Category Archives: global

Mayors for Peace Joint Appeal March 16, 2026

. . DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION . .

An appeal from Mayors for Peace

Today, the global security situation is significantly in crisis. The Russian invasion of Ukraine is in its 5th year and no end is in sight. Already too many armed conflicts exist in the world and now a new one has started between the US, Israel and Iran. Many people, including civilians, are being killed and essential infrastructure is being destroyed. The tit-for-tat attacks and their escalation to hitting installations in an increasing number of countries are causing grave consequences not only for the region but also the world at large regarding political and economic security.

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Question related to this article:
 
How can culture of peace be developed at the municipal level?

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We are also worried that neglecting the rule of law, including the UN Charter, would lead to more and more armed conflicts. We call upon all the countries engaging in armed conflicts to immediately implement a ceasefire and restore peace and stability.

Mayors for Peace, which consists of approximately 8,600 member cities in 166 countries and regions, a global network of local government leaders committed to protecting the safety and security of their citizens, strongly demands that international disputes be resolved by diplomatic efforts through dialogue. The use of force against any country which results in the loss of innocent civilian lives, is totally unacceptable.

On behalf of Mayors for Peace, we hereby declare once again that, together with all peaceseeking people around the world, we will make every effort to achieve lasting global peace and create a world free from nuclear weapons.

MATSUI Kazumi, President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Hiroshima

SUZUKI Shiro, Vice President of Mayors for Peace, Mayor of Nagasaki

DEMOCRATIC PARTICIPATION, East Asia, global,

War in Iran: Elders call for consistency in defence of the international rule of law

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An article from The Elders

The Elders warn today that countries will be drawn into an illegal war if they acquiesce to continuing US demands around the Iran crisis, such as to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz for shipping. We urge countries to stand up collectively, resist pressure, and make it clear that those who initiated this war are responsible for its consequences and for ending it quickly.


The Original Elders in 2010

International law should not be invoked selectively. Many Western leaders rightly insisted that Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 demanded an unequivocal response. They were swift to criticise states who put their economic interests above principle.

Yet many of the same leaders now hesitate to call out unlawful military action by the USA and Israel. This hypocrisy is not lost on audiences in the Middle East or across the Global South. It is eroding trust in international institutions, and feeding the perception that Western countries invoke rules only when politically convenient.

The recent UN Security Council resolution condemning Iranian attacks on neighbouring states, while omitting any reference to the initial US-Israeli strikes, illustrates this troubling selectivity. When the Council applies the law unevenly, it undermines its own authority.

The ongoing US and Israeli aggression against Iran and Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Gulf and Eastern Mediterranean threaten grave consequences for regional security and the global economy.

Military action will deliver neither peace, justice, nor the respect for human rights Iranians deserve following longstanding, systematic violations and the recent bloody repression of peaceful protesters by the regime.

The lack of a coherent US strategy raises the prospect of instability within Iran comparable to that following the 2003 US-led invasion of Iraq. This danger is further increased by uncertainty over the location and status of Iran’s stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.

Question related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

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There is no military solution to nuclear proliferation. When nuclear-armed states strike a non-nuclear state during negotiations, the message is unmistakable: that possessing nuclear weapons could provide protection. The most likely consequence of the illegal war launched on Iran is not greater security, but rather further incentives for nuclear proliferation.

Leaders who say they believe in international law must stick to their principles, and put long-term stability above short-term considerations.

The Elders

Juan Manuel Santos, former President of Colombia, Nobel Peace Laureate and Chair of The Elders 

Graça Machel, Founder of the Graça Machel Trust, Co-founder and Deputy Chair of The Elders  

Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Prime Minister of Norway and former Director-General of the WHO 

Helen Clark, former Prime Minister of New Zealand and former head of the UN Development Programme 

Elbegdorj Tsakhia, former President and Prime Minister of Mongolia 

Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 

Hina Jilani, Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and co-chair of the Taskforce on Justice 

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, former President of Liberia and Nobel Peace Laureate 

Denis Mukwege, physician and human rights advocate, Nobel Peace Laureate 

Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights 

Ernesto Zedillo, former President of Mexico 

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global

People Across Global South Condemn ‘Imperialist’ US-Israeli War on Iran

DISARMAMENT & SECURITY .

