Geneva Peacebuilding Platform Board Members Address the Escalating Challenges of Peace at Geneva Peace Week 2024

Geneva Peace Week 2024, held from 14 to 18 October, brought together global leaders, experts, and peacebuilders to explore the urgent theme, "What is Peace?" In two powerful articles published by Geneva Solutions and Le Temps, Ambassador Nathalie Chuard, from DCAF – Geneva Centre for Security Sector Governance, Ambassador Thomas Greminger from Geneva Centre for Security Policy (GCSP) and Tobias Privitelli, from the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining (GICHD) —members of the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform’s board and key voices in peace governance—shared their perspectives on the deepening complexities of peacebuilding in today’s world. Their reflections offer a sobering look at the growing threats to peace and the need for renewed international collaboration.

In Geneva Solutions, the English-language article “Peace is Now More Elusive than Ever” reflects on the multifaceted crises endangering peace efforts worldwide. Ambassadors Chuard, Greminger, and Privitelli emphasized that today's peacebuilding landscape is plagued by interlocking challenges, from escalating geopolitical tensions to climate-induced resource shortages, all of which make peace a fragile and contested goal. Highlighting their collective expertise in security governance, peace policy, and humanitarian demining, they underscored the need for adaptive, collaborative strategies to mitigate these growing threats.

Simultaneously, their French-language article, “La Paix, Plus Insaisissable Que Jamais,” published in Le Temps, delved into the profound question of peace’s meaning and sustainability in an era marked by complex, interdependent crises. The authors stressed that peace today requires much more than traditional diplomacy or conflict resolution—it demands a comprehensive understanding of the socio-economic and environmental factors shaping global stability. This call for an inclusive and multidimensional approach resonated with Geneva Peace Week's overarching focus on exploring the multifaceted nature of peace.

These contributions underscore the Geneva Peacebuilding Platform’s commitment to fostering dialogue and action amidst mounting obstacles to peace. Ambassadors Chuard, Greminger, and Privitelli call on the international community to embrace a proactive, resilient stance to preserve peace. Their insights serve as a compelling reminder that achieving lasting peace requires the concerted efforts of all sectors, a message that will continue to shape Geneva Peace Week’s future editions.