Author: Eugenia

The president and director of the International Catalan Institute for Peace (ICIP), Xavier Masllorens and Kristian Herbolzheimer respectively, appeared before the European Union and External Action Committee of the Parliament of Catalonia on Thursday 9 April to present the institution’s Activity Report for 2024 and 2025.

In his address, the ICIP president highlighted the qualitative leap and growing impact of ICIP’s work, pointing to the co-organisation of nine international conferences — six of which were held abroad — and an expanding presence across Catalonia.  In keeping with its mandate to promote a culture of peace, both in Catalonia and internationally, the institution established 148 collaborations and participated in 10 action networks throughout 2025.

Against a backdrop of unprecedented growth in military spending and an ever-rising number of armed conflicts, 2025 saw ICIP strengthen its internal capacities for developing security alternatives at both local and global levels — alternatives centred on the interests of citizens rather than a militaristic outlook.  The institution has also sharpened its focus on promoting dialogue and mediation in the international arena, as well as strengthening dialogue capacities and pushing back against toxic polarisation within Catalonia, through the conceptualisation of the exhibition “PolsXtrems: Your gym to train your critical thinking”, which runs until 17 May at Palau Robert..

In his address, Xavier Masllorens also outlined the strategic objectives for 2026, among which he highlighted the intention to convene rigorous, multifaceted analyses and reflections on how to prevent and reduce all forms of violence.  He drew particular attention to the significance that a broad coalition of social and institutional actors committed to peace are driving forward the first Peace Master Plan of Catalonia – an initiative with the potential to become an international benchmark.

The president of ICIP, whose mandate comes to an end this coming May after ten years at the helm of the institution, ended his remarks by highlighting the privilege of presiding over an institution that “projects Catalonia to the world and works for a more cohesive society”.  For his part, ICIP director Kristian Herbolzheimer underlined the opportunity for Catalonia to lead, within Europe, “reflections and proposals on peacebuilding and social cohesion at a time when these issues are more relevant than ever”.

The ICIP director also reaffirmed the institution’s commitment to promoting the Catalan language, a commitment reflected, for example, in the translation into Catalan of 51 titles by both classic and contemporary authors.  Responding to questions from several parliamentary groups — most notably Junts per Catalunya — Herbolzheimer acknowledged that the approach taken regarding the Catalan language in the “PolsXtrems” exhibition had been a mistake, and stressed that “ICIP firmly believes that Catalan is a tool for social cohesion and is deeply committed to promoting the Catalan language”.  In their rebuttal, Junts per Catalunya thanked ICIP for its explanations on this matter before the Parliament.

The parliamentary groups expressed their appreciation for the public service work carried out by ICIP and, despite some reservations, praised its contribution to promoting a culture of peace, both in Catalonia and around the world — a contribution all the more necessary in today’s turbulent climate.

ICIP was established by the Parliament of Catalonia in 2007 with the aim of promoting a culture of peace within Catalan society and on the international stage, and of ensuring that Catalonia plays an active role as a peacebuilding agent in the world.  An autonomous body with its own legal personality, ICIP serves public administrations, the academic community and civil society, and is accountable to the Parliament, the Government and the public at large.

This week, at a ceremony held in the Parliament of Catalonia, the Millennial Council of the Peace and Truce Assemblies was formally established. Comprising twenty-nine public figures, the Council has been entrusted with advising the Parliament’s Bureau on the commemorative programme marking the thousandth anniversary of the first Peace and Truce Assemblies, which will take place throughout 2027.

These assemblies, along with the Comital Court, are widely regarded as the precursors of parliamentary institutions in Catalonia.  The first one was convened in Prats de Toluges, Roussillon, in 1027.

Council members, appointed by the Parliament’s Bureau, are distinguished individuals with backgrounds in academia, peace advocacy, culture, law and historiography.  Among them are ICIP director Kristian Herbolzheimer, and political scientist Sonia Andolz, who currently heads ICIP’s “Security alternatives” area.

On Tuesday 5 May, the Council held its first meeting, chaired by the president of the Parliament, Josep Rull, and the Millennial commissioner, Manel Vila.