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

People, groups, and governments across the
Global South this week condemned the US-Israeli war on Iran, which one prominent international progressive organization slammed as "devoid of any legal justification."

People rally and march in Thiruvananthapuram—the capital of Kerala state in India—on March 2, 2026 to condemn the US-Israeli war on Iran. (Photo by Communist Party of India-Marxist/X)

The attack on Iran sparked large protests in countries including Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, South Africa, and Turkey, with demonstrators taking to squares and streets to condemn what many called a war of imperialist aggression waged by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity and war crimes in Gaza.

(Editor’s note: The Guardian lists protests from Pakistan, South Africa, Brazil, Malaysia, Indonesia, China, Chile, Cuba, and many other developing nations.)

In South Africa—which is leading a genocide case against Israel at the >International Court of Justice (ICJ)—labor, leftist, student, and Muslim groups are among those denouncing the war.

The South African Federation of Trade Unions (SAFTU) issued a statement Tuesday proclaiming, "No to war, no to regime change, no to oppression."

"History has taught the global working class a bitter lesson: So-called 'interventions' in the name of democracy have left behind destruction, instability, and suffering for ordinary people, never liberation," SAFTU asserted. "From Iraq to Libya, from Syria to countless other theaters of intervention, it is workers and the poor who pay the highest price."

"The future of Iran belongs to its people, not to Washington, not to Tel Aviv, and not to foreign intelligence agencies," the federation stressed.

In Pakistan, at least 23 people were killed during demonstrations across the country on Sunday, including 10 protesters outside the US consulate in Karachi. US Marines reportedly opened fire on a crowd of people who attempted to storm the facility. Eleven others were killed in the northern city of Skardu, where people set a United Nations office ablaze. Two people were also slain in capital Islamabad.

The Progressive International (PI) cabinet published a statement condemning the war "in the strongest possible terms."

"The assault once again exposes the true character of US diplomacy," the group said. "Indirect talks between Tehran and Washington—mediated by Oman—were little more than a screen behind which the Trump administration coordinated an agenda of [a] 'major combat operation' under the banner of ‘Operation Epic Fury.’"

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Question related to this article:
 
How can war crimes be documented, stopped, punished and prevented?

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"Trump has been clear: This is a regime change offensive—devoid of any legal justification let alone authorization," the PI cabinet continued. "Trump has framed these strikes as 'preemptive,' necessary to eliminate 'imminent threats' and to defend national security. Yet Iran has made no immediate threats to the US. On the contrary, it is a long-standing ambition of the US and Israel to wage war on Iran—the lethal consequences of which will be borne by its people."

"Imperialist war does not liberate peoples—it subjugates them," the group added. "The evidence is found in the ruins of Gaza, Baghdad, and Tripoli, where bombs leveled cities and 'democracy promotion' left ashes in its wake."

Siphamandla Zondi, a professor of politics at the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, told the Guardian that “this is a war of domination and subordination, therefore it has imperialist undertones and motives" and "makes the world unsafe for all of us.”

The International Migrants Alliance (IMA) issued a statement Monday calling the attack "against international law."

"The bombing in Iran has killed hundreds of people, most of them are children and civilians," the group said. "The aggression is part of the Israel-US renewed war to dominate the West Asia region and plunder their resources… For decades, the United States has armed, funded, and protected Israel’s military actions while destabilizing West Asia through sanctions, interventions, and war. The result is endless violence, displacement, and suffering for ordinary people."

"The ongoing attacks will create new waves of refugees," IMA added. "Families are forced to flee across borders that are increasingly militarized. Imperialist wars create a brutal cycle of forced migration: People are driven from their homes, safety, and future, only to face criminalization, detention, or exploitation as migrants and refugees abroad."

Indian-born academic Amitav Acharya, author of The Once and Future World Order: Why Global Civilization Will Survive the Decline of the West, said in an interview with the Guardian that “many countries in the Global South are going to look for a coalition of powers that will stand up to the United States, as the United States is seen as so aggressive, so imperial."

That sentiment was echoed across the developing world. In Brazil, the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) said: "Trump is a threat to the world. This is a criminal violation of Iranian sovereignty and international law."

"To justify the war, the United States lies by stating that Iran threatens the American people and the world," the party continued. "We already know this story: The 'weapons of mass destruction' of Iraq… have never been found. Trump invades Iran to defend American neocolonial interests and to give a message to the world that the American government does not accept the existence of independent countries in the world system."

