The World Jewish Congress and the UN University for Peace signed a memorandum of understanding on 9 April, strengthening cooperation on education, interfaith dialogue and fighting racism and extremism.
Representing the WJC and University for Peace were WJC Representative to the UN in Geneva and UNESCO Leon Saltiel and Permanent Delegate of University for Peace to the UN Office in Geneva and UNESCO in Paris David Fernandez Puyana. In a tweet Puyana called the memorandum “a big honor” and thanked WJC for “supporting the great causes for peace and dialogue among all cultures and faiths.”
The memorandum of understanding calls on the organizations to “utilize and leverage their existing resources and facilities for mutual benefit, and for the benefit of the activities’ beneficiaries,” as well as to “[cooperate] to create academic programs and modules of mutual interest.”
The joint effort is the latest example of the close ties between the WJC and University for Peace. In November 2020, the WJC contributed to Muslim World League and the UN University for Peace publication entitled, Promoting peace, human rights and dialogue among civilizations. In March 2021, the two organizations partnered to organize a UNHRC side event on the rise of conspiracy myths.
The UN University for Peace, based in Costa Rica, was established by a UNGA resolution in 1980. It has defined an innovative program of education, training and research for peace, focusing on key issues, including conflict-prevention, human security, human rights, environmental security and post-conflict rehabilitation.