The commemoration seeks to honour the thousandth anniversary of the assemblies and the deep roots of Catalan parliamentarianism, while highlighting Catalonia’s historical commitment to peace, democracy and human dignity.  True to this spirit, the planned events and activities will revolve around the themes of parliamentarianism, Catalonia’s own institutions, history, and the promotion of peace.

In March and April, ICIP organised the panel discussion series “Who is training your mind? Disinformation, polarisation and hate speech” as a complement to the exhibition “PolsXtrems”, which runs until 17 May at Palau Robert.  The exhibition recreates a gym where visitors can train their critical thinking and test their capacity for dialogue and listening to different opinions – all set against a backdrop of growing political and social polarisation, rising disinformation, and the normalisation of exclusionary narratives.

Emotional disinformation and the need for media literacy

The first panel discussion, held on 25 March under the title “The risks of disinformation“, focused on the mechanisms behind the spread of disinformation — fuelled above all by social media — and on the need to develop tools to counter it.

Participants included Laura Pinyol, vice-president of the Audiovisual Council of Catalonia; Ona Sindreu, data journalist and editorial coordinator at Verificat; and Nereida Carrillo, PhD in Journalism and Communication and director of the association Learn to Check.  The session was moderated by Sergi Picazo, a journalist at Crític.

The speakers discussed how traditional media increasingly compete with social networks in the dissemination of information, and how these same platforms tend to spread fake news and promote content that appeals to emotions and encourages more extreme opinions.  To counter this situation, participants emphasised the promotion of content verification tools, the regulation of platforms, and media literacy.  For example, Carrillo presented the PANTERA method, based on analysing content according to its provenance (source), authorship, novelty, tone, evidence, replies and amplification.

Algorithms, engines of polarisation

The second session of the series, held on 8 April under the title “Algorithms, power and polarisation” featured Emma Fraxanet, PhD in Information and Communication Technologies and postdoctoral researcher at the Barcelona Supercomputing Center; and Karma Peiró, co-founder and executive director of the Fundació Visualització per la Transparència (Transparency Visualisation Foundation). The session was moderated by Rita Costa from Build Up.

The discussion focused on the responsibility of digital platforms and their business model in fostering toxic polarisation.  Research findings were presented demonstrating that networks such as Facebook or X structurally favour conflict and toxicity, as the most extreme content generates the most interaction and, therefore, the greatest financial return.

As a counterpoint, the experts outlined concrete alternatives including prosocial design (Prosocial Design Network), which promotes algorithms fostering dialogue and connecting divergent viewpoints through mutual understanding, as well as new European regulations, such as the Digital Services Act, to demand transparency from major tech companies and encourage the development of more local and ethical networks.

The normalisation of hate speech

The series concluded on 22 April with the panel discussion “Impact and narratives of hate speech: How to confront It?“, featuring Cheikh Drame, president of SOS Racisme; Ángeles Schjaer, pedagogical coordinator of Open Arms; and Júlia Vigó, head of Equality Policies and Feminisms at the Taula del Tercer Sector Social (Third Social Sector Platform).  The discussion was moderated by Pablo Aguiar, director of FundiPau.

The session raised the alarm about the spread and normalisation of exclusionary discourse in the public, media and political sphere. Participants recalled that hatred is not a new phenomenon, but rather responds to historical structures of discrimination (racist, sexist and classist), which have served to justify the dehumanisation of the “other”. The speakers denounced institutional racism and European border policies, which often push migrants into situations of extreme vulnerability, and called for grassroots networking and civic mobilisation in the face of policies that promote hatred and exclusion.  The session also addressed how to combat hate speech with transformative narratives.

The panel debate series highlighted the importance of promoting an education grounded in respect for human rights, the need to foster critical thinking, and the commitment to a system that places social justice, ethical technology and equal opportunities at its centre.

The Lluïsos de Gràcia Theatre in Barcelona hosted the event “Palestinians and Israelis Together for Peace and Against Occupation” on Monday, 27 April, organised by ICIP, FundiPau, NOVACT and Lluïsos de Gràcia as part of the 20th anniversary of the movement Combatants for Peace.

