(RYB) Culture of Peace
Global Development and Creative Industries Platform
Founded in Amsterdam, (RYB) Culture of Peace is a global initiative inspired by the Bauhaus and De Stijl legacy of Red, Yellow, and Blue. It bridges art, technology, and development by building networks of cultural centers and digital platforms that connect citizens, creatives, NGOs, and institutions worldwide.
Calendar
2025
Oct 31
World Cities Day 2025
World Cities Day brings Urban October to an end on 31 October each year and was first celebrated in 2014. As with World Habitat Day, a global observance is held in a different city each year and the day focuses on a specific theme.
On 31 October 2025, the Global Observance of World Cities Day, will be linked to people-centred smart cities. It will showcase how data-driven decision making, technology, and AI can be used to improve urban life and recover from current shocks and crises. It will also focus on promoting smart city initiatives centered on people.
> urbanoctober.unhabitat.org/wcd
Oct 15-17
World Cities Culture Summit
Described as a ‘Masterclass in cultural policy’, the World Cities Culture Summit is the flagship annual event of the World Cities Culture Forum. Bringing together Deputy Mayors, Culture Commissioners and city policymakers, the Summit provides a unique platform to connect, collaborate, and exchange ideas. It is solutions-driven event that encourages city leaders to collaborate to improve the lives of their citizens through culture: with over half of previous attendees implementing or improving cultural policies in their cities as a result of attending.
The 2025 Summit will launch the seventh edition of the World Cities Culture Report, the most comprehensive dataset on urban culture.
> redyellowblue.org/creative-cities/world-cities-culture-forum
Oct 6
World Habitat Day 2025
World Habitat Day is marked on the first Monday of October each year and is recognized by the United Nations to reflect on the state of towns and cities, and on the basic right of all to adequate shelter. The day is also intended to remind the world that everyone has the power and the responsibility to shape the future of towns and cities.
> urbanoctober.unhabitat.org
Sep 29-Oct 1
Mondiacult 2025
Over the course of three days, Barcelona will host the 194 UNESCO Member States to establish a global agenda for culture. The conference will follow up on the objectives set at the previous edition, held in Mexico in 2022 and signed by 150 countries.
> redyellowblue.org/culture-of-peace/mondiacult
Sep 21
International Day of Peace
2025 Theme: Act Now for a Peaceful World
> un.org/international-day-peace
Sep 2
High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace 2025
> redyellowblue.org/high-level-forum-on-the-culture-of-peace-2025
Jun 23-24
Highlights of the XVII UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Annual Conference
On 23 and 24 June 2025, the XVIIth edition of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) Annual Conference took place in collaboration with Enghien-les-Bains, a Creative City of Media Arts since 2013. More than 500 delegates from around 200 member cities gathered to exchange good practices and explore innovative partnerships under the theme “Culture and Artificial Intelligence: Shaping the Future of UNESCO Creative Cities”.
This year, the UCCN introduced a new segment to the Conference. The Creative Cities Fair, aimed at deepening international cooperation and inspiring new cross-sector collaborations. The Fair featured two main components: the Partnership Hub, a networking space for cities to connect and discuss potential joint initiatives; and the Showcase Stage, a platform where selected cities shared their creative projects and extended invitations for collaboration.
> unesco.org/xvii-uccn-annual-conference
The Imperative of a Culture of Peace
In a world ravaged by the specter of war, where the drums of conflict beat louder than the whispers of compassion, we are compelled to reimagine a future, where the currency of peace supplants the ledger of violence.
A culture of peace is not a utopian fantasy, but a pragmatic imperative. It is a recognition that the sustained pursuit of understanding, empathy, and cooperation is the only viable antidote to the destructive forces that have long plagued humanity.
By embracing this vision, we can create a world where differences are not exploited, but celebrated. Moreover, it is a world where conflicts are resolved through the crucible of dialogue, not the devastation of war. Ultimately, the human experience is elevated by the realization of our shared humanity, rather than diminished by the divisiveness of our differences.
Is the UN in Danger of Financial Collapse?
Without the United States and China making mandatory payments, this crucial institution’s survival is in jeopardy.
> impakter.com/un-financial-collapse
Maryam Bukar Hassan, a Nigerian spoken word artist & poet, is the UN’s first Global Advocate for Peace.
“Peace is not a silence you force into people’s mouths. It is not the absence of war; it is the presence of understanding,” she says.
Welcome to the UN family @Alhan_islam! pic.twitter.com/9lKbfDTFvE— United Nations (@UN) July 31, 2025
Great pleasure meeting our first-ever @UN Global Advocate for Peace Maryam Bukar Hassan this week.
Everywhere we look, peace is under attack.
We need strong voices like @Alhan_islam’s to champion the cause of peace for everyone, everywhere. pic.twitter.com/BA5Ikvbxd1— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) July 31, 2025
UNESCO’s Global Movement for a Culture of Peace encourages local and national initiatives to foster a culture of peace at all levels.
Mondiacult 2025
The UNESCO World Conference on Cultural Policies and Sustainable Development – Mondiacult 2025 will be hosted by Spain in the city of Barcelona from 29 September to 1 October 2025. Over the course of three days, Barcelona will host the 194 UNESCO Member States to establish a global agenda for culture. The conference will follow up on the objectives set at the previous edition, held in Mexico in 2022 and signed by 150 countries.
At Mondiacult 2025, UNESCO’s Culture of Peace program will officially be introduced as a new central theme. This marks a significant step in global cultural policy, recognizing peace not only as a political goal, but as a cultural process rooted in dialogue, creativity, and shared values. As one of the key themes, it highlights the growing global commitment to fostering peaceful, inclusive societies through the power of culture, education, and community-driven initiatives.
Theme 8
Culture of Peace
Develop initiatives for a culture of peace, contributing to sustainable economic and social development, human rights and gender equality, as well as democratic participation and dialogue, and freedom of information, communication, and expression.
> more