Paris Peace Forum 2018 at a glance
Peace is linked with global governance
Peace is not just the suspension of war. It is made up of all the solutions that help minimize international tensions: cooperation to fight climate change and resource scarcity, institutions to channel power rivalries and administer global public goods, justice to assuage grievances and frustration, regulation to address inequalities and abuses of power.
An international system in crisis : the case for fighting back
International cooperation is slowing down. States are competing hard for advantage and populism is undermining global governance. Military expenditures are growing fast while the UN budget is cut. International norms, in particular human rights, are disregarded and international justice is questioned. Globalization suffers from a lack of common standards and regulation. Once a tool of emancipation, the Internet is becoming a jungle dominated by abusive corporations, propagandists and hackers. And we are losing the race against global warming.
The Paris Peace Forum was created to counter these tendencies – and to convene all those among States and civil society that still believe that collective action, multilateralism and the good stewardship of common public goods are our best chance to address common challenges and maintain peace.
An initiative by French President Emmanuel Macron
The Paris Peace Forum is the annual international meeting for all actors of global governance initiated by Emmanuel Macron.
"The world in which we live is being weakened by crises which are destabilizing our societies: the economic, environmental and climate crises and the migration challenge. Weakened by the resurgence of threats which could strike at any moment: terrorism, chemical and nuclear proliferation and cyber crime. Weakened by the return of grim passions – nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, extremism – which call into question the future our peoples expect. That’s why we wanted to organize this Paris Peace Forum, which is destined to take place every year and draw together heads of state and government […] but also representatives of international organizations, non-governmental organizations, local authorities, voluntary organizations, businesses, foundations, intellectuals, journalists, activists;[…] everyone who makes up the world today and can change it." Introductory speech by Emmanuel Macron, President of the French Republic, at the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum, 11 November 2018
What the first edition of the Paris Peace Forum accomplished
The first edition of the Paris Peace Forum was held from 11 to 13 November at la Grande Halle de La Villette and convened actors from civil society around the world to advance concrete global governance solutions:
- 65 Heads of State and Government as well as 10 leaders from internationals organizations attended the inauguration and led more than 40 bilateral meetings;
- 121 project teams showcased their concrete solutions to international challenges;
- 300 high-level speakers participated in interactive debates;
- 80 high-tech passionate took part in a three-day hackathon;
- more than 6,000 representatives of NGOs, companies, foundations, philanthropic organizations, development agencies, religious groups, trade unions, think tanks, universities, and civil society at large.