The conversation, moderated by FundiPau vice-president Carme Suñé, brought together two members of the organisation: Israeli activist Elik Elhanan and Palestinian activist Ahmed Helou. Both shared their personal experiences and their commitment to nonviolent resistance as an alternative to the cycle of violence and dehumanisation shaped by decades of conflict, the occupation of the Palestinian territories and the genocide in the Gaza Strip.

A former soldier in a special unit of the Israeli army and co-founder of Combatants for Peace, Elhanan explained how the death of his sister in a Hamas suicide bombing in 1997 profoundly changed his understanding of the conflict. “Revenge is not worth it,” he said. Rather than embracing retaliation, Elhanan decided to distance himself from violence, convinced that Israel’s military logic and use of violence only fuel further violence on the Palestinian side.

During his intervention, Elhanan stressed the need to break away from a “monolithic” view of the enemy and to create spaces for encounter between Palestinians and Israelis. “The occupation is the main source of violence in the region,” he said, while defending the importance of building a shared political space based on mutual recognition and equality.

For his part, Ahmed Helou explained how he joined Hamas at the age of 15 to fight the Israeli occupation and how, after spending time in prison and losing dozens of relatives and friends, he came to the conclusion that violence only perpetuates suffering. “Nonviolence is the path to freedom,” he stated.

Helou highlighted that direct contact with Israelis opposed to the occupation was key to his personal transformation, as it allowed him to stop seeing the “other” solely as an enemy. In this regard, he described Combatants for Peace as “a symbol of the future” and proof that Palestinians and Israelis can work together for justice, dignity and security for both peoples.

Both activists agreed on the difficulties of defending nonviolent positions in the current context, marked by polarisation, pain and dehumanisation. Nevertheless, they stressed the importance of continuing to build alternatives based on dialogue and empathy in the face of narratives that portray violence as inevitable.

The event concluded with a recognition of the work carried out by Combatants for Peace, a movement founded in 2006 by former Palestinian and Israeli combatants who decided to lay down their weapons and work together for a peaceful solution to the conflict. The organisation promotes nonviolent resistance actions, spaces for dialogue, and awareness-raising initiatives, both in Israel and Palestine and internationally, with the aim of demonstrating that it is possible to build alternatives grounded in justice, equality, and mutual recognition.

On Thursday, 19 February, the exhibition “PolsXtrems. Your Gym to Buff Up Your Critical Thinking” was inaugurated at Palau Robert. The initiative is led by ICIP and the Directorate-General for Public Outreach, with curation by the creative studio Domestic Data Streamers, which is responsible for art direction and exhibition design.

PolsXtrems is an interactive, multimedia exhibition that recreates a gym where visitors can train critical thinking, empathy, and curiosity about other people’s opinions. In a context marked by growing disinformation, polarization and hate speech, the exhibition space mirrors a gym training room, offering different “workouts” to build mental flexibility and critical spirit. It concludes with a recreated locker room that invites visitors to listen to diverse perspectives on current social debates such as immigration, tourism and language.

The opening event featured remarks by the Director-General for Public Outreach, Elisabet Valls; the Director of ICIP, Kristian Herbolzheimer; and the Director-General for Development Cooperation, Andrea Costafreda.

In her welcome address, Valls emphasised that “we can all become victims of polarisation and fall, without even realising it, into biased, unfair or potentially hateful narratives. It is essential to pause, to take a moment, and, as ICIP aptly proposes with this exhibition, overcome mental laziness and sign up for the gym of the mind: to exercise critical thinking, strengthen our reflective muscles and empathy for the common good.”

Herbolzheimer, in turn, stressed the importance of this mental training: “We celebrate disagreement, but we need tools to manage it constructively. ‘PolsXtrems’ invites us to identify our own cognitive biases and to train respect and curiosity toward those who think differently.”

Finally, in her closing remarks, Costafreda noted that from a development cooperation perspective, “it is not all about funding or technical solutions; many inequalities are rooted in social norms, narratives and worldviews,” and therefore it is essential to keep an open mind.

The inauguration concluded with a performance by Marina Olivares, who, playing the role of a gym trainer, invited attendees to “exercise in order to train their critical spirit.”

