Geneva PeaceTalks 2026

Geneva PeaceTalks: Choose Peace

GENEVA PEACETALKS 2026

13 October 2026

4:00 – 6:00 PM CEST

CICG (Centre International de Conférences Genève), Geneva
(& livestreamed online)

The world is at a crossroads. Conflicts are multiplying, institutions are under strain, and too many are turning their back on peace. This edition of the Geneva PeaceTalks held during the Geneva Peace Forum is a reminder that peace belongs at the heart of our global story — and a call to action for everyone who believes that. Join us to hear powerful, personal stories from diplomats, peacebuilders, community leaders, and artists who are choosing peace — in neglected crises, on the frontlines, in their daily lives.

Through storytelling and artistic performance, this event turns the abstract into the human, and the distant into the personal. This isn’t just an occasion for listening — it’s an invitation to act.

Coming from different backgrounds and addressing different aspects of the overall theme: “Choose Peace”, each speaker will illuminate that peace is not only necessary, but achievable through increasing understanding, respect, and justice in our daily lives. By doing so, they will inspire people to reflect on the meaning of peace and spark a discussion on how every one of us can contribute to creating a world that we can truly be proud of.

About the PeaceTalks

The PeaceTalks is a global initiative dedicated to telling and sharing inspirational stories for peace.Harnessing the power of storytelling, the PeaceTalks creates a space encouraging dialogue, reflection and hope so that individuals can see how they personally can contribute to peace.

The vision of the PeaceTalks is to expand the space for dialogue about building peace and resolving conflict. Building peace is not just the effort and responsibility of technical specialists and officials.

The PeaceTalks builds on the idea that everyone can play a part in building peace at home and in their communities.The core objectives of the PeaceTalks are to:

DEMONSTRATE that peaceful solutions to conflict exist all over the world
SHOWCASE & AMPLIFY inspiring stories & show what is working to build peace
INSPIRE ACTION & EDUCATE on the role that we each play in building peace

Storytelling for Peace

Stories and their telling can create change. The best ones influence our beliefs, inspire us to make an impact, and illuminate what it means to be human. Everyone has a story to tell through which we can learn.

IF…we expand the space for dialogue about peace beyond technical peacebuilding through storytelling, focusing on personal stories and what is working;

THEN…a greater audience of people will become more aware of their potential individual roles and contributions in building peace, and that their actions can have a meaningful and positive impact in sustaining peace;

BECAUSE…they will feel inspired, empowered, and encouraged to support relevant initiatives where they work or to take personal action of their own.

The PeaceTalks started in 2013 through the first ever Geneva PeaceTalks, co-organised by the United Nations Office at Geneva, Interpeace and the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, with the support of the Swiss Government.

To date there have been 28 editions of PeaceTalks in 9 countries, featuring over 225 speakers from more than 60 nationalities, over 10,000 in-person attendees and more than 100 million impressions on the event hashtags. All previous PeaceTalks are available atwww.peacetalks.net

The Geneva PeaceTalks will feature the following speakers:

Bahishta Nohtani, Dentist, Humanitarian & Advocate for Women’s Rights
Elise Buckle – Founder & CEO Climate Bridges
Kate Gilmore, Former United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights
Anny T Modi, Congolese Feminist and Women’s Rights Activist
Annette Willi, Head of Operations International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN)
Elizabeth Biniya Moga, Youth Peace Mediators’ Mentoring Programme (YPMMP)
Jonas Pasquier, Head of Global Affairs Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations Office and to the other international organisations in Geneva

The event will also feature:

Welcome message from the 13th Director-General of the UN in Geneva, Tatiana Valovaya
Closing remarks by President & CEO of Interpeace, Itonde Kakoma
Masters of Ceremony, Sarah Noble, Curator of PeaceTalks and Dany Diogo, Geneva Peace Week Lead

Meet the people of the 2026 Geneva PeaceTalks

Speakers