Director-General's remarks at the Geneva Peace Talks 2026

Geneva Peace Talks 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026 at 4.00 p.m.
Centre International de Conférences Genève (CICG)

Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Good afternoon.

It is a great pleasure to be with you for this year’s Geneva Peace Talks.

Peace rarely makes headlines. We notice it most when it disappears.

Yet every day, often far from public attention, people choose to prevent violence, bridge divisions and preserve human dignity. A community leader opens a difficult conversation. A neighbour refuses to see another neighbour as an enemy. A mediator keeps people at the table when walking away would be easier.

As Secretary-General António Guterres has reminded us, “Prevention is not merely a priority, but the priority. If we live up to our responsibilities, we will save lives, reduce suffering and give hope to millions.”

In our fast-moving world, we celebrate what happens. We rarely celebrate what does not happen.

Yet some of humanity’s greatest achievements are tragedies that never occurred: wars that never began, crises that were prevented and lives that were never lost.

These achievements do not happen by accident. They begin with a choice: the choice to listen rather than dismiss; to build bridges rather than barriers; and to seek understanding rather than confrontation.

That is why this year’s theme “Choose peace” carries such significance.

Peace is not an abstract ideal. Nor it is simply the absence of conflict. Peace is a practice. It is reflected in the decisions we make when trust is strained, when disagreement becomes personal, and when division seems easier than dialogue.

In 2013, the Peace Talks began at the Palais des Nations as an interactive celebration of the International Day of Peace through storytelling. Since then, more than thirty editions have been held, bringing together over 250 speakers from more than 60 countries.

That growth reflects a simple but powerful conviction: peace is a shared responsibility. Governments, diplomats and mediators have essential roles to play. But so does every individual – regardless of age, profession, background, or geography.

Economists – like myself - value numbers. Numbers help us understand the scale of a problem. But stories help us understand what that problem means to a human being.

Stories cross boundaries that statistics cannot. They challenge assumptions, create empathy and allow us to glimpse the human reality behind distant and complex events. They remind us that behind every policy debate and every peace process are people seeking dignity, safety and hope.

This is the unique contribution of the Geneva Peace Talks: to place human experience at the centre of our conversation; to demonstrate that peaceful solutions are possible; and to inspire each of us to become an active contributor to peace.

This mission belongs naturally in Geneva, a city shaped by dialogue and international cooperation. Here, every day, we witness the value of bringing people together, especially when agreement appears most difficult.

I extend my sincere thanks to our partners, including Interpeace, the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform, the Permanent Mission of Switzerland, and all those who have made today's gathering possible. Your commitment reflects the very spirit of cooperation that peace requires.

As we listen to today’s speakers, let us hear their stories not simply as accounts of what they have done, but as invitations to consider what we might do.

And let us ask ourselves:

When I next face division, misunderstanding, or conflict, what choice will I make?

The question before us is not whether peace is possible. History has shown us that it is. The question is whether we are prepared to choose it, defend it and build it together.

I wish you an inspiring and thought-provoking Geneva Peace Talks 2026.

Thank you.