“PolsXtrems” is therefore a new concept of a gym designed to combat mental laziness, increase flexibility when listening to different points of view, counter disinformation, strengthen empathy and build resilience against toxic polarization. The exhibition can be visited in Room 2 at Palau Robert until 17 May. Admission is free and open to all.

The production of the exhibition is part of ICIP’s working area “Social and Political Dialogue”, through which ICIP promotes dialogue and mutual understanding as positive tools for conflict transformation, and examines the challenges that toxic polarization poses to democratic societies.

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award 2026 is now open for nominations. This is the fifteenth edition of the award, which aims to publicly recognise individuals, organisations, or institutions that have made an outstanding and sustained contribution to the promotion and construction of peace, both in Catalonia and internationally.

This year’s edition introduces a significant new feature: the financial endowment has increased from €6,000 to €10,000. The award also includes public recognition and a sculpture created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, artist, and activist Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, entitled Puerta del Sol.

The call will remain open until 14 April 2026. Applications must be submitted electronically through the Government of Catalonia’s Procedures Portal or in person at any official registry of the Government of Catalonia.

Fifteen years of trajectory

In previous editions, the jury has honoured individuals and organisations at the international level, including: the Syrian women’s association Women Now for Development (2025); activist and researcher Vicenç Fisas (2024); the associations Women Victims of the War of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Forgotten Children of War (2023); the Basque civil society movement for peace (2022); Congolese activist Julienne Lusenge (2020); the Collective of Families of Disappeared Persons in Algeria (2019); the Mexican organisation Cauce Ciudadano (2018); activist Arcadi Oliveres (2017); the NGO Peace Brigades International (2016); Capuchin friar Joan Botam (2015); the organisation WILPF (2014); former general Jovan Divjak (2013); the Mothers of Soacha (2012); and the movement of conscientious objectors and insubordinates, symbolised by Pepe Beúnza (2011).

In 2011, the Parliament of Catalonia was also recognised with a special, extraordinary edition of the award.

The international Build Peace 2025 conference, organised by ICIP and Build Up in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, brought together—from 21 to 23 November—peace activists, researchers, technologists and organisations from around the world with shared aims: fostering safer, more democratic and participatory digital spaces; countering hate speech and polarisation; rethinking how we narrate peace and security; and placing memory at the centre of peacebuilding processes.

More than 300 participants visited La Ciba over the three days, taking part in workshops, debates and artistic performances.

Under the theme “Towards a Pluriverse of Peace”, the conference received support from the city councils of Santa Coloma and Barcelona, Catalunya Internacional and the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation.

From polarisation to dialogue: protecting people online

On Friday, 21 November, the sessions focused on the challenges posed by rising disinformation, hate speech and polarisation across social media platforms. Discussions highlighted the need to develop more ethical, human-centred platforms and algorithms that avoid the dominant corporate logic.

Proposals included online hate-speech monitoring, pre-bunking tools to prevent disinformation, participatory-designed text classifiers and AI models incorporating social and peacebuilding perspectives. Participants also explored how technology can strengthen participatory democracy and enable healthier public dialogue.

From deterrence to nonviolence: shifting security narratives

On Saturday 22 November, the thematic focus turned to human and community security, questioning the militarised narratives that dominate public discourse.

Against a global backdrop marked, especially in Europe, by the war in Ukraine and the violence in Gaza, speakers discussed how technology can serve war but also peace. Presentations examined the use of surveillance technologies, particularly at borders and in movement control, which can violate human rights but may also become tools for peace if developed with safeguards and public participation.

From erasure to memory: reclaiming the past to build the future

Sunday 23 November explored how societies deal with memory and forgetting in contexts of violence and authoritarianism, looking at concrete cases such as the Franco dictatorship and the Holocaust. Speakers warned of the risks of constructing single narratives or instrumentalising memory, and emphasised the role of listening and remembrance as forms of resistance that help repair collective trauma and foster reconciliation.

Discussions also highlighted the need for a feminist lens in peacebuilding: the voices and memories of women continue to be invisibilised, particularly in rural contexts, and the construction of diverse, plural narratives remains essential.

More than a conference

The 2025 edition reaffirmed that Build Peace is more than a conference: it is a community of people committed to a more just and peaceful society who meet each year to explore new tools and innovative methodologies for peacebuilding.

