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Global Peace Education Day Returns with Call for "Peace Education for Everyone Everywhere."
Diplomats, educators, peace advocates and artists from different parts of the world will meet online on Sunday, September 20, 2026, for Global Peace Education Day, with this year’s conference centered on the theme “Peace Education for Everyone, Everywhere.”Law & Government Organized by the Global Peace Education Network (GPEN), the free conference will take place via Zoom from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. EDT. GPEN describes it as its fifth annual online conference. Speakers will discuss the use of peace education in schools, communities, organizations and public life. “Peace education is no longer optional,” said David Weinberg, CEO of the Global Peace Education Network.
"Invest in Peace Education" Urges GPEN, as Violence Drains USD 17.5 Trillion from World Economy
The global economic impact of violence reached $17.5 trillion in 2025 - $2,200 a person worldwide - while countries affected worst by conflict have recorded drops in GDP of up to 30% in a single year. Global expenditure on peacekeeping, relative to military expenditure, is at its lowest level in more than two decades - just 0.52% of total military spending in 2024. With armed violence at a tipping point, the Board of Directors of the Global Peace Education Network, Inc. (GPEN) urgently calls citizens and leaders worldwide to shift paradigms – to invest in strategies at all levels of education to build the Culture of Peace.
Worldwide Changemakers Unite for 5th Annual Global Peace Education Day
NEW YORK, NY, UNITED STATES, September 15, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- As peacefulness continues its worldwide decline, the Global Peace Education Network (GPEN) has opened registration for the Global Peace Education Day 5th Annual Online Conference. This free international gathering will be held Sunday, September 20, 2026, online via Zoom, from 11 am EDT until 2 pm EDT. The conference features leaders, scholars and artists sharing approaches to peacebuilding that can be applied in communities, schools, organizations, and public life. The Global Peace Education Network promotes a simple message: “Peace is learnable.”
GPEN Partner News
Articles about Groups in our Network.
Skopje Declaration: Universities Unite for Peace
SKOPJE, Oct. 21 (BalkanView) – Representatives of international academic organisations and universities have adopted the Skopje Declaration, an initiative calling for educational and scientific institutions to be protected from the consequences of armed conflicts and to play a greater role in promoting peace, dialogue and human security. "The Skopje Declaration: Universities, Academies and Schools as Sanctuaries of Peace,” was signed in North Macedonia’s capital during an event marking the 20th anniversary of Skopje University. The initiative forms part of the Global Peace Offensive (GPOC), an international effort aimed at encouraging universities, scientists and intellectuals to contribut
UNAOC and UNESCO sign Memorandum of Understaning
Across languages, cultures, religions, and borders, dialogue brings us closer to peace. 🕊️ UNAOC and UNESCO have committed to work together to advance intercultural and interreligious dialogue, foster mutual understanding, and build bridges between communities. 🤝 On September 21, the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations (UNAOC), Miguel Ángel Moratinos, and UNESCO Director-General, Khaled El-Enany Ezz, signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their joint cooperation. The UNAOC-UNESCO collaboration is grounded in shared priorities spanning intercultural and interreligious dialogue, inclusive education, media and information literacy, cultural d
Dialogues4Peace | 25-27 October 2026 | Athens, Greece
The Dialogues4Peace World Series invites scholars, thinkers, and practitioners to rediscover the timeless principles of harmony, balance, and justice found in ancient civilizations — from Greece, Egypt, China, and India to Israel and its biblical wisdom, as well as Indigenous and spiritual traditions across the world. In a world engulfed by polycrisis — from war and climate disruption to distrust in institutions and the erosion of shared values — this conference invites thought leaders and citizens alike to reimagine peace for the 21st century through the wisdom of antiquity.
