Aljarwan Calls from Paraguay for Renewed International Commitment to Building a Global Culture of Peace

Asunción, 24 September 2026

H.E. Ahmed bin Mohamed Aljarwan, President of the Global Council for Tolerance and Peace, called on world leaders and national representatives gathered in New York for the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly, as well as parliaments and institutions worldwide, to renew their international commitment to building a global culture of peace, promoting the values of tolerance and dialogue, and translating relevant international principles into practical policies and initiatives that advance security, stability, and peaceful coexistence.

Aljarwan made the remarks during his address to the Regional Session of the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace for Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Asunción, Republic of Paraguay, on 23 and 24 September 2026. Hosted by the Chamber of Deputies of Paraguay, the session brought together a broad range of international parliamentary delegations.

He stressed that the session offered an important opportunity to strengthen engagement between the parliaments of Latin America and the Caribbean and their counterparts participating in the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace. It also provided a platform for building sustainable partnerships capable of translating the principles of tolerance and peace into tangible programmes, initiatives, and practices that serve societies and future generations.

Aljarwan said that the world needs, now more than ever, to make peace a genuine global priority rather than merely a slogan invoked at international forums and commemorative occasions. He emphasised that peace cannot be achieved through aspirations alone, but through building trust, strengthening dialogue, respecting others, embracing diversity and differences, and identifying common ground for collective action toward a better future.

He also highlighted the significant responsibility entrusted to parliaments, noting that parliamentarians, as representatives of their peoples, can directly contribute—through legislation, dialogue, and parliamentary diplomacy—to promoting a culture of tolerance, countering hate speech and division, bridging differences, and supporting initiatives that enhance security, stability, and peaceful coexistence.

Against the backdrop of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Aljarwan addressed a message to the international community, urging it to renew its commitment to the principles it had previously endorsed for building a global culture of peace.

In this context, he recalled the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption, on 13 September 1999, of Resolution 53/243 on the “Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace.” The resolution underscored the importance of promoting understanding, tolerance, and solidarity among all civilisations, peoples, and cultures; affirmed the primary responsibility of governments in fostering a culture of peace; and recognised the vital role of the United Nations in promoting and consolidating it worldwide.

Aljarwan called on world leaders, parliaments, and institutions to translate these principles into practical policies and initiatives and to strengthen cooperation with the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace in order to unite parliamentary and international efforts and help build a safer, more tolerant, and peaceful world.

He affirmed that peace is a shared responsibility and a universal human duty that is not confined to any single country, region, or people. He therefore called for coordinated action among states, parliaments, institutions, and communities to make a culture of peace an integral part of public policy, education, public discourse, and relations among nations and peoples.

The session followed the global observance of the International Day of Peace on 21 September. In 2026, the Day was held under the theme “Invest in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” reaffirming that peace requires sustained action and the transformation of principles and appeals into tangible efforts that reach all peoples.

The session was attended by parliamentary members and delegations from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guyana, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, Spain, and El Salvador, alongside representatives of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament (PARLATINO) and the Parliament of MERCOSUR (PARLASUR).

On the sidelines of the visit, H.E. Pedro Alliana, Vice President of the Republic of Paraguay, received H.E. Ahmed bin Mohamed Aljarwan and the accompanying delegation. The meeting explored ways to strengthen cooperation, support international efforts to promote a culture of tolerance and peace, and advance dialogue among peoples and institutions.

H.E. Raúl Latorre, President of the Chamber of Deputies of the Republic of Paraguay, also received Aljarwan and the accompanying delegation. The two sides discussed ways to strengthen parliamentary cooperation, expand the partnership with the International Parliament for Tolerance and Peace, and support joint initiatives aimed at consolidating the values of dialogue, mutual understanding, and peace.