What would happen if the keys to global peace were in the hands of young people? From November 10th to 12th, at the Mariapoli Piero in Nairobi, an international event will attempt to answer this question: how can cities and communities promote global peace, starting with young people?
source: New Humanity
Cities, Communities, Care. Youth in Action for Sustaining Peace - Nairobi, November 10–12, 2025
Why this event is important
In a world affected by global crises, rapidly urbanizing cities are both engines of innovation and hotbeds of inequality and conflict. They are complex ecosystems where the major challenges of our time are concentrated. The event aims to redefine urban living by promoting sustainable development, social cohesion, and shared responsibility in governance. While the 2030 Agenda's Sustainable Development Goals seem distant, the event proposes new urban strategies that regenerate the quality of social and political relations, rooting cities in their territories and integrating community values.
An international network for peace
Nairobi, home to United Nations agencies such as UN-Habitat, UNEP, and UNESCO, is a strategic location on the global scene. The conference builds on the path already undertaken by a network of organizations and promotes the large-scale dissemination of innovative experiences and perspectives. It aims to provide a platform for reflection and action where social and political actors can converge as global citizens and peacebuilders. possano 
convergere come cittadini globali e costruttori di pace. Promoted by New Humanity ONG/Movimento dei Focolari, with General Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), the event will welcome mayors, administrators, peacekeepers, politicians, diplomats, religious leaders, citizens, civil associations, scholars, and researchers. To amplify its impact, the event will include live links with five "witness cities" around the world to share innovative policy actions and their results.
Young People on the Front Line
Young people played a key role in designing the program and will also be prominent figures during the event, bringing their vision and skills to promote environmental and social change. Approximately 200 young leaders are expected, primarily from Kenya and neighboring countries. Representatives of the national groups of Together for a New Africa, completing their three-year leadership training program, will also be present. Responding to a “call for ideas”, youth groups from 14 African capitals will present five community projects to sow peace in their countries. A special highlight will be video messages from Felipe Paullier, UN Under-Secretary-General for Youth, and Margaret Karram, President of the Focolare Movement.
The main sessions can be followed live on the YouTube di New Humanity NGO channel in English and French. In the following days, the recorded sessions will be published on the New Humanity channel with translations in English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian.
Main objectives of the initiative:
● Explore the strategic role of cities for social and political change, promoting community-based sociality, inclusion, and co-responsibility.
● Give space to the ideals and ability of young people to lead local and global transformational actions, strengthening their participation in decision-making processes.
● Spread the culture of peace, citizenship, and dialogue, strengthening international society and the United Nations system.
The invitation to participate online is open to all interested parties: young people, mayors and administrators, politicians and diplomats, leaders of civil and religious organizations, citizens, and researchers.
🌍 You can still register to participate in person without accommodation or online at this link: https://forms.office.com/e/GwQ98UL3r5.
For further information, please contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Follow the developments and see the updated event program on the New Humanity website: https://www.new-humanity.org/en/project/nairobi-2025/
