci (India) and Ahmad Raza (Pakistan), who navigated the event with all their light whether there was no electricity or internet (quite literally), or there were other bleak moments from some trolls in the audience that the moderators’ fellow, Rishi Anand helped keep away seamlessly.

If I have to begin with introducing this event, so it was a virtual dialogue themed on, ‘How can young people lead a new chapter of peace-building, democratic engagement and people-to-people diplomacy between Pakistan and India and create a shared future?’ Young changemakers along with individuals that have dedicated a substantial part of their lives to a Culture of Peace were there. And what is particularly special about this event is how it had enthusiastic participation from citizens from both countries, even expats who have spent years nurturing their and their polities’ identities abroad.

I was also honored to have been invited there because of my background with helping nourish a Culture of Peace in the last few years, and more recently, through my affiliation with Peace Manifesto 2025 and the Culture of Peace Corporation since last year.

When I had attended this dialogue, I did not maintain notes (something that I seldom forget when attending every webinar till date, even if I am a passive part of it), but in hindsight, I realized that perhaps making notes would have been a good way to document every noteworthy sentence that I heard in the discussion, however, some things need to be experienced — and so having chosen to be my usual geeky self would not have been this helpful.

What I in turn realized was that this event was indeed a watershed moment. Not because in the most academically fancy terms, changemakers, particularly young changemakers from two ‘archrivals’ came together one evening, but because an originally envisioned two-hour-long event went on for about almost four hours. If that surprised you, I’m not surprised, because that was the exact reaction of my mentor-boss, Professor David Adams, who has been one of the pioneers at UNESCO to have conceived the idea of a Culture of Peace for the whole world, decades ago and since then, he has not looked back from working for it despite what his friend-colleague described to him to be an increasingly apocaloptimistic world.

The need for a shared future

Monica Wahi, a prominent child film specialist from India opened the discussion by her reflections emphasizing upon the need for a ‘shared future’ — to this, I both responded and opened my address by saying that we would only need to have a shared future, if we had been divided — we were never really divided. I began by speaking about our ‘shared challenges’ as two struggling domestic polities: India, whom we clearly looked up to before the world’s greatest democracy increasingly began to deconsolidate, and our own democracy in Pakistan, having struggled to consolidate since forever.

Take the recent student protests in India for example. The National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET)’s leak in India is the same as the Medical and Dental College Test (MDCAT)’s leaks in Pakistan; besides, the unfair grading replete with discrepancies that led to reconduct of the former in Pakistan only speaks volumes of how ‘we are always in this together’ is an apt phrase to describe most of what we both suffer. In fact, when I saw the police dragging protesters and even India’s seasoned politician Rahul Gandhi upon the country’s streets, I asked my own audience on my private Instagram the other day that, ‘Can I also say that our democracies are Sanjhi? Sanjhi is a Punjabi language word used commonly by people of both sides of the border which translates to as, ‘shared’.

Now back to the dialogue. I spoke of our many commonalities using very distinct set of things, but each weaving into why or how we are not that divided, if only we admit to realize. For instance, I spoke of my childhood familiarization with the word, ‘actor’ through watching Shah Rukh Khan, Indian superstar whom I referred to as, ‘Sharo Khan’ for the longest time — my first vivid TV memory of childhood.

Similarly, when women in India and Pakistan, both have to constantly register their existence through apparently needing to ‘break a glass ceiling’ rather than realizing that the latter only concretizes it, and when the news of women’s abuse of any nature circulates in the media or otherwise, the reasons and ramifications on both sides of the border are not different. In fact, even when a 150-year-old tree in Lahore is cut and so is a 100-year-old tree in Nashik, India — the hue of cry in the civilized people of both sides of the border is the same — and the vested interests of the powers that be responsible and or complicit in these cases are also the same.

During the dialogue, I also drew attention to my belief in the power of SDG 4.7: the seventh target of the fourth Sustainable Development Goal, Education, which is about working for and embodying values and practices of Global Citizenship Education and Sustainability; the non-exceptionalist nature of climate change sparing no one; my love for what all India has done and continues to do for entrepreneurship — thanks to me marveling at (Shark Tank India) as one of the many emblems of what we got to learn from them; a need for a Joint Pakistan-India Parliament where the youth could discuss the day-to-day issues of ‘shared interest’; a Public Diplomacy Centre to deepen people-to-people connectivity between both nations and some form of a Public Interest Promotion Centre/ Declaration, that enables us to teach each other best practices on governance, foreign policy, education, public health-care, technology, entrepreneurship, media and of course, art, culture and entertainment — no matter our piercing differences continue to stare into our faces.