Alongside panels, project presentations and workshops, Build Peace 2025 featured several artistic proposals: from photographic exhibitions of local and international projects to a collaborative mural created along the Besòs riverbank by artist Yubia and coordinated by BesArt – The River Museum.
The conference also hosted its own radio project, Build Peace Radio, which broadcast the debates throughout the three days.

Next edition: Canada 2026

After three days of intense and creative exchange, Build Peace 2025 closed with the announcement of its next edition: the University of Waterloo in Canada will host the conference in 2026.

Coinciding with the conference, ICIP and Build Up launched a new special issue of the Peace in Progress magazine, co-edited by both organisations. Titled “Peace in the Digital Age”, the publication explores how digital technologies are reshaping conflict and peacebuilding. The magazine is available digitally in Catalan, Spanish and English.

L’espai de La CIBA de Santa Coloma de Gramenet acollirà del 21 al 23 de novembre al conferència internacional Build Peace 2025, que coorganitzen l’ICIP i Build Up, un col·lectiu que dissenya i implementa eines i processos que fan servir la tecnologia i les arts per abordar els conflictes i promoure la pau. 

A la conferència s’hi han inscrit prop de 300 participants d’arreu del món, membres d’organitzacions socials, d’universitats, activistes i professionals de la tecnologia. En aquesta dotzena edició, l’esdeveniment porta per títol “Cap a un Plurivers de Pau” i posarà el focus en la innovació i l’ús d’eines creatives i tecnològiques per transformar els conflictes i promoure la convivència a partir de tres grans temàtiques: el diàleg, la seguretat i la memòria.

La conferència compta amb el suport dels ajuntaments de Santa Coloma de Gramenet i Barcelona, Catalunya Internacional i la Generalitat de Catalunya.

Eixos de debat

Build Peace 2025 proposa repensar què significa la pau en un món marcat per la divisió, la desigualtat i l’opressió. El programa s’estructura al voltant de tres temàtiques:

De la polarització al diàleg

Davant dels reptes que suposa la creixent polarització política i social, promoguda en part per la propagació de discursos d’odi i desinformació a les xarxes socials, abordarem les eines que tenim a l’abast per promoure el diàleg i els espais participatius. Ho farem amb ponents com Nadim Nashif, de l’organització 7amleh (Palestina); Nerima Wako, fundadora de Siasa Place (Kènia), i Nil Homedes, responsable de la plataforma Decidim (Catalunya).

De la dissuasió a la noviolència

En el context de creixent militarització i cursa armamentística, posarem sobre la taula els enfocaments basats en la seguretat humana i comunitària. Comptarem amb un debat entre Julio Rodríguez, excap de l’Estat Major de Defensa a Espanya, i Anastasiia Holovnenko, del Centre for Civil Liberties d’Ucraïna, organització guardonat amb el Premi Nobel de la Pau 2023; i reflexionarem sobre l’ús de la tecnologia per a la defensa civil noviolenta amb les intervencions d’Ophelia Rivas, activista; Bruna dos Santos, de Witness, i Jack Isles, de Border Forensics.

De l’oblit a la memòria

Reflexionarem sobre com l’estudi i anàlisi del passat és clau per abordar les situacions de postconflicte i promoure la reconciliació. Entre els ponents per abordar aquesta qüestió destaquen Francisco Ferrándiz, membre del Consell Superior d’Investigacions Científiques; Natascha Zupan, de Berghof Foundation o Jelnar Ahmad, del projecte Syrian Archive (Síria).

Tallers, presentacions i propostes artístiques

La conferència també proposa diversos tallers (workshops), presentacions de projectes relacionats amb les diferents temàtiques (short talks). A nivell local, s’hi presentaran propostes de col·lectius i entitats com Canòdrom (Ateneu d’innovació digtial i democràtica de Barcelona), FundiPau, el Centre Delàs o l’Escola de Cultura de Pau. A nivell internacional, destaquen les iniciatives de swisspeace, WILPF, Perú por el Desarme, Sudan Memory Project o Fundación Corona.

També hi haurà espai per a propostes artístiques, com exposicions, projeccions de documentals, activitats de moviment i rutes guiades.