"Once again, US imperialism and Israeli Zionism elect the path of war and barbarism, bombing civilian facilities and killing innocents," PSOL added. "We demand an immediate end to the bombing and express our total solidarity with the Iranian people.

(Editor’s Note: We are impressed by the analysis of Professor John Mearsheimer that “it is almost impossible for me to see how Israel and the US win this war . . . Remember that in the Vietnam War, the US won virtually every battle and lost the war.”)

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DISARMAMENT & SECURITY, global

United Nations: International Women’s Day and Commission on Status of Women

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

A media advisory from UN Women

International Women’s Day 2026 comes at a defining moment: Women and girls have never been closer to equality, and never closer to losing it. Legal protection against domestic violence has expanded in many countries. Yet, the rights of women and girls are being rolled back in plain sight, and across the world, women still do not enjoy the same legal rights as men.

On 4 March, ahead of the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70), UN Women will launch a report warning that the systems meant to protect women and girls are failing, leaving millions exposed to discrimination, violence and impunity as backlash against gender equality intensifies and violations of fundamental rights rise worldwide.

From 9–19 March, the world will gather at United Nations Headquarters in New York for CSW70 – the United Nations’ largest annual forum dedicated to gender equality and women’s rights. What happens at CSW influences laws, policies, funding and accountability across countries and generations.

This year’s focus is clear: rights, justice and action for all women and girls.

CSW70 is a defining test: whether the world choses to act together and deliver equality before the law for all women and girls or allow injustice to persist with impunity. UN Women calls on governments, partners, institutions and communities everywhere to stand up, show up and speak up for rights, justice and action – so all women and girls can live safely, speak freely and exist equally.

Follow the global conversation: #ForAllWomenAndGirls #IWD2026.

(Editor’s note: Details about the following events have been removed here but they may be accessed via the link above. The events may be followed via UN Web TV except in one case as indicated).

Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls. United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day

The United Nations Observance of International Women’s Day 2026, under the theme “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls,” will be held on 9 March 2026 at the UN General Assembly Hall, immediately preceding the opening of CSW70. Aligned with CSW70, the observance is conceived as a single, continuous political moment that will elevate global attention to justice as the critical bridge between rights on paper and rights in practice, reaffirming collective resolve to confront persistent setbacks, violence and the denial of rights. Bringing together Member State delegations, global leaders, advocates, Goodwill Ambassadors and global voices, the observance will serve as a high-visibility platform to galvanize leadership, media engagement and concrete action towards ensuring equal access to justice for all women and girls.

Opening of the Seventieth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70)

The CSW70 Opening marks the start of the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women. The Commission will hear opening remarks by the CSW Chair, the Presidents of ECOSOC and the General Assembly and the Secretary-General, as well as a civil society representative and a young person. It will also hear introductory statements by the UN Women Executive Director, the Chairperson of the CEDAW Committee, the Chairperson of the Working Group on Discrimination against women and girls and the Special Rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences. The ceremonial opening will be followed immediately by the adoption of the agreed conclusions, and the start of the general discussion which will focus mainly on the priority theme: ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including promoting inclusive legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws and practices, and addressing structural barriers to equality.

G77 and Emerging Partners Ministerial Roundtable: Pathways for Accelerating Sustainable Financing for Gender Equality for All Women and Girls

Ministers, financial leaders, Ambassadors and development partners convene at CSW70 to advance practical pathways for scaling sustainable finance for gender equality. Co-hosted by Brazil, Kazakhstan, Maldives, Timor-Leste, Uruguay and UN Women, the Roundtable will focus on mobilizing public and private capital, strengthening financial systems and investing in priorities such as care infrastructure, digital inclusion and women’s economic empowerment. As the SDG deadline approaches and financing gaps widen, the event highlights concrete national actions and partnerships needed to accelerate investment in gender equality and drive inclusive, resilient economic growth.

