No more wars! Building peace through human rights, development and international solidarity

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Side event during the 60th Session of the Human Rights Council on the occasion of the centenary of Fr. Oreste Benzi, Founder of Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23)

17 September 2025 – From 1 pm to 2 pm – Geneva, Palais des Nations, Room VIII


In a world too often marked by conflict and polarization, international solidarity, the realization of development as a right and the respect of the right to peace are key elements.
Fostering solidarity in order to break down barriers of division and build bridges of understanding and empathy, requires enhancing cooperative and multilateral solutions based on human rights. Especially, the right to peace and the right to development are essential milestones of the human rights system that should play an ever more relevant role: if duly empowered and implemented at every level, they could strongly contribute to address the structural inequities and enduring conflicts that are threatening our world.

Advancing the implementation of these rights and mainstreaming the principle of international solidarity is therefore crucial to face global issues with the holistic, bottom-up and people-centred approach that is needed. We are at an existential crossroad in the history of humanity: building a peaceful, just and sustainable future for all needs for courageous and visionary thinking, along with urgent and shared decisions to concretely realize it.

As Father Oreste Benzi, founder of Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23), was used to saying: “Men have always, throughout the centuries, organized wars, it is time to start organising peace!” This special side event is meant to deepen the role that international solidarity and the human rights to peace and development could play in organizing peace and spreading a culture of peace and nonviolence in our societies, also through concrete proposals and practices that will be shared (like the Ministry for Peace and the Nonviolent Peace Corps).

The event is included in a series of initiatives in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of Fr. Oreste Benzi, whose lifelong struggle for the value of human life and the promotion of the rights and dignity of every human being has guided and inspired APG23’s advocacy work at the United Nations. Fr. Oreste Benzi was a passionate advocate of human rights, solidarity, development and peace who denounced exploitation and discrimination in all their forms, realizing solidarity initiatives with the most vulnerable and marginalized.

Recognizing that systemic injustices perpetuate poverty, exclusion and feed conflicts and inequalities, Fr. Oreste Benzi saw social justice not merely as an abstract ideal but as a practical imperative that required concrete action to improve the material conditions of the poor and oppressed. In this regard, he proposed the Society of Gratuitousness as a new societal model to create a world where every person could live free from fear and oppression.

By commemorating his legacy, the event will focus on the interlinkages and mutual relations among peace, human rights and integral human development, with a special focus on the right to peace, the right to development and international solidarity. Their key role in building comprehensive and shared solutions to the most pressing challenges faced by humankind will be explored through the interventions of distinguished panellists representing diverse perspectives from academia, diplomatic missions, spiritual leaders, human rights experts, practitioners and peacebuilders.

Target Audience: Governmental representatives, officials and staff of United Nations agencies and other intergovernmental Organizations, officials and staff of Non-Governmental Organizations, academics and researchers.

Programme of the event

Moderators:

  • Dr. Maria Mercedes Rossi, Main representative of Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23) to the UN

Opening remarks:

  • His Excellency, Msgr Ettore Balestrero, Apostolic Nuncio, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva
  • His Excellency, Ambassador Vincenzo Grassi, Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva
  • His Excellency, Ambassador Marcello Beccari, Permanent Representative of San Marino to the United Nations and other international organizations in Geneva

Speakers:

  • Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, President of the Episcopal Conference of Italy and Archbishop of Bologna Catholic Diocese (by video)
  • Prof. Stefano Zamagni, Professor of Economics at the University of Bologna and Emeritus President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
  • Mr. David Fernandez Puyana, Permanent Observer of UN University of Peace to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva
  • Ms. Shyami Puvimanasinghe, Human Rights Officer, OHCHR Section on the right to development
  • Operazione Colomba, APG23 Nonviolent Peace Corps, video and testimony of a human rights defender
  • Mr. Matteo Fadda, President of Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23)

Co-organisers:

  • Permanent Mission of the Holy See to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
  • Associazione Comunità Papa Giovanni XXIII (APG23) 

Other Co-sponsors:

  • Permanent Mission of Italy to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
  • Permanent Mission of San Marino to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva
  • Permanent Mission of the Sovereign Order of Malta to the United Nations Office and other international organizations in Geneva;
  • UPEACE, University for Peace established by the General Assembly of the United Nations
  • Geneva Forum of Catholic-inspired NGOs

Official language: English – Interpretation: Italian/English – Light refreshment will be provided

Organized with the support of the National Committee for the celebrations of the Centenary of the birth of Father Oreste Benzi