Coincidint amb la celebració de la conferència, el divendres 21 de novembre, a dos quarts de 7 de la tarda, el Teatre Sagarra de Santa Coloma de Gramenet acollirà l’acte inaugural de la campanya “Municipis, llavors de pau”, impulsada pel Fons Català de Cooperació al Desenvolupament.

The Catalan Forum for Peace has collected 913 proposals from citizens to help shape the Government of Catalonia’s new Country of Peace Master Plan. Between April and June, around 500 people took part in the 36 in-person sessions held throughout Catalonia, along with additional online contributions via the Participa website.

Specifically, ten deliberative sessions and 26 self-managed sessions were held by various groups, organizations and institutions, with discussions focusing on five themes: Culture of peace; Security and justice; Conflicts, violence and peace; Global threats and challenges to peace; and Women, peace and security.

Based on these thematic areas, the goal of the participatory process was to identify concrete measures to be included in the future Country of Peace Master Plan.

Debates across Catalonia

A total of 183 participants generated 301 proposals in deliberative sessions held in Barcelona, Bellaterra, Girona, Granollers, Lleida, Olot, Tarragona and Tortosa.

The self-managed sessions resulted in 467 proposals, with a total of 322 participants.  These sessions were organized by various actors:

• Public institutions, such as the Department of Justice, Interior, and European Union and Foreign Affairs; the Catalan Youth Agency; the Catalan Agency for Development Cooperation; and ICIP.

• Organizations advocating for peace, such as FundiPau, the Delàs Centre for Peace Studies, NOVACT, the Coordinating Committee of Solidarity NGOs of Girona, Aturem les Guerres, Terra i Pau, and Friends of UNESCO-Girona.

• Trade unions, such as Comissions Obreres and UGT.

• Community and social groups, such as neighborhood associations in Figueres, members of the African and Latin American diaspora, universities, the Network of Educators for Global Citizenship in Tarragona, CIEMEN, the Journalism for Peace Group of the Association of Journalists of Catalonia, and third-sector organizations like the Red Cross.

Finally, the participatory process also included online contributions through the Participa website.  A total of 145 proposals were submitted, both individually and collectively. These include proposals submitted by Lafede,  the School for a Culture of Peace, the Catalan Fund for Development Cooperation, and the Network of Mayors for Peace.

In total, 505 people took part in the participatory process. The Catalan Council for the Promotion of Peace – one of the driving forces behind the Forum – will now review the proposals before presenting them to the Government. The results of the process will help define the content of the Country of Peace Master Plan, which will later be submitted to Parliament for approval. All of the proposals collected during this process will be publicly available on the Participa website.

Less violence, more global justice

The Catalan Forum for Peace is both a space for public participation and a platform for reflection. Its aim is to develop a public peace policy for Catalonia while also strengthening the peace movement. The Forum is the result of joint efforts by institutions and civil society, promoted by the Government of Catalonia, the Catalan Council for the Promotion of Peace, ICIP and the network of peace associations, under the motto “Less violence, more global justice.”

In the face of global challenges such as the climate crisis, rising military expenditure, an increase in the number of armed conflicts, and the erosion of democratic foundations, Catalonia is committed to peace and seeks to encourage reflection on how we contribute to peace both here at home and abroad.

On Wednesday 10 September, Barcelona hosted “Artistic practices and a culture of peace,” an event that brought together artists, educators and activists to explore the role of artistic expression in peacebuilding.

Organized by ICIP, ConArte Internacional, Fundación Baketik, Fundació L’Arc, the Theatre Institute’s Social and Community Action Unit, and Dansalut, the event took place at the Fundació Carulla. The gathering underscored that fostering a culture of peace is a collective responsibility involving not only the pacifist movement but also numerous organizations using art and culture to transform society.

The program opened with the roundtable “Art for Peace,” where participants shared experiences of social transformation through art therapy, theatre and hip-hop. Participants included Silvina Merino (La Quinta Pata), David Martínez (La Nave Va) and Lucas Vico (Erol Urbà).

