After four dynamic and inspiring days, the 19th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates in Monterrey has come to a successful close. This year’s event brought together over 4,000 participants and featured a wide array of panels, forum discussions, and educational, artistic, and cultural activities, including folkloric dances, musical performances, and a march for peace.
Among the distinguished guests were Nobel Peace Laureates such as Óscar Arias Sánchez, Shirin Ebadi, Kailash Satyarthi, Rigoberta Menchú, and Lech Walesa, alongside representatives from organizations like the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN). Their participation highlighted the critical importance of collaboration and dialogue in the pursuit of global peace.
During the Closing Ceremony on the last day of the event, the Nobel Laureates presented their Final Declaration. On behalf of all the Laureates Ira Helfand called for a ceasefire in Ukraine, Gaza and other places where war continues as a message of peace. Nobel Peace Laureates Shirin Ebadi and Lech Walesa also shared a few words in the auditorium to close their participation in the event.
Participants of the Summit Youth Program, who took part in business meetings with national and international companies, panels and various activities, presented their Youth Final Declaration, which contained messages of gratitude and empowerment and called for the pursuit of peace, the protection of education, health, implementation of public policies and the restoration of rights for female students in Monterrey.
During the ceremony, the prestigious “Peace Summit Award” was presented to Mexican engineer and philanthropist Carlos Slim. His outstanding contributions to peace, global justice, and sustainable development were recognized by the Nobel Laureates. Slim, expressing his gratitude, emphasized the collective nature of the effort to promote peace, justice, and freedom.
The event also launched the “Music for Peace” initiative, aimed at promoting dialogue on peace and human rights through music. Award-winning Mexican singer-songwriter Natalia Lafourcade was named the first “Music for Peace Ambassador,” highlighting music’s ability to reflect cultural diversity and promote respect.
Another significant moment was the signing of an agreement between Ekaterina Zagladina, President of the Permanent Secretariat of Nobel Peace Laureates, and Sofialeticia Morales Garza, Secretary of Education of Nuevo Leon. The agreement establishes a diploma course for university professors in Nuevo Leon, focusing on peace education, furthering the region’s commitment to fostering a culture of peace.
One of the key highlights was the first edition of the “Sport Diplomacy Dialogues,” organized in partnership with Save the Dream. This initiative explored how sport can be a powerful tool for peacebuilding, unification, and reconciliation, bringing together Nobel Laureates, athletes such as football champion David Trezeguet and Diana Flores captain of the Mexican Flag Football team, and global leaders to foster discussions on the topic.
As the Summit concluded, Ekaterina Zagladina delivered a powerful closing message: “The Summit ends today, but our commitment to peace continues. The heart must not be in conflict, and reconciling with ourselves is key to achieving peace. Long live Monterrey, long live Mexico, and long live peace.”
The 19th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates leaves behind a legacy of hope, dialogue, and concrete actions towards a more peaceful and just world.
