Theme  Peace and Solidarity :
Human Rights Cities Acting for Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding

Date  May 15. (Thu) - 17. (Sat), 2025

Venue  Kimdaejung Convention Center, Gwangju, Republic of Korea

Background

Peaceful existence is the starting point for all human rights. The three pillars of the UN are peace, development, and human rights. Each pillar is indispensable for the realization of the other. Peace and security and development cannot be achieved without human rights. Human rights are a tool for prevention of violence, essential safeguards amidst the conduct of hostilities and a path to sustainable peace. In 1984, the UN General Assembly emphasized the importance of life without war through the “Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace”. Nevertheless, wars, civil wars, and violence continue to occur in various parts of the world.

The year 2025 marks the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. However, other diverse forms of serious violent conflicts are still ongoing in many places. In some countries, Human rights are being suppressed using emergency martial laws and state violence, as was the case in Gwangju, South Korea, 45 years ago. The persistent civil wars and conflicts are taking the lives of countless people. The number of forcibly displaced people due to these conflicts across continents has passed 120 million. (Global Appeal 2025 Report)

Peace and human rights thrive in environments free from conflict and violence. Conflicts are serious challenges that destroy the foundation of human rights. Reducing conflicts and promoting peace are crucial, urgent, and shared common goals for human rights cities. 

The peace that humanity desires does not mean merely the absence of war. Peace is the opposition to all forms of violence that threaten the safe life of humanity. Not only direct forms of violence, such as war and murder, but also structural violence—manifested in inequality, discrimination, and poverty, which stem from anti-human rights social structures—are challenges that must be overcome to achieve peace. True peace is a state in which all violent acts and conflicts have been eradicated and in which the safety and prosperity of individuals and communities are possible.

Human Rights Cities play a vital role in fostering peace and solidarity by actively promoting dialogue, inclusion, and social cohesion. Rather than merely responding to conflicts, they work to prevent them by building strong, resilient communities rooted in human rights values. By ensuring access to justice, protecting vulnerable groups, and cultivating a culture of mutual respect, Human Rights Cities create environments where conflicts are less likely to arise. Through education, community engagement, and collaboration, they serve as catalysts for peacebuilding efforts, demonstrating that sustainable peace begins at the local level. In an increasingly complex world, strengthening the role of Human Rights Cities in conflict prevention and peacebuilding is more important than ever.