Merino presented Bud na bud, a project that uses embroidery and collective artistic practices to empower Afghan refugee women, turning trauma and exclusion into creative expression that strengthens a culture of peace through memory, dignity and community solidarity. Martínez highlighted the work of La Nave Va, which uses social theatre as a tool for inclusion, awareness and dialogue, taking art beyond the stage to strengthen community bonds. Finally, Vico presented Erol Urbà, a collective that promotes social intervention projects through urban art – rap, graffiti, dance and audiovisual projects – as a way to channel creativity into processes of critique, expression and community transformation.

Movement and words

Following the roundtable, artists Marta Galán and Montserrat Iranzo from Dansalut led a hands-on workshop focused on the body, identity and life stories as tools for theatrical creation and dramaturgy. Through creative dance, body expression, improvisation and free writing, participants explored the interplay between movement and words as a way of recognizing identity, sharing personal experiences and discovering new forms of artistic and collective expression.

The event was part of MONDIACULT 2025, UNESCO’s World Conference on Cultural Policies, which will take place in Barcelona from 29 September to 1 October, with thousands of participants from all over the world.

On Thursday, September 18, during the week marking the International Day of Peace, ICIP presented the 2025 Peace in Progress Award to Women Now for Development, a leading Syrian women’s organisation. The award honours the network for its work in supporting, protecting, and empowering Syrian women—both inside the country and in exile—as a powerful symbol of resistance and feminist solidarity in the face of violence.

Women Now for Development was founded in 2012 as a community initiative to support women and girls in the early days of the Syrian revolution. Its initial aim was to create safe spaces where women could meet, share knowledge, and exchange experiences. Since then, it has become a leading feminist organisation working both in war zones and in conflict-affected contexts, inside and outside Syria. The network has helped shape a generation of women who continue resisting violence and building hope amidst destruction.

The ceremony was opened by ICIP president Xavier Masllorens, who underlined the importance of “recognising people and organisations that work against the tide, upholding dignity,” which is the essence of the ICIP Award. In today’s turbulent context for peace, Masllorens lamented the lack of action on conflict prevention. He also stressed the need to work for peace: “Not preventing means giving up on deeply analysing the true causes of conflicts, and that constitutes a collective failure with devastating consequences (…). Today, we have the conditions to work with a new paradigm in conflict resolution between communities, peoples, nations, and states. A paradigm that is unprecedented but not impossible, which we call a culture of peace: a world without misery, more just and equal.”

Next, Palestinian poet and translator of Syrian origin, Mohamad Bitari, offered a tribute to the award-winning organisation and highlighted that the ICIP Award “is a homage to the memory of Syrian women, and to all that they have given for a more just, free, and safe country. It is also a tribute to every woman in the world who has refused to be only a victim, and has chosen to be active, courageous, and transformative.”

A recognition of women’s struggle

In his remarks, Bitari recalled many Syrian women who have marked the country’s resistance through their social and political activism. Many of them suffered repression at the hands of the Syrian regime and received support and protection from Women Now for Development.

On behalf of the award-winning organisation, the award was accepted by executive director Lubna Alkanawati and the organisation’s director in Lebanon, Roulah Al Rekbie. In their acceptance speeches, they emphasised the repression and displacement suffered by Syrian women for decades. They highlighted that the ICIP Award makes their struggle visible and places women at the centre of peacebuilding: “This recognition gives us strength to keep moving forward, to transform pain into action. It reminds us that the struggle continues, that we will keep working to ensure that Syrian women have a voice of their own,” said Al Rekbie. For her part, Alkanawati dedicated the award to the “women of Syria, Sudan, Palestine, Yemen, Iran, and Afghanistan, and all places where women suffer from occupation, extremism, and patriarchy.” The organisation will allocate the prize to funding support programs for survivors of sexual violence.

A third representative of the organisation, Muzna Al Jundi, who was unable to travel to Barcelona due to visa difficulties, participated through a video message to thank the organisation for the award from northwest Syria.

The President of the Catalan Parliament, Josep Rull, closed the ceremony with words of gratitude to ICIP and to the award-winning organisation. “Today is an act of recognition, of hope, and of collective dignity,” he said. Rull praised the work of Women Now for Development and ICIP for the quality of the Peace in Progress Award. He also warned that this award comes in an “absolutely devastating international context” and called for “the participation and perspective of women in peacebuilding and reconciliation processes.”

