BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:UNESCO Symposium: We Shall Overcome METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260520T123000 DTEND:20260520T180000 DTSTAMP:20260520T123000 UID:2026/unesco-symposium-we-shall@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260418T225655 LOCATION:Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam SUMMARY:UNESCO Symposium: We Shall Overcome X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Building Inner Peace an d Hope

Today’s world is fragmented by conflict,&nb sp;disruption, cross-cultural misunderstanding, and uncertainty. &nbs p;At the same time, peace and hope are still indestructible and deeply connected in human communities, and both need daily practice. The UNESCO Symposium 2026 brings people together to explore how education and dialogue can empower inner peace and hope. Buildin g on the 2 025 symposium Be the Change, this event is a call to action, sustainable cooperation, and intergenerational exchange. Inspired by the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the mission of&nb sp;infinite hope, this symposium looks forward, standing on the shoul ders of a shared UNESCO Memory of the World.

What to ex pect

An interactive symposium (150 participants)

Dialogue across genera tions and cultures

Workshops ;on peacebuilding, mentoring, reconciliation, and hope in education
Contributions from UNESCO Chairs worldwide (Africa, Jap an, Europe), (high school) students, refugees, academics, and co mmunity partners

Organized by the UNESCO Cha ir on Cross-Cultural Sustainability, in collaboration with t he Netherlands Commission for UNESCO and p artners. Programme and registration link available by th e end of March 2026. Save the date and join us in VU Am sterdam to practice peace and build hope together!

DESCRIPTION: Today’s world is fragmented by conflict, ;disruption, cross-cultural misunderstanding, and uncertainty. At the same time, peace and hope are still indestructible and de eply connected in human communities, and both need daily practice. Th e UNESCO Symposium 2026 brings people together to explore h ow education and dialogue can empower inner peace and hope. Building on the 202 5 symposium Be the Change, this event is a call to action, s ustainable cooperation, and intergenerational exchange. Inspired by t he legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. and the mission of ;infinite hope, this symposium looks forward, standing on the shoulde rs of a shared UNESCO Memory of the World. What to expect

An interactive symposium ( 150 participants)

Dialogue across generations and c ultures

Workshops on peacebu ilding, mentoring, reconciliation, and hope in education

Co ntributions from UNESCO Chairs worldwide (Africa, Japan, Europe) , (high school) students, refugees, academics, and community par tners
Organized by the UNESCO Chair on Cross-C ultural Sustainability, in collaboration with the Netherlands Commission for UNESCO and partners. ;Programme and registration link available by the end of Marc h 2026. Save the date and join us in VU Amsterdam to pr actice peace and build hope together! Building Inner Peace and Hope END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR