During its annual conference in May 2023, the Board of Leaders for Peace adopted its annual report
drafted by Mr. Antonio Patriota, Ambassador of Brazil to the United Kingdom. Leaders debated the
strategic orientations to be adopted for the foundation’s future engagements and to address the current
challenges facing our societies.
Thanks to Erik Orsenna, a renowned French writer and member of the French Academy, and Hall
Gardner, a theorist of international relations and emeritus professor at the American University of Paris,
who participated in this plenary session. Their contributions helped enrich the debate on multilateralism.
For this 2023 edition, Mr. Jean-Pierre Raffarin, in his capacity as President of Leaders for Peace,
emphasized the major intervention axes of the Foundation. The 3 pillars of action are essentially based
on the adoption of the annual report, the Itinerant School for Peace, and actions carried out in liaison
with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, materialized by organizing field missions.
This 2023 plenary session provided an opportunity to reflect on the new tools needed to navigate the
complexity of the world. Traditional diplomacy is facing new challenges to which it should respond
adequately. A new approach to diplomacy should promote dialogue with other actors who play a decisive
role in decision-making (non-governmental organizations, civil society, businesses). Other instruments
could be highlighted, such as exchanges between regional groupings, exchanges between public and
private diplomacy, among others, as avenues of response to these issues.
Finally, the issues of collective security and collective responsibility are integral parts of the 2023 annual
report. The international community’s focus should be directed more towards issues such as resources,
food security, health security, and climate security, all of which are essential factors for the sustainability
of peace. As reported by Professor Bertrand Badie, war is a conflict of economic, social, health, and
institutional weaknesses. It is imperative for the international community to focus its attention on these
systemic dysfunctions that constitute the root of tensions and conflicts plaguing our societies.