Solidarity with Palestine

The genocide in Gaza was a recurring theme throughout the ceremony. The ICIP president began his remarks with a moment of silence in solidarity with Palestine, which the audience joined, standing. Poet Mohamad Bitari also remembered the people of Palestine, “subjected to systematic genocide and constant aggression that continues day after day before the eyes of the world.”

The ceremony opened and closed with a musical performance by the Syrian duo Athrodeel.

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award, a fourteen-year trajectory

The ICIP Peace in Progress Award, established in 2011, aims to publicly recognise individuals, organisations, or institutions that have worked and contributed in a significant and sustained way to the promotion and construction of peace. The award consists of public recognition, a sculpture created by Nobel Peace Prize laureate, artist, and activist Adolfo Pérez Esquivel entitled Porta de Sol, and a monetary prize of 6,000 euros.

Over its fourteen-year history, the ICIP Award has recognised individuals and groups from Catalonia, Bosnia, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Colombia, Mexico, and Algeria for their struggle in favour of reconciliation, truth, justice, or equality, with a focus also on the empowerment of women and a gender perspective.

Photos: Sergio Ramos Ledesma (Parlament de Catalunya)

La CIBA space in Santa Coloma de Gramenet will host the international Build Peace 2025 conference from November 21 to 23, co-organised by ICIP and Build Up, a collective that designs and implements tools and processes using technology and the arts to address conflict and promote peace.

Around 300 participants from all over the world, including members of social organisations, universities, activists, and technology professionals, have registered for the conference. In its twelfth edition, the event is titled “Towards a Pluriverse of Peace”. It will focus on innovation and the use of creative and technological tools to transform conflict and foster coexistence around three main themes: dialogue, security, and memory.

The conference is supported by the City Councils of Santa Coloma de Gramenet and Barcelona, Catalunya Internacional, and the Government of Catalonia.

Towards a Pluriverse of Peace

Build Peace 2025 invites participants to rethink what peace means in a world marked by division, inequality, and oppression. The program is structured around three themes:

Between Polarisation and Deliberation
In the face of growing political and social polarisation, partly fueled by the spread of hate speech and disinformation on social media, we will explore the tools available to promote dialogue and participatory spaces. Speakers will include Nadim Nashif from the organisation 7amleh (Palestine); Nerima Wako, founder of Siasa Place (Kenya); and Nil Homedes, head of the Decidim platform (Catalonia).

Between Deterrence and Nonviolence
In a context of increasing militarisation and arms race, we will discuss approaches based on human and community security. The session will feature a debate between Julio Rodríguez, former Chief of the Defence Staff in Spain, and Anastasiia Holovnenko from the Centre for Civil Liberties in Ukraine, recipient of the 2023 Nobel Peace Prize. We will also reflect on the use of technology for nonviolent civil defence with contributions from activist Ophelia Rivas, Bruna dos Santos from Witness, and Jack Isles from Border Forensics.

Between Erasure and Memory
We will reflect on how studying and analysing the past is key to addressing post-conflict situations and promoting reconciliation. Speakers on this topic include Francisco Ferrándiz, member of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC); Natascha Zupan, from Berghof Foundation; and Jelnar Ahmad, from the Syrian Archive project (Syria).

Workshops, presentations, and artistic proposals
The conference will also feature several workshops, short talks, and project presentations related to the different themes. At the local level, initiatives will be presented by organisations such as Canòdrom (Barcelona’s Digital and Democratic Innovation Hub), FundiPau, Centre Delàs, and Escola de Cultura de Pau. At the international level, highlights include initiatives from swisspeace, WILPF, Perú por el Desarme, Sudan Memory Project, and Fundación Corona.

There will also be space for artistic expressions, including exhibitions, documentary screenings, movement-based activities, and guided tours.

Coinciding with the conference, on Friday, November 21, at 6:30 p.m., the Sagarra Theatre in Santa Coloma de Gramenet will host the opening event of the campaign “Municipalities, Seeds of Peace,” promoted by the Catalan Fund for Development Cooperation.