By Guido Lanfranchi.
On November 12-13th, Paris will host the second edition of the Paris Peace Forum. The initiative will draw together a large number of high-level participants, including the UN Secretary General and more than 30 heads of state and government. The Forum’s aim is to discuss concrete ways to “promote global governance for sustainable peace”.
Six transversal themes related to global governance. More than 6,000 participants, including United Nations Secretary General Mr. Antonio Guterres, over 30 heads of state and government, as well as representatives of international organizations, NGOs, think tanks, and foundations.
More than 80 multi-stakeholder debates, with the involvement of around 200 speakers, and 115 governance projects.
These are the impressive figures of the Paris Peace Forum 2019, which is set to take place on November 12-13th, 2019, at La Grande Halle de la Villettein Paris. This second edition of the Forum will revolve around the topic of global governance – and in particular its role in promoting sustainable peace in the world. The topic will be tackled through six different – albeit highly interrelated – perspectives: peace and security; development; environment; new technologies; inclusive economy; and culture and education.
The contribution of the Paris Peace Forum will be multi-pronged. Firstly, the Forum will provide room for debate, by decision-makers and intellectuals alike, about the large challenges faced by our world today. In addition to that, the Forum will also serve as an incubator of ideas and projects. Out of the 700 submissions received, the selected ones will be unveiled on November 13th, paving the way for their scaling-up and implementation process. Finally, the Forum will also feature the PeaceGames, an interactive, multi-stakeholder exercise that will allow participants to simulate complex decision-making procedures.
The first gathering in the context of the 2019 Paris Peace Forum will happen one day before the official start, with a closed-door session in the evening of November 11th. The official ceremony of inauguration will take place the following morning, with keynote speeches by heads of state and government, including by French President Mr. Emmanuel Macron. This event will kick-in two very intense days, full of debates, simulations, and discussions on the implementation of projects selected in the Forum’s 2018 edition. A closing ceremony on November 13thwill recap the achievements of the previous two days, and it will unveil the new list of projects to be scaled up over the next year.
Diplomat Magazine will be present at the Forum in Paris, trying to provide you a glimpse of the whole lot of things happening at La Grande Halle de la Villette. Stay tuned!
About the author:
Guido Lanfranchi is a student and young professional in the field of international affairs. He has pursued his studies both at Leiden University and Sciences Po Paris, where he is currently enrolled. In parallel, he has been gaining professional experience through internships (first at the Council of the European Union, and currently at Clingendael Institute), as well as by working as reporter and associate editor for Diplomat Magazine The Netherlands. His research and work focus on the Middle East and Africa, and especially on conflict situations in these regions.