On 21 May 2026, CCIVS joined the 19th International NGO Forum at UNESCO Headquarters in Paris, held under the theme “Advancing a Culture of Peace in Africa: From Roots to Resilience.” Our Director, Vicky Lovelock, and CCIVS Youth Committee member Victonell Wanjohi took part in Session 2, “Reimagining Education Systems as Engines of Peace.” The panel looked at how education can become a foundation for peace, inclusion, and resilience across Africa, alongside voices from UNESCO, Peace and Sports, WILPF, COSYDEP, FMPS, and others.
Vicky took the room back to 1920, when volunteers from countries that had just been at war came together to rebuild a devastated village in eastern France, an early example of what she called a “technique of peace.” From those roots, and with UNESCO’s support in 1948, the movement grew into the network we know today as CCIVS. Her point was simple: volunteering is itself a powerful form of learning for peace. She pointed to research across more than 80 countries showing that volunteers build communication skills, cultural openness, and resilience, with the biggest gains often among young people who face the most barriers. Drawing on CCIVS work in climate justice, advocacy, and youth engagement, she left the Forum with one idea worth holding onto: climate justice is peacebuilding, participation is resilience, and volunteering is education.
The discussion brought together education, peacebuilding, inclusion, and resilience, and showed how international voluntary service can be a real tool for intercultural dialogue and peace.