As part of its Leadership Training in Peace and Security (LTIPS) program, the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) held a webinar on 3 November 2026 titled “Peace and Sustainability: Why Environment, Food Security and Natural Resources Matter in Peacebuilding?” The webinar was organized in preparation for the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP31), being held this November in Türkiye. Representatives of international organizations, experts and young civil society leaders took part to examine the close links between environmental protection, food security, natural resources and sustainable peace.

Speaking at the webinar’s opening session, organized by ICESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector and Science and Environment Sector, Ms. Ramata Almamy Mbaye, Head of the Social and Human Sciences Sector, highlighted the success of the LTIPS program, which has trained 227 Young Peace Ambassadors from 81 countries. She stressed the importance of sustained youth engagement in environmental action, the need to move beyond treating environmental issues, food security and peacebuilding as separate concerns, and the importance of adopting a comprehensive, integrated approach.

For his part, Dr. Muhammad Sabieh Anwar, Deputy Head of the Science and Environment Sector, speaking on behalf of the Sector’s Head, Dr. Yergaliyev Kuanysh, emphasized the importance of such participatory initiatives. He commended ICESCO’s “Peace 360°” approach, which offers a distinct and more comprehensive vision for peacebuilding.

The first session was moderated by Mr. Alioune Ndiaye, Head of the Peace Division at ICESCO’s Social and Human Sciences Sector, with the participation of Mr. Bakytzhan Arystanbek of the Islamic Organization for Food Security, Ms. Esther Marner of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, Dr. Momodou Lamin Joof of the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC), and Dr. Fahman Fathurahman, expert at ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector. The session explored the interconnections between the environment and peacebuilding, with speakers presenting the practical approaches implemented by their institutions in this field.

The second session, moderated by Dr. Wissam Chehade, expert at ICESCO’s Science and Environment Sector, focused on ways youth and women can contribute to peacebuilding by strengthening environmental resilience and food security. Participants included Mr. Ari Adipratomo of The Climate Reality Project in Indonesia, and Ms. Roukiatou Traoré and Ms. Kumba Jobarteh, ICESCO Young Peace Ambassadors. They shared their field experiences and encouraged young people to take initiative and actively engage in environmental action.