If I begin to describe everything said by everyone, the article would never end, but I still deem it necessary to share brief takeaways from my fellow youth panelists from within my country and across the border.

Opportunities for dialogue

Tiya Mhatre, a student based in AliBaugh near Mumbai, who is about to join UWC Pearson University and is passionate about UN simulation conferences (just like I used to be) said something really helpful, Tiya pointed out that while student diasporas are one of those key scarce spaces remaining for youth of both countries to connect to each other, there are more opportunities through universities and student communities that ought to be explored; may it be collaborating through dialogues like these; joint projects; cultural exchanges on areas like, climate change, public health-care, sustainability and innovation — because in Tiya’s eyes, lasting peace begins with trust and trust begins with conversation, and while the former cannot resolve complex regional issues, it can indeed preserve something essential, the willingness to ‘keep talking’.

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Questions for this article:

Can peace be established between India and Pakistan?

Solidarity across national borders, What are some good examples?

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Another fellow panelist, Kabir Rao, who is a student of philosophy and Arabic at the University of St Andrews from India, and besides his interests in politics and military affairs for the Middle East, he is also attempting to learn Urdu and Farsi — yes, you heard that right. A Hindu in India studying philosophy and Arabic. Learning Urdu and Farsi. Kabir emphasized on his turn about the organic link between our shared struggles for a non-militaristic, non-violent and democratic outlook and better relations with neighbors at home. He also highlighted the similarities between India and Pakistan’s ‘connected histories’ and our present-day struggles. He further argued that the working class in both countries, especially the young people within it ought to understand these similarities and base their struggles on them.

A poem than transcends national boundaries

Kabir ended his points by reciting a verse from a poem, ‘Black Out’ by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, a poet with ‘Pakistani origins’ and whose services for the country were oxygen for the progressive and democratic lungs of the country. The verse reads as,

ایک پل ٹھہرو کہ دریا کا کہیں پاٹ لگے
اور نیا دل میرا
زہر میں دھل کے، فنا ہو کے
کسی گھاٹ لگے
پھر پئے نذر نئے دیدہ و دل لے کے چلوں
حسن کی مدح کروں شوق کا مضمون لکھوں

Which translates to English as, ‘Wait a moment, so the river may somewhere find its shore, and my tender heart, washed in poison and dissolved, may reach a landing place.
Then I shall walk on, offering the lit lamps of my heart’s anguish, singing praises to beauty, and penning the treatise of longing.’

Such is our ‘shared’, or dare I say, inseparable history and legacy of our people, that is only telling of how profoundly we need a deliberate and a very consistent cultivation of a Culture of Peace.

Science and health transcend national boundaries

Another panelist, Iqra Preet, who is a PhD Biochemistry scholar and a researcher in nanotechnology-based treatment for multiple diseases based in Lahore, Pakistan said something that every other participant from (even within the audience) kept echoing till the end: how shared scientific research and investment in public health-care does not need to see who belongs to which nation. In my understanding, how a sample on a microscope, a DNA or a virus should override our very fragile fixation with our yet-to-understand fantasies of our so-called perfected nation-states.

Culture transcends national boundaries

Then it was Ritu Das, who is a queer feminist activist from Uttar Pradesh, based in Lucknow, India and is also a poet and has been active in the movement spaces for almost a decade. She utilized her turn by recalling her stay experience in a hotel in London. Among her hotel staff were two individuals — one, a Hindu Indian from Rajasthan — the other who was a Muslim from Bangladesh. To Ritu’s surprise, the connection felt and built more deeply and meaningfully with the Muslim from Bangladesh than her own fellow citizen.

According to Ritu, it was because of the cultural and linguistic boundaries that transcended the political border separating the region. It helped Ritu reinforce an important sociological insight: it is often our shared cultural and historical inheritances that sustain solidarities. In fact, Ritu’s grandmother’s narration of the violence events during partition taught Ritu something very poignant: she recounted violence with extreme ethical sensitivity and the latter was quoted by Ritu to have told them, ‘People of every community were killed and people of every community were forced to leave their homes, foregrounding human suffering rather than communal identity.’ As a member of a marginalized community, Ritu has witnessed Bangladeshi transgender communities drawing parallels between India’s Transgender Card Framework and Bangladesh’s Hijra Identity recognition, despite different political and legal systems — proving in the words of Ritu that, ‘struggles for dignity, recognition and justice frequently transcend national borders, producing what may be understood as transnational communities of care and resistance.’

