Join us to celebrate the International Day of Peace at the Geneva Peace Talks to be held on 21 September!
Organized under the theme Building Bridges, the event aims to encourage and promote breaking out of silos and working together to generate common understandings and solutions in today’s times where uncertainty has become the new norm. Through personal stories, speakers will share tangible experiences and ideas to inspire people and spark a discussion on how each and every one of us can play a role in reaching out and building bridges.
The following speakers will deliver dynamic and inspiring eight-minute talks on how they are working to promote more peaceful societies, both in Geneva and abroad:
- Kofi Annan – Former Secretary-General of the United Nations and, Founder and Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation, which seeks to mobilize political will to overcome threats to peace, development and human rights.
- Heba Aly – Journalist and Director of IRIN News, one of the world’s leading sources of field-based journalism about humanitarian crises. She has spent over a decade reporting from conflict zones in the Middle East, Africa and Central Asia.
- Christian Picciolini – Former American Skinhead and Founder of “Life After Hate”, an NGO dedicated to helping others gain the knowledge necessary to disengage from violent extremism. He has won an Emmy Award in 2016 for his role in directing and producing an anti-hate advertising campaign.
- Sihem Bensedrine – President of the Tunisian Truth and Dignity Commission. A high-profiled Tunisian journalist and human rights activist, she has been at the forefront of the fight for human rights in Tunisia, including freedom of speech and women’s rights.
- Azra Hadzic – Architect and Former Member of the National Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Co-operation with UNESCO. Since 2014, Azra works as an independent expert on conservation and restoration projects both in and outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
- Sonja Stojanovic – Executive Director of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy, a leading Western Balkan security think tank. She initiated the Security Research Forum Belgrade-Pristina-Tirana that works on decreasing security dilemma in Serbian-Albanian relations.
- Hyung Joon Won – South Korean Violinist and Peace Activist. In 1990, he performed at the World Economic Forum which celebrated the 1990 reunification of East and West Germany, which inspired him to think of music as a medium of reconciliation.
- Daniel Stein and Saba Temelso – Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of “Cuisine Lab” and Chef at “Cuisine Lab”. This civil society initiative demonstrates an interest in harnessing creativity and culture, to share and learn from each other.
- Hassan Ismail Mohamed – Peacebuilder from Kenya, who has experienced violent clan conflict several times throughout his life. Hassan has worked as a school teacher, a humanitarian aid worker and now coordinates Interpeace’s new peacebuilding programme in Mandera County.
- Brigadier General Pico Malaver – General of the Colombian National Police involved in the FARC negotiations in Havana. He is now head of the Police Unit for Peacebuilding – UNIPEP – committed to all issues related to the cease-fire and the implementation of the final peace agreements.
Read the complete biographies of the speakers here.
The event will be co-hosted by Achim Wennmann, Executive Coordinator of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform and Viviane Brunne, Political Affairs Officer at UNOG.
Register to attend the event by 19 September here.
If you are not in Geneva, sign up to watch the live webcast here.
About the Geneva Peace Talks
Launched in 2013, the Geneva Peace Talks is an annual, public event organized on the occasion of the International Day of Peace in partnership between the United Nations Office at Geneva, Interpeace and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform.
This year’s edition is held in partnership with the Geneva Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces and the Global Shapers Community Geneva. The event is made possible with the generous support of the Swiss Confederation, the Republic and State of Geneva, the City of Geneva, and Mirabaud Bank.
