A Message from our Founders

Forty-five years ago, the United Nations General Assembly established the International Day of Peace to coincide with the beginning of the regular session of the General Assembly. A year later, on September 21, 1982, the UN and its member states celebrated the first International Day of Peace. Since then, the world has recognized this day to end hostilities through ceasefires, to shed light on the heroic efforts of frontline activists and peacebuilders in conflict zones, and invite everyday citizens to commit to peace through nonviolence.

From Afghanistan, Colombia, Ethiopia, Gaza, Myanmar, Sudan, Syria, and Ukraine, the toll of human suffering is overwhelming. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that there are nearly 130 conflicts in over 60 countries, a number that has more than doubled since 2009. Twenty of those conflicts have lasted over two decades leaving an entire generation who has never known peace. In the last 20 years, 1.5 million people have died from armed conflict. Today, nearly 200 million people are living in areas affected by conflict or in contested areas controlled by non-state armed actors. 117 million people have been forcibly displaced from their homes.

The way we respond to war, violence, and conflict will be a defining feature of this generation. These realities set against a backdrop of worldwide skepticism toward the multilateral system, stark withdrawal from moral obligations by leaders on the international stage, a significant reduction in funding towards peace and security, and a significant increase in defense spending globally leaves us in a perilous moment for peace in a new world order.

Last year, the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP), a leading independent organization created by the U.S. Congress in 1984 to demonstrate the United States’s commitment to peace, was dismantled by the Trump Administration. USIP wasn’t the only organization in the broader ecosystem of government and nongovernment actors that felt the immediate impact of Trump’s actions; the whole of USAID and bureaus within the State Department working on conflict stabilization, democracy and human rights were also downgraded or eliminated. Western allies that had been aligned in the pursuit of peace and development, including the UN and other international organizations felt the cascading effects of an abrupt loss of U.S. funding.

We are reminded that peacebuilding is first about improving the lives of millions of people who suffer because of violent conflict. Human rights and humanitarianism recognizes universal values that transcend national and factional interests. Peace is an endeavor that can and must be practiced every day: at home, in school, in our communities, and at work.

We founded PeaceBridge Global to espouse and to practice our commitment to peace, democracy and human rights after losing our jobs at USIP and decades of work. PeaceBridge is a DC-based non-profit organization with a global mission to empower local communities to advance human rights, uphold democracy and the rule of law, and foster inclusive, and peaceful societies in authoritarian or conflict-affected contexts. Building on the lessons we have learned from our work at USIP, with the UN, with international and local NGOs, and working with courageous peace builders in Afghanistan, Colombia, and across Asia and Latin America. PeaceBridge leverages the expertise in policy and practice, knowledge, networks, and tested tools informed by lessons observed from peacebuilding, and social justice efforts worldwide and applies them to new opportunities for peace.

This year, the UN has declared the 2026 International Day of Peace theme: Invest in Peace - For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day. Here are a few ideas that might spark a conversation on peace and conflict in your community.

• Organize a youth-led Peace Circle to talk about the problems and solutions in your community

• Lead a half-day training on nonviolent action and peacebuilding with social and political activists in your community

• Illustrate a picture or write a poem of what every day peace looks like in your country

• Grow your coalition of organizations, associations, partners and allies through a facilitated dialogue

• Host a community screening of “A Force More Powerful” and open a conversation about what you learned

Today, we invite you to invest in peace alongside us. Follow our work, lend your voice, and renew your commitment to nonviolence. Peace is built by everyday people, choosing, again and again, to believe it's possible.