The webinar was also attended by celebrated practitioners like, Sachendra Pratap Yadav, President of the Socialist Students’ Union and a PhD scholar at the BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, India; Sanjay Gadhalay, an engineer, entrepreneur and Climate activist from Hyderabad India; Mazher Hussain, who runs Confederation of Voluntary Agencies (COVA) from Hyderabad, India and is a long-time peace activist; Shivi Upadhyay, recent PhD scholar in social work from Delhi University and a development activist who works in Goa at present; Razi Raziuddin, who can be uniquely distinguished because he studied at both Aligarh University and Banaras Hindu University and now works as a scientist in the United States of America and runs a diaspora forum; Cedric Prakash, a Catholic priest and a prominent human rights activist from Ahmedabad, India; Father Anand, Catholic activist, priest and playwright from Varanasi, India; Sheema Kermani, prominent classical dancer, actor and social activist from Pakistan among others.

The conversation refuses to end

This convergence was not easy owing to trolls constantly trying to keep the moderators on their toes, and even us attendees wondering if it would go on smoothly? There was, of course, a shared anxiousness around letting the audiences also participate by risking giving them a mic. Some of them were trolls, but most of them were also equally or even more elated than us to have been there, and it is these same people, the common people, with whom the discussion went on for almost four hours. Some of these people contributed by narrating tales of being constantly anxiety-ridden because of growing up in a military background — and the very solid and legitimate fear of losing their loved ones. But there were also those that wanted to call a spade a spade, and hence demanded us to not pretend like everything was hunky dory, but to both acknowledge and embrace the discomfort — talk out loud about the elephant in the room, issues like cross-border terrorism and Kashmir to name a few. Others simply encouraged and looked forward to more honest and uncomfortable conversations regularly in the future.

Before the article’s title starts to influence me (and it literally never ends), I am thinking of concluding this piece just when I have heard about the education minister in India resigning — if this is true victory for people of India is premature to say because systemic changes have a long way to go before they bear fruits. Notwithstanding that the ‘cockroaches’ in India were heard, and a seed has to be planted somewhere for it to appear to be bearing fruits later — and that gives me: a cockroach in Pakistan — a glimmer of relief for the justice of the dozens of those innocent students, who lost their lives just because their system failed them. But whether it is the cockroaches in India or in Pakistan, the conversation hopefully refuses to end.

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, South Asia, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY

UNESCO Korean workshop: Translating Peace into Action

… TOLERANCE AND SOLIDARITY …

A page from Linked-in of Edvard Grigoryan

From declarations to action — translating peace into something you can actually feel.

This June, I had the honor of being one of 42 youth leaders from 33 countries selected to take part in the 12th Youth Leadership Workshop on GCED in Seoul, Republic of Korea.

The theme couldn’t have spoken more directly to my work in Peace and Conflict Resolution: “Translating Peace into Action: Leveraging Media and the Arts for Youth Advocacy.”

We kept returning to one question that has stayed with me since:
“Do we have the courage to face the realities of our time, and allow ourselves to feel deeply enough that it transforms us and our future?”

Over five intensive days, we moved beyond theory and into practice. A few moments that marked me:

→ A keynote on whether youth can truly promote peace in an era of global crisis

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Question for this article:

Youth initiatives for a culture of peace, How can we ensure they get the attention and funding they deserve?

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→ A powerful session on the Art of Peacebuilding through Theatre of the Oppressed, turning conflict into embodied understanding

→ Hands-on labs on Media and Information Literacy and countering hate speech — essential skills for anyone working in conflict-sensitive spaces

→ Confronting ethics and empathy in the age of AI

→ A deeply moving visit to the War & Women’s Human Rights Museum, a reminder of why this work matters

→ And throughout it all, designing real, community-based action plans we’ll carry home

What made this experience extraordinary was the people — peacemakers, artists, journalists, and changemakers from every corner of the world, all proving that peace is not a policy text. It’s something we build, practice, and live every day.

This workshop was made possible by UNESCO Asia-Pacific Centre of Education for International Understanding (APCEIU) and the UNESCO MGIEP Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development, in partnership with the GCED Youth Network — a remarkable demonstration of UNESCO’s commitment to equipping young people to lead transformative change.

For someone whose path is rooted in peace and conflict resolution, this was more than a workshop. It was a reminder that the most durable peace begins with empathy — and that media and the arts may be among our most underused tools for advocacy.

Grateful, energized, and ready to translate this into action.

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East Asia, EDUCATION FOR PEACE, TOLERANCE & SOLIDARITY