UPEACE and GIOYA Celebrate Peaceful Coexistence Diploma Graduates in Geneva
The University for Peace (UPEACE) and GIOYA Higher Education Institution celebrated the graduation of their joint Postgraduate Diploma on Peaceful Coexistence: Reinforcing Peace, Human Rights and Development on 2 October 2026 at the Palais des Nations in Geneva. Delivered in partnership with the King Hamad Global Centre for Coexistence and Tolerance, the programme brings together education in peace, human rights, international law and commercial diplomacy. It supports professionals in diplomacy and government institutions in developing knowledge and skills relevant to their work. The ceremony was attended by the Rector of the University for Peace, Dr. Francisco Rojas Aravena; Vic
Kehkashan Basu Wins Canada Women Empowerment Award
Honoured to win the Canada Women Empowerment Award in the Global Impact category!🏆🌎 This recognition is a reminder of what is possible when women believe in themselves, step into their power, and lead with courage and purpose. When women rise, we create space for others to rise with us. We challenge barriers, redefine leadership, and show the next generation of girls that there is no limit to where they belong or what they can achieve. Here’s to women leading, women rising, and women changing the world.👩🏽✨💪🏽 #WOEA #WomenInLeadership #WomenEmpowerment #WomenPower #GenderEquality
UPEACE Launches CONVIVE to Advance the Rights of Migrant Domestic and Care Workers
The University for Peace (UPEACE), together with LuxDev and the Association of Domestic Workers of Costa Rica (ASTRADOMES), signed agreements to launch CONVIVE: Dignity, Integration, and Protection for Migrant Domestic and Care Workers in Costa Rica. The initiative seeks to strengthen the recognition and protection of migrant women ’ s rights in domestic and care work, while expanding their skills and opportunities to support their autonomy and well-being. UPEACE brings its experience in peace education, human rights, and inclusive societies to the partnership.
Pink Turbans. Powerful Voices. A Future of Equality.
Chandigarh celebrated the International Day of the Girl on October 12, 2026, with a powerful call for girls’ rights, dignity, leadership and equal opportunities. The highlight was Yuvsatta’s Pink Turban Campaign, a 13-year movement promoting gender equality and UN Sustainable Development Goal 5. Inspired by the spirit of Navratri, the message was clear: Celebrate the Girl as Shakti—not just in worship, but through rights, respect and leadership. • 500 Girls for Change: Schoolgirls wrote over 500 Thank You postcards in English, Hindi and Sanskrit, to Sh. Gulab Chand Kataria, Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Chandigarh, appreciating his leadership of the campaign against drugs i
“Bribri Teachings for the World” Shares More Than 15 Years of Collaboration and Community Knowledge
The University for Peace (UPEACE) has published Bribri Teachings for the World, a bilingual book by indigenous leader Alí García Segura and Chair of the UPEACE Department of Environment and Development Dr. Olivia Sylvester, that draws on more than 15 years of collaboration exploring the knowledge, community practices, and forms of organization of the Bribri people. Published by UPEACE Press on September 1 in Spanish and English, and recently featured in Delfino.cr, the book explores community life, food, and relationships with the environment through Bribri perspectives. Respect, reciprocity, and the collective construction of knowledge are central to the work.
Peace Education News
Showcasing Peace Learning Worldwide
Geneva Commission on Democracy & Multilateralism: Final Report Launch
🗓️ Date: Thursday, 29 October 2026 ⏰ Time: 17:00–18:30 (Geneva time) 📌 Venue: Auditorium Pictet, Geneva Graduate Institute, Chemin Eugène-Rigot 2, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland ▶️ Format: In-person | Public event Co-organizers: Club de Madrid and the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), in partnership with the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs FDFA, the Open Government Partnership and the European Democracy Hub. Co-hosts: Albert Hirschman Centre on Democracy | Geneva Graduate Institute and the Kofi Annan Foundation The Global Commission on Democracy and Multilateralism, convened by Club de Madrid together with International IDEA, t
Judge Navi Pillay Awarded Nobel Peace Prize
Navanethem “Navi” Pillay has led development of an international legal order. Dr. Pillay was educated in the law and defended activists who stood up against apartheid. Dr. Pillay was appointed to the High Court of South Africa in 1995. Four years later she became a judge and President of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR),helping establish that sexual violence and rape are crimes against humanity and genocide. From 2008 to 2014 she served as the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). She chaired the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 2021 to 2025.
General Assembly creates new UN learning institute under UN80 reforms
The UN General Assembly has approved the merger of two United Nations learning and training bodies, creating a new institution designed to strengthen support for both Member States and the UN system itself. In a resolution adopted on September 3, the 193-member Assembly endorsed the integration of the United Nations System Staff College (UNSSC) into the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and approved the establishment of the United Nations Institute for Capability and Learning Innovation (UNICLI) from 1 January 2027. The decision is part of the wider UN80 Initiative, that aims to make the United Nations more coherent, effective and responsive to today's challenges.