Rights, Justice, Action for All Women and Girls: Celebrating 45 years of CEDAW

The Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), often described as the international bill of rights for women, was adopted by the General Assembly in 1979 and entered into force in 1981. The CEDAW Committee held its inaugural session in 1982. As we convene for CSW70 in March 2026, we celebrate 45 years of the Committee’s work in monitoring the implementation of the Convention. As a quasi-judicial body, the CEDAW Committee has been the global vanguard for legal reform, the repeal of discriminatory laws, and the establishment of gender-responsive legal frameworks, and its General Recommendation No. 33 specifically provides guidance and recommendations to States on access to justice. In this regard, the CEDAW Committee, UN Women, OHCHR, the UN Foundation and the Ford Foundation are pleased to cohost a reception in commemoration of this important milestone.

Achieving Gender Equality in Nationality Laws

UN Women, in partnership with the Global Campaign for Equal Nationality Rights, UNHCR, UNICEF, the Global Alliance to End Statelessness, and champion States will convene a high-level event on Achieving Gender Equality in Nationality Laws on 10 March at United Nations Headquarters in New York. Despite global progress, more than 45 countries still retain gender‑discriminatory nationality laws that deny women equal rights to confer nationality, causing statelessness and lifelong barriers for millions of families. The event will spotlight testimony from people directly affected, share lessons from recent reforms, and underscore why gender‑equal nationality rights are essential to achieving justice and the SDGs. It will also launch a new Legal Atlas on Discriminatory Nationality Laws, providing the first comprehensive global mapping of these legal gaps. Impacted States are expected to announce concrete reform commitments.

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Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

Does the UN advance equality for women?

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Townhall Meeting with the United Nations Secretary-General and Civil Society in the Margins of the 70th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women

The townhall provides an opportunity for the UN Secretary-General to meet with the largest gathering of civil society at the UN, and to have a frank discussion on issues related to the advancement of gender equality and women and girls’ rights around the world. It offers intersectional and intergenerational civil society a space to directly engage with the highest leadership of the United Nations and to ask questions, share recommendations and strengthen collaboration. This will be the last townhall with the current Secretary-General whose term ends this year.

Achieving Gender Equality and the Empowerment of All Older Women

As part of the CSW70, this Ministerial Round Table will focus on Achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all older women, an emerging focus area identified by the Commission. The discussion, led by high-level ministers and UN leaders will address how rapid population ageing – with women comprising the majority of persons aged 60 and above – reshapes the conditions for gender equality across the life course. Ministers will exchange experiences, lessons learned and good practices to advance income security and economic independence of older women, and to transform social and cultural norms to counter ageism and sexism, prevent elder abuse, and more.

The Role of Parliaments in Achieving Parity in Decision-Making and Ensuring Gender-Responsive Access to Justice for Women and Girls

The Meeting will provide an opportunity to bring a parliamentary perspective into the CSW70 discussions on the priority and review themes. Members of Parliament from around the world will share perspectives and practices on legislative, oversight and budgetary actions to achieve parity representation in decision-making, eliminate discriminatory laws, address gaps between legal frameworks and their implementation, combat impunity for violence against women, and strengthen accountability and enforcement across justice systems. The event will also serve as the launch of the latest Women in Politics Map, presenting new data for women in executive positions and national parliaments as of 1 January 2026.

Advancing Women’s Access to Justice: Building Justice Systems that Deliver for All Including in Fragile Contexts

Amid intersecting crises, uncertainty, and deepening inequality, there is an urgent need to reimagine justice systems that respond to the realities of a rapidly changing world. At CSW70, UNDP and UN Women – in partnership with the Governments of Brazil, Kingdom of the Netherlands, and Ukraine – are hosting a high-level event to spotlight country experiences, civil society innovations and emerging legal reforms. The discussion will identify recommendations that can be taken forward now and explore how governments, civil society and international partners can work together to co-create and sustain reforms for humans everywhere, including in fragile and crisis-affected contexts.

Women Leaders Paving the Way: Access to Justice for All Women and Girls

No Virtual access

Hosted by the UN Women Leaders Network, in partnership with the Government of Iceland and the UN Foundation, this CSW70 side event will feature a panel discussion with distinguished speakers from the UN Women Leaders Network about ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, examined through a women’s leadership lens. The panel will highlight that meaningful access to justice depends on inclusive governance, accountable leadership, innovative policymaking, and cross-sectoral collaboration. The event will end with closing remarks from UN Women Executive Director Sima Bahous.

