UCLG Peace Prize workshop

Enhancing Peace Through Local Action and Global Exchange

UCLG World Congress

Tangier, June 23 2026

 

 

Dear colleagues,

 

As the leadership of local and regional governments gathers here in Tangiers this week, we do so in a time of crisis.

Conflict and violence continue to affect communities globally, with threats in all shapes and sizes.

 

The diversity of the pressures that we are facing as local authorities form a daunting challenge.

 

Yet, in our mandate and in our legitimacy, we also find strength.

 

Whether we represent millions of inhabitants as metropolitan cities, or a small rural community:

As local and regional governments we can provide powerful answers to these threats to our communities.

 

On a daily basis, in every corner of the world, local and regional governments are implementing innovative and effective initiatives to enhance peace in their communities.

 

These solutions are locally crafted, and build on strong actors in their communities.

They generate evidence that shows that peacebuilding is not merely a national affair.

 

That peace is built not merely by treaties and civil society,

but that the level of government closest to the people can have a massive impact for peace in their communities,  working closely with their partners and citizens.

 

In this session today, we are able to witness such impactful solutions.

 

We build on the strong examples of local and regional governments, working to enhance peace in their communities.

 

Not through a heavy handed approach, not through militarisation of their police forces,

but by investing in strategies, that foster trust and focus on prevention.

 

These champions generate evidence that form the foundation of our municipal peace movement.

 

Our movement is organised through UCLG, with the UCLG Peace Prize as an instrument of the UCLG Peace Agenda.

 

Connecting with our key partners,

through the World Forum on Cities and Territories of Peace, rallying around the Hague Charter for Municipal Peace,

and by expanding our collaboration for a joint impact.

 

An example of that is the new collaboration that we have with Open Society Foundations.

 

Open Society Foundations joining the movement of the UCLG Peace Prize, and the merging of our networks, strongly enhances our collective impact.

And we are grateful for that.

 

Through our collective network,  together as partners,
we can continue to build a library of strong examples.

Based on our strong belief that, local and regional governments can learn from one another and strengthen one another, as we continue to face similar challenges within our communities.

 

This library provides strong potential for the future.

The potential for upscaling of powerful local government-led peace initiatives, and for peer learning across regions.

 

Thank you for joining this session here today and I am looking forward to learning more from our distinguished delegates.