On 13 September 2019, the day marking the 20th anniversary of the adoption of Resolution 53/243, the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, the High Level Forum on the Culture of Peace was convened by the President of the General Assembly in cooperation with the Global Movement for the Culture of Peace (GMCoP).

SGI is a founding member of GMCoP and has helped organize the Forum as a core member of GMCoP for seven consecutive years since it has been convened annually since 2012. A Solidarity Message by Nobel Peace Laureate Leymah Gbowee was delivered at the General Assembly Hall on this year’s theme “The Culture of Peace: Empowering and Transforming Humanity” followed by statements by governments. A total of 56 Member States and its various groups and UN agencies submitted statements. The afternoon session consisted of a panel of governments, UN experts, academics and civil society. To read the statements delivered at the Forum or watch the webcast recording, visit the UN website.