The international community faces unprecedented challenges that demand urgent, coordinated action. From rising global inequalities to environmental degradation and violent conflict, the interconnected crises of the 21st century call for collaborative leadership. The UN 2030 Agenda and the Global Peace Summit share a unified goal: to build a more inclusive, just, and peaceful world.
Both initiatives emphasize the importance of addressing structural violence, systemic poverty, and climate instability. While the UN 2030 Agenda offers a global blueprint through its 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Global Peace Summit acts as a high-impact platform where these ambitions find practical expression through diplomacy, dialogue, and collective action. Together, they reinforce the idea that peace is not a separate pillar but the foundation for achieving all other goals.
Peace as a Crosscutting Objective
Goal 16 of the UN 2030 Agenda specifically promotes peace, justice, and strong institutions. However, peace is not confined to one goal alone. It permeates every aspect of sustainable development, from education and health to gender equality and economic opportunity. The Global Peace Summit places peacebuilding at the heart of its discussions, linking it to other global priorities such as clean energy transitions, responsible business, and resilient governance.
One of the key contributions of the GPS is its ability to break silos. Delegates from diverse sectors, diplomacy, academia, civil society, and the private sector, collaborate on holistic approaches that reflect the interdependence of global systems. This is especially important in post-conflict regions, where peacebuilding must occur alongside infrastructure development, food security, and institutional reform.
By aligning the GPS sessions with SDG targets, the platform strengthens the narrative that sustainable peace and sustainable development are inseparable. Conflict-sensitive development strategies and inclusive decision-making processes receive growing attention, both in thematic panels and country-level working groups.
Empowering Local and Global Actors
The Global Peace Summit amplifies the voices of underrepresented communities, particularly those in conflict zones and developing countries. It offers space for local actors to shape global strategies and ensures that top-down frameworks align with realities on the ground. Similarly, the UN 2030 Agenda calls for participatory governance and local ownership of development processes.
Both efforts acknowledge that global peace cannot be achieved through elite consensus alone. Grassroots organizations, youth-led movements, and indigenous leaders play essential roles in achieving the SDGs. At the GPS, side events and roundtables highlight community-driven peacebuilding initiatives that address social cohesion, trauma healing, and post-conflict reconciliation.
These grassroots narratives inform policy recommendations that global actors can adopt or scale up. Whether through climate resilience programs in island nations or women’s peace networks in Africa, the GPS acts as a conduit between global commitments and local innovation.
Bridging Diplomacy and Development
While development conferences often focus on economic indicators and peace forums center on security concerns, the Global Peace Summit bridges both realms. It offers a rare intersectional space where development experts and diplomats jointly explore strategies to stabilize fragile contexts, rebuild broken institutions, and nurture inclusive growth.
The UN 2030 Agenda provides a comprehensive roadmap, but implementation remains uneven. The GPS plays a supportive role by tracking progress, identifying gaps, and building coalitions to accelerate results. In doing so, it complements the work of international bodies while remaining grounded in regional dynamics.
By promoting multilateralism and collective action, both the GPS and the UN 2030 Agenda counter nationalist and exclusionary narratives. The GPS particularly advocates for a renewed commitment to international cooperation, where peace is not just the absence of war, but the presence of justice, opportunity, and dignity.
Leveraging Innovation and Technology
Technology and innovation serve as powerful tools for both peacebuilding and development. Digital platforms can enhance transparency, increase civic participation, and streamline humanitarian aid. The Global Peace Summit explores how emerging technologies, AI, blockchain, and digital identity systems, can align with the UN 2030 Agenda to foster inclusive governance and better service delivery.
However, tech solutions must remain equitable. The digital divide threatens to widen inequalities if not addressed proactively. The GPS brings together innovators and human rights advocates to co-design systems that are accessible, inclusive, and accountable.
From conflict early warning systems to climate adaptation tools, technology is becoming a central theme in both forums. Collaborative pilot projects launched at the GPS often become case studies for integrating tech with SDG delivery mechanisms, especially in crisis-prone areas.
Accountability and Political Will
Meeting the targets of the UN 2030 Agenda requires more than ambition, it demands accountability and political will. Both the GPS and the UN framework recognize the need to track progress transparently, share data openly, and evaluate outcomes rigorously.
The Global Peace Summit supports regional and national monitoring tools that align with SDG metrics. It promotes periodic reviews that incorporate civil society input and create space for public dialogue. This model not only increases transparency but also builds trust among stakeholders.
More importantly, the GPS emphasizes ethical leadership. Through high-level panels and mentoring programs, it nurtures a new generation of leaders committed to peace, equity, and justice. These efforts ensure that the vision of a peaceful planet remains alive beyond declarations and global statements.
