Event report

In view of the war in Gaza and the crisis of multilateralism, this workshop addressed the fundamental principles of the UN and invites participants to share perspectives for a peaceful future. To facilitate the discussion, Dr Susanne Schmelter, founder and director of MANARA Association for Multilateral Dialogue, will provided ideas on the following:

• The universal declaration of human rights and the prohibition of war in international law
• Does the war in Gaza highlight the dysfunctioning of the UN system ?
• Rising nationalism, global challenges, people’s aspirations and public interest
• Initiatives for peace: examples in Geneva and elsewhere

The event shed light on the role of civil society and the importance of the multilateral system as a key instrument for achieving a resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The discussion that followed brought together around twenty participants from diverse backgrounds — experts, interested individuals, and people of all ages and walks of life and centred on the question how local and civic engagement can contribute to conflict transformation at the international level. Perspectives shared included firsthand experiences from the United Nations Human Rights Council, voices from Israel and neighboring countries, as well as Geneva residents engaged with the topic. One participant remarked, “I appreciated that it addressed civil society — that was me.”

The open and welcoming discussion space at the Institut des Cultures Arabes et Méditérannéennes (ICAM) allowed participants to continue exchanging ideas informally over refreshments.

Plus

Following the discussion, the topic—immensely important yet broad—has been further explored in an article. Abstract :

„The war in Gaza reflects the weakness of UN institutions and the departure from principles of international law and human rights. Nevertheless, adherence to the principles of multilateral dialogue can enable strategic alliances and provide important impulses for peace that transcend group affiliations. While much knowledge about conflict resolution is rooted locally, international forums for cooperation and exchange remain essential for securing peace.“ (Abstract of an article by S. Schmelter forthcoming Sozialmagazin 11/12 2025)