December 2025 Reflections on Peace

Message from the President of the General Assembly

On the occasion of UPEACE’s forty fifth anniversary, the President of the General Assembly highlighted the

University’s enduring role as an institution created by the United Nations to prepare the next generation of peace

leaders. She emphasized that UPEACE has helped advance a vital understanding: peace is not an abstract ideal,

but a daily practice grounded in courage, cooperation, and a commitment to our shared humanity.

UPEACE’s academic and training programmes equip students with the skills needed for conflict prevention,

peacekeeping, and the peaceful settlement of disputes, while also cultivating the understanding, tolerance, and

coexistence that multilateralism urgently needs today. As the UN marks its eightieth anniversary and undertakes major reforms, she reminded us that we are “better together” and that institutions like UPEACE demonstrate how a bold and principled new generation of peacebuilders is already stepping forward to shape a more just and peaceful world.

2025 Highlights: Some of Our Favorite Moments This Year

1. Young Leaders for Peace took their first steps as changemakers. Our inaugural YLP cohort spent two transformative weeks at the UPEACE campus in Costa Rica, learning what peace looks like in practice and returning home with capstone projects that are already shaping their schools and communities. Their leadership, curiosity, and courage set the tone for the year.

2. Future Peacebuilders expanded globally.

What began as a local internship blossomed into an international fellowship, with students from around the world joining UPEACE NY to learn, lead, and bring youth perspectives into UN spaces. Their contributions to events, research, and partnerships helped position peace education at the center of our programming.

3. Summer Launch 2025.

In July 2025, UPEACE NY brought together more than 50 changemakers for an inspiring summer launch that blended live music, community, and purpose driven giving in support of peace education worldwide. With performances by MorDance and Kira Metcalf, the evening captured what we love most about our community —creativity, connection, and collective action. The event helped advance scholarships for the Young Leaders for Peace program, support workshops rooted in mentorship and intergroup dialogue, and strengthen training

opportunities for emerging leaders across education, technology, and the public sector.