On 25 June 2026, ACCORD, in partnership with the United Nations Peacebuilding and Peace Support Office, convened a high-level session titled “From Geneva to New York: Taking Stock of the CSO–UN Dialogue on Peacebuilding” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
The session formed part of the inaugural UN Peacebuilding Week and was supported by the governments of Switzerland, Finland, Germany and Denmark. It brought together the CSO–UN Dialogue Initiative Core Group, representatives from civil society, the United Nations and Member States to reflect on progress achieved through the CSO–UN Dialogue process, assess persistent challenges, and consider priorities for the next phase of engagement, particularly in the context of ongoing Peacebuilding Architecture Review (PBAR) implementation.
In their role as the 2026 Co-Chair of the CSO–UN Dialogue Initiative, ACCORD, represented by its Founder and Executive Director, Dr Vasu Gounden, chaired the opening segment and delivered the opening and welcoming remarks. Contributions during the opening segment were also delivered by Ms Rosemary DiCarlo, United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs; Dr Jibecke Joensson, Head of Multilateral Affairs and Peacemaking Policy at CMI – Martti Ahtisaari Peace Foundation; and H.E. Mr Frank Grütter, Permanent Representative of Switzerland to the United Nations.
The session engaged in-depth on the progress made in advancing peacebuilding priorities that were identified at previous annual Dialogues since 2023, more particularly the 2025 Geneva Dialogue.
Several key insights emerged from the discussions where, discussants underscored the importance of building trust, both within institutions and between stakeholders as a foundation for effective collaboration. There was a strong call to move beyond tokenistic approaches to localisation by placing greater emphasis on local lived experiences and enabling horizontal learning across communities.
In addition, discussants noted that civil society actors themselves must remain adaptive, self-reflective and open to innovation in order to respond effectively to the evolving nature of peacebuilding challenges. Looking ahead, the session emphasised the need for more targeted and practical approaches as the Dialogue process evolves. Core Group discussants called for clearer prioritisation, stronger accountability, and more deliberate efforts to translate global commitments into tangible outcomes on the ground.
The session concluded by reinforcing the value of the CSO–UN Dialogue for Peacebuilding as a critical platform for inclusive engagement and collective reflection.
Through its leadership and convening role, ACCORD will continue to advance efforts to strengthen collaboration, enhance coherence and support more effective and locally grounded peacebuilding outcomes.
Watch the full session here on UN Web Tv
