The sixth annual The Paris Peace Forum took place on November 10-11, 2023, in Paris, centered around the theme “In Search of Common Ground in a World Dominated by Competition.”
Ayşegül Bayar Hildgen, an OECD Policy Analyst and volunteer at the Equality and Solidarity Association (SES), provides insights into the Forum’s objectives, activities, and notable messages highlighted during this year’s event.
Ayşegül Bayar
What is the Paris Peace Forum?
We find ourselves in a period marked by the simultaneous challenges of the climate crisis and natural disasters, alongside economic and political crises, wars, and humanitarian crises stemming from self-serving policies. While our problems are shared, we confront an international system that has lost its functionality. As Amin Maalouf eloquently puts it, in this “world that lost its way”, the need for common ground is more pressing than ever. Since 2018, the Paris Peace Forum has been convened annually in November in Paris with the explicit goal of establishing this common ground. Its objectives include contributing to better responses to global crises and overlapping urgencies, exploring collaboration in our fragmented world, and laying the groundwork for long-term peace.
The symbolic choice of November 11 for the Forum is significant. On November 11, 1918, the armistice that concluded World War I was declared. Despite the commitment made during the armistice of “never again,” the current reality is that there are over 70 conflicts worldwide, according to data from the International Crisis Group. Additionally, the number of displaced people due to factors such as the climate crisis has surpassed 110 million, as reported by the UNHCR. Examining gender equality, the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Inequality 2023 report indicates that at the current pace, achieving equality would take 131 years. According to an analysis by UNICEF and the World Bank, 333 million children globally—1 in 6—are living in extreme poverty. The Paris Peace Forum strives to foster increased international collaboration in the face of these profound, intricate, and shared challenges.
What is the Governance Structure of the Forum?
Until 2023, Pascal Lamy, the former president of the World Trade Organization, held the presidency of the Forum. Since 2023, Angel Gurria, the former secretary-general of the OECD, has been the president. The Forum operates as a legal association and receives support from various entities, including the European Commission, Open Society Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, German International Cooperation Agency (GIZ), French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Microsoft. The Forum’s board of directors comprises representatives from international organizations, philanthropic institutions, the public sector, and academia.
What are the Focus Areas and Methods of Operation for the Forum?
The Forum engages in three primary activities. Firstly, it hosts an annual event featuring speakers and participants from heads of state, international organizations, civil society, the private sector, philanthropy, and academia. To provide an overview of its scope, the 6th Paris Peace Forum in November 2023 included 90 panels and roundtable discussions with a total of 350 speakers. The event, attended by 4,200 people, showcased 53 projects in the “Space for Solutions” section. Secondly, the Forum conducts a scale-up program for civil society organizations working in priority thematic areas. Annually, 10-20 organizations from different countries are selected to receive mentorship support from experts in their respective fields. These organizations also benefit from visibility and networking opportunities in the “Space for Solutions” section. Additionally, the Forum initiates policy efforts in areas such as the climate crisis, global health, and the digital world.
Themes and Messages Highlighted at the 6th Paris Peace Forum
The 6th Paris Peace Forum addressed a diverse range of global issues, including ongoing wars and conflicts, human rights, inequalities, the climate crisis, global health policies, and digital security. Representatives from civil society and the private sector, activists, artists, and journalists from various parts of the world participated in the Forum. Notable figures such as former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, French President Emmanuel Macron, UN peace ambassador and ethologist Jane Goodall, Secretary-General of Amnesty International Agnès Callamard, Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court Karim Khan, and the 2021 Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa were among the speakers. The complete list of speakers can be found here.
While I provide a selection below, all panels and roundtable discussions can be viewed in English and French here. Unfortunately, the Forum still needs to enhance accessibility, lacking tools such as sign language translation in its records.
Interview with Oleksandra Matviichuk
Oleksandra Matviichuk, the recipient of the 2022 Nobel Peace Prize and a human rights lawyer, leads the team at the Center for Civil Liberties, founded in Ukraine in 2007, documenting war crimes. In the face of Russia’s war that disregards international legal norms and a dysfunctional UN peace and security system, Oleksandra emphasized the Russia-Ukraine war as one of the most documented conflicts globally. She clarified that their documentation aims not for Ukraine’s national archives but for holding accountable those responsible for the atrocities committed. When asked how she copes with the heavy agenda of documenting war crimes, she stated, “Imagining seeing Putin in The Hague (International Criminal Court) motivates me. Also, the struggles of ordinary people for their freedoms and dignity.” She called for the prosecution of all those responsible, starting with Putin.
