First peacebuilding week took place in New York City

With conflict on the rise globally and geopolitical polarisation intensifying joint efforts are essential to advance global peace in line with the United Nations (UN) Charter and international law, including through strengthened multilateralism.The peacebuilding week offers an inclusive space for local, national and international champions to celebrate peacebuilding’s achievements and to look ahead to a new generation of efforts.

The European Union (EU)’s strategic partnership with the UN is firmly grounded in this shared commitment to effective multilateralism, conflict prevention, and sustaining the peace agenda. Over the past decade, the EU has funded more than 1,000 crisis response and conflict prevention projects contributing to the peacebuilding efforts globally. The European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments (FPI) promotes multilateralism through various actions related to conflict prevention, peacebuilding, human rights, counterterrorism, the fight against organised crime, chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) risk mitigation and public diplomacy.

In the margins of the first Peacebuilding week, Peter M. Wagner, Head of the European Commission’s Service for Foreign Policy Instruments addressed the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) reaffirming the EU’s unwavering commitment to the multilateral system, based on international law. 

A side event organised by FPI took place on 23 June at the UN building and gave participants the opportunity to exchange views on how to achieve greater practical impact in peacebuilding, as well as to showcase country-level experiences. The Peacebuilding week allowed to raise awareness, build consensus and galvanize around the most pressing peace and security issues of today.