CSW High-level Meeting on Violence Against Women and Girls

On 12 March 2026, Member States will convene at UN Headquarters for the CSW High-level Meeting on Violence against Women and Girls – the first annual High-level Meeting held during CSW under a new mandate to elevate critical cross-cutting priorities aimed at accelerating implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The meeting will highlight what works to prevent violence and strengthen survivor-centred responses – both online and offline – at a moment when progress remains too slow and technology is accelerating new harms. Across two sessions, ministers and leading experts, including from women’s rights organizations and survivors from all five UN regional groups will share evidence, good practices with potential for scale-up, and practical actions to close implementation gaps and accelerate commitments to end violence against women and girls.

Ensuring and Strengthening Access to Justice for All Women and Girls

The Interactive Dialogue with Youth Representatives at CSW70 is a global platform that elevates the leadership, vision, and lived experiences of young people advancing access to justice for women and girls. It highlights the need for inclusive and equitable legal systems, the elimination of discriminatory laws, policies and practices, and action to address the structural barriers that deny women and girls justice.

Closing of the Seventieth Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70)

The CSW70 Closing Session brings the seventieth session of the Commission on the Status of Women to an official end. Delegates will review progress made during discussions on the priority theme of ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, consider outstanding agenda items, adopt the session’s report and agreed conclusions, and look ahead to the work of CSW71.

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Federico Mayor: A Culture of Peace, Now More Than Ever

EDUCATION FOR PEACE .

A book review by Ángel Aguas from Noticias Obreras (translation by CPNN)

The Hour of Citizenship: Dignity, Human Rights, and a Culture of Peace
Federico Mayor Zaragoza and Emilio José Gómez Ciriano
HOAC Editions (2026)
84 pages

The recent statement by Pope Leo XIV, addressed to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, that “war is back in fashion and the enthusiasm for war is spreading,” confirms the growing global trend of recent years. In this context, the new publication from HOAC Editions of the Catholic Workers’ Brotherhood (Hermandad Obrera de Acción Católica) champions peace as the only alternative for building a future of hope for all humanity.


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( Click here for the original version in Spanish.)

Question for this article:

What are the most important books about the culture of peace?

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This book recapitulates, in his own words, the extensive pacifist legacy of Federico Mayor Zaragoza, professor and former president of UNESCO, among many other things. When Emilio José Gómez Ciriano, university professor and co-author of the book, invited him to participate, no one knew it would be Mayor Zaragoza’s posthumous work, as he passed away on December 19, 2024.

“This work emerges as an urgent manifesto and an ethical and prophetic compass. It is not only an analysis, but a call to civic action in the face of what its authors perceive as a dangerous global drift toward militarization and the abandonment of humanist foundations…”

Culture of Peace, Now More Than Ever

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EDUCATION FOR PEACE, global

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,

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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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?

(Article continued from the column on the left)

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

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

. . WOMEN’S EQUALITY . .

An article from UN Women

On 8 March 2026, rally with women and girls around the world to demand equal rights – and equal justice to enforce, exercise, and enjoy those rights.

As we begin the second quarter of the 21st century, no nation has closed the legal gaps between men and women. Right now, in 2026, women have only 64 per cent of the legal rights that men hold worldwide. In fundamental areas of life, including work, money, safety, family, property, mobility, business, and retirement – the law systematically disadvantages women. From harmful social norms to discriminatory laws, women and girls continue to face entrenched obstacles – even pushback – to equal justice. If progress continues at its current pace, it will take 286 years to close legal protection gaps. That is not a timeline, it’s surrender.


Activists, social leaders, organizations, women and men chant slogans against gender violence during the “Vivas nos Queremos” march in Quito, Ecuador. Photo: UN Women/Johis Alarcón

Without justice systems that work for women, rights become a promise that never arrives.

International Women’s Day 2026 (IWD 2026), under the theme, “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL Women and Girls”, marks a moment to amplify our collective determination. No matter how deeply rooted the sexism or how discouraging the politics, we refuse to step back or abandon our mandate. Instead, we climb together – for the rights and empowerment of all women and girls.

(Click here for the article in French or here in Spanish.)

(Article continued in right column)

Question related to this article:

Protecting women and girls against violence, Is progress being made?

Does the UN advance equality for women?

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This year, IWD 2026 calls for action to dismantle the structural barriers to equal justice: discriminatory laws, weak legal protections, and harmful practices and social norms that erode the rights of women and girls.