All about impact: Maximizing the role of philanthropy in the age of multicrises
During the roundtable discussion, the conversation revolved around how philanthropy, possessing the agility and capital to invest in innovative solutions, can more effectively leverage its power in today’s world marked by increasing global threats. Noteworthy approaches and models included providing long-term and flexible support to local organizations, trust-based philanthropy, corporate support funds, and the formation of resource pools by aggregating financial and in-kind contributions from individuals and communities, as well as development funds. Moderated by Bathylle Missika from the OECD Development Centre, the session featured examples from the initiatives of organizations such as Open Society Foundation, WINGS, and Postcode Lottery.
Technology that saves lives: digitizing civil society as a global emergency
In a panel moderated by Olivia Irina Vereha, co-founder of Commit Global, the discussion centered on the strategic role of technology in supporting the capacities of civil society organizations, which face new challenges with each crisis. The panel underscored the imperative of creating the necessary digital infrastructure to facilitate the effective involvement of civil society organizations in times of crisis.
Liberty, Equality, Disparities: Keeping up the efforts to support and protect women’s rights
The panel explored strategies to protect women’s rights amidst the growing global anti-feminist movements. It also delved into the advantages of quota policies for promoting equality. Trisha Shetty, the founder of SheSays, underscored the importance of not solely looking to Western and developed nations as examples in gender equality policies. While acknowledging India’s need for progress, she highlighted that the country’s laws in areas such as consent, abortion, and queer marriage surpass those of many Western nations. Matthew Hart, the founder of the Global Philanthropy Project, discussed the life impacts of non-consensual surgeries on intersex children. The panel concluded with the statement that “inequality is a consequence of political will, and unlike natural resources, political will is a renewable resource.”
Female Combatants: roles and needs in conflict and post-conflict peacebuilding
This panel examined the role of women in conflicts dominated by men and in the post-conflict peace-building process. It emphasized that the inclusion of women in peace negotiations and decision-making is a prerequisite for achieving a fair, inclusive, and sustainable peace from a gender perspective.
From Multicrisis to Multiconflicts: how to stop the vicious circle
Charles Michel, President of the European Council, stressed the imperative for the European Union to expand its borders and bolster peace and stability during a period where fundamental values of freedom, peace, and prosperity are under threat. He underscored the United Nations Security Council’s veto system as a major obstacle to global peace. Michel concluded by stating, “The EU is not invading any country, but everyone wants to join the EU,” making a pointed reference to Russia, Israel, and occupying nations. President Salome Zourabichvili of Georgia highlighted significant support for EU membership in her country, with 75% of supporters citing “security” as the primary reason. She drew attention to the threat of Russian occupation faced by Georgia, Ukraine, and Moldova, emphasizing Russia’s need to recognize its borders. Comfort Ero, CEO of the International Crisis Group, pointed out that while the world’s center of gravity has shifted, the international system still consists of the “usual suspects.” She emphasized the importance of involving different actors and mediator countries in decision-making processes.
What is the added value of the Paris Peace Forum?
Our global agenda is exceptionally hectic, and the fissures in the international system have never been more pronounced. The Paris Peace Forum is valuable for illustrating the interconnected nature of these issues and underscoring the significance of collaboration in resolving them. One of the unique aspects of the Forum is the diversity among participants, both in terms of geography and the types of institutions represented. This diversity allows actors to come together to share experiences, knowledge, and recommendations. The Forum’s ability to facilitate encounters among actors who might not easily connect on various platforms, thereby providing space for diverse narratives and experiences, is immensely valuable. Furthermore, contributing to instilling confidence and hope that there is a way forward amid all these challenges is equally significant.
As highlighted by Nadia Murad, the recipient of the 2018 Nobel Peace Prize, during the 2022 Forum, “Hope has an expiration date.” Therefore, hope demands action. It is crucial for the Forum not only to function as an event but also to support civil society through its scale-up program and make a more tangible and concrete impact on the themes it prioritizes.
I am of the opinion that the participation of civil society organizations and various actors from Turkey in this global forum and its scale-up program would prove highly advantageous for sharing experiences and fostering financial resources and collaborations. Specifically, the inclusion of experiences from Turkey, particularly in the fields of civil society and disaster management, would make a significant contribution to the Forum.