STRONGER TOGETHER. THE FINAL DECLARATION OF THE 18TH SUMMIT OF NOBEL PEACE LAUREATES,

We, Nobel Peace Laureates and Peace Laureate organisations, meeting in Pyeongchang, South Korea (Shirin Ebadi, Leymah Gbowee, Tawakkol Karman, Kailash Satyarthi, Ouided Bouchamaoui, Ruth Mitchell, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War, Tetsujiro Suzuki, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, Ira Helfand, International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons, David Steward, Foundation of FW De Klerk, Joy Ngoma, Foundation of Leah & Desmond Tutu) for the 18th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates from 12-14 December 2022, have adopted the following Final Declaration:

Convinced of the fact that we are stronger together, and dedicated to the strengthening of human security, and supporting the role of women in a world recovering from the ravages of Covid-19,

We express our gratitude to the people of Pyeongchang and the Republic of South Korea for their warm hospitality in hosting the 18th Summit.  We can think of no country that is better situated than South Korea for the consideration of the challenges facing humankind.  It is at the confluence of three such challenges: peace, freedom and nuclear weapons.  It will soon be the 70th anniversary of the conflict between the North and the South and the Korean people are still divided and have still not concluded a peace treaty. The Korean peninsula represents the starkest contrast between freedom and economic prosperity on the one hand and repression and economic impoverishment on the other. North Korea´s nuclear weapons programme warns us of the consequences of nuclear proliferation and reminds us of the far greater threat posed by the much larger arsenals of the other nuclear weapons states.

  • Considering that the year 2023 is the 70th Anniversary of the ceasefire in the Korean War, we call upon the governments of North and South Korea to accelerate their efforts to end the Korean War and to conclude a peace treaty, in cooperation with the people and especially the women of the region.
  • On the threat of climate change we call on all countries to implement faithfully and fully their commitments in terms of the COP-27 agreement.
  • On children, we must no longer normalize their exclusion in our policies and political discourse. Every day millions of our children are enslaved, engaged in labour, trafficked, hungry and out of school – conditions which the pandemic and military crises only exacerbate. All children must receive inclusive and equitable primary and secondary school education. We strongly believe in the power of children and young people.  Their voice is essential for a just and lasting peace.

We call on all states to meet their goals in terms of sustainable development and to close the financing gaps on SDGs. We must develop our humanity and a capacity to use it, support the dignity and well-being of each other and our communities, and build social structures that promote human progress. We must call for the recognition and support of minorities and equality.

  • Support of people’s struggles for achieving democracy and human rights is an absolute necessity for sustainable development.
    We call on the international community to advance democracy and human rights in all countries and we recognize the need for fundamental rights of women to be respected in Afghanistan, Iran, and in every place where such challenge persists.
  • The unprovoked Russian invasion of Ukraine is an unacceptable violation of international law that has triggered a humanitarian disaster. We call on Russia to withdraw all forces from Ukraine and for Russia and Ukraine to begin negotiations to resolve any outstanding issues between them.
  • The frequent nuclear threats accompanying the Russian invasion of Ukraine have dramatically increased the already grave danger of nuclear war. Global security and, indeed, the survival of human civilisation, require the elimination of nuclear weapons at the earliest possible date.  We call on the nine nuclear armed states never to use nuclear weapons, and to enter now into negotiations for a verifiable, enforceable, timebound agreement to eliminate their nuclear arsenals, and come into compliance with the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
  • The world continues to be afflicted by conflict, confrontation, violation of human rights and war in many regions – including Syria, Yemen, Afghanistan, Iran, Myanmar, Palestine/ Israel DRC, North Eastern Africa, and all other conflicted societies. We call on the international community to give concerted and urgent attention to resolve these conflicts and to address the humanitarian crises that are involved.

 

We are convinced that, in its efforts to promote human security, the world must return to a rules based international order that:

  • Prohibits the use of armed force for the achievement of national objectives;
  • Ensures global cooperation in combatting climate change and in protecting the environment;
  • Eliminates nuclear weapons;
  • Promotes human and gender rights and that advances human freedoms; and that
  • Improves human wellbeing through the implementation of sustainable development goals.

We are convinced that we can promote human security if we work together, because we know that we are stronger together.

Nobel Peace Laureates and Representatives of Nobel Peace Organizations:

Shirin Ebadi

Leymah Gbowee

Tawakkol Karman

Kailash Satyarthi

Ouided Bouchamaoui

Ruth Mitchell, International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War

Tetsujiro Suzuki, Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs

Ira Helfand, International Campaign for the Abolition of Nuclear Weapons,

David Steward, Foundation of FW De Klerk

Joy Ngoma, Foundation of Leah & Desmond Tutu