What does equal justice look like? Simply put, your rights are protected and defended, and laws don’t just stay on the books – they get enforced, so that people can experience equal rights and justice. It means legally protected access to education for girls and an end to child marriage. Women’s freedom to choose to work, participate, and lead in society, including in political and justice systems. Strengthened protection and prevention to end gender-based violence in all its forms. Family, labour, and healthcare laws that do not discriminate against women. Justice systems that are free of bias, centred on survivors, and backed by zero tolerance for abuse and impunity. Legal aid that is affordable and accessible. Just to name a few.

This year’s United Nations observance of International Women’s Day will take place on 9 March and focus on equal justice, purposefully aligning with the 70th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW70) (from 9 to 19 March). At CSW70, an intergovernmental forum, representatives of Member States, United Nations entities, and civil society will gather to negotiate conclusions on the theme, “Ensuring and strengthening access to justice for all women and girls, including by promoting inclusive and equitable legal systems, eliminating discriminatory laws, policies, and practices, and addressing structural barriers.”

This International Women’s Day, join UN Women, the United Nations family, civil society, youth, media, businesses, and more, to demand “Rights. Justice. Action. For ALL women and girls.” Share International Women’s Day stories and messages online with the hashtag #ForAllWomenAndGirls and follow UN Women for more information on forthcoming events.

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global, United Nations, WOMEN'S EQUALITY,

Appeal by Nobel Peace Prize winner Adolfo Pérez Esquivel. For Peace and Unity. “Listen to the Voice of the People”

FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION .

An appeal from SERPAJ, Servicio Paz y Justicia

We, the signatories of this Appeal, are protagonists of our own lives and walk alongside our peoples in their fights and hopes for a more just and fraternal world.

We express our deep concern and our strongest rejection of the attempts by the government of Donald Trump, President of the United States, to invade Venezuela. Such actions would violate international treaties, agreements, protocols, and UN declarations, flagrantly disregarding the sovereignty and self-determination of the peoples.

We likewise bear in mind the bombings of Iran by the United States and Israel, which also threaten its sovereignty.

DECISIONS ENDANGERING WORLD PEACE

Latin America is a Zone of Peace. An attack on Venezuela is an attack on the entire continent.

WE EXIGE THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL of the United States armed forces from the Caribbean, whose actions have provoked attacks and deaths of innocent fishermen, sinking their boats under the false pretext that the Venezuelan government is responsible for drug trafficking in the United States.

WE EXIGE President Trump to cease his threats against the governments of Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, countries that defend their sovereignty and their freedom and do not submit to the colonialism of the United States.

(appeal continued in right column)

(Click here for the version in Spanish or here for the version in French or click here here for the version in Spanish .)

Question related to this article:

Where in the world can we find good leadership today?

(appeal continued from left column)

The world is experiencing a profound uncertainty due to wars, conflicts, and hunger in various regions, factors that endanger World Peace. We are facing an unpredictable escalation: we know how wars begin, but no one knows how they end.

Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people has caused an extermination that hurts all of humanity. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to provoke deaths and hunger in the Gaza Strip, with the support and complicity of the United States and several European countries.

We likewise bear in mind the bombings of Iran by the United States and Israel, which also threaten its sovereignty.

DECISIONS ENDANGERING WORLD PEACE

Latin America is a Zone of Peace. An attack on Venezuela is an attack on the entire continent.

WE EXIGE THE IMMEDIATE WITHDRAWAL of the United States armed forces from the Caribbean, whose actions have provoked attacks and deaths of innocent fishermen, sinking their boats under the false pretext that the Venezuelan government is responsible for drug trafficking in the United States.

WE EXIGE President Trump to cease his threats against the governments of Mexico, Colombia, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, countries that defend their sovereignty and their freedom and do not submit to the colonialism of the United States.

The world is experiencing a profound uncertainty due to wars, conflicts, and hunger in various regions, factors that endanger World Peace. We are facing an unpredictable escalation: we know how wars begin, but no one knows how they end.

Israel’s genocide against the Palestinian people has caused an extermination that hurts all of humanity. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to provoke deaths and hunger in the Gaza Strip, with the support and complicity of the United States and several European countries.

You can sign the Appeal here.

(Editor’s note: Thank you to Alicia Cabezudo for having sent this to CPNN.)

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FREE FLOW OF INFORMATION, global, HUMAN RIGHTS