The world observes the International Day of Peace on September 21th of each year. In 2022, it is celebrated under the theme “End racism. Build peace.” On this occasion, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) calls for mobilization and solidarity to face the challenges of peace and security, which impede social development and human capital building around the world, with an estimated economic impact of approximately 10.5% of the global GDP. The world is also witnessing the displacement of 89.3 million refugees, the majority of whom are women and girls, in addition to 222 million children around the world in need of educational support due to the escalation of conflicts.

In this context, ICESCO affirms its commitment to strengthening efforts and coordinating joint action through its various programmes to mobilize competencies to liberate societies from all forms of violence and build sustainable peace and stability for all. The Organization adopts a multi-sectoral approach that gives peace a comprehensive dimension, intending to develop cooperation between the parties concerned through various initiatives to enhance the capacities of young people in the fields of education, peacebuilding and civilizational dialogue, mobilize religious leaders and foster the mechanisms of peaceful conflict resolution.

To achieve a qualitative leap, ICESCO launched its Leadership Training in Peace and Security Programme, which benefited, in its first edition, 30 young men and women, who become ambassadors of peace. The Programme’s second edition will benefit 50 participants from 45 countries. ICESCO, in cooperation with the International University of Rabat in the Kingdom of Morocco, also launched the Programme for Integrating ICESCO’s “360° Peace Approach” into academia.

Realizing the importance of building peaceful and resilient societies, ICESCO calls for greater involvement of children, youth and women given their essential role as partners in the process of building and strengthening peace, and the incorporation of the values of tolerance, civilizational dialogue and acceptance of the Other in educational systems to overcome racism and adopt ICESCO’s 360° Peace Approach to build peace for development.