News
05 Jun 2019
2019 Normandy World Peace Forum
The 4th and 5th June 2019 saw the second annual Normandy World Peace Forum held at the Abbaye Aux Dames in Caen, which was attended by Guernsey’s Deputy Jonathan Le Tocq and Vice President of the States of Alderney, James Dent. This was the third event of this kind at which the Channel Islands were represented as they also attended the preparatory event in 2017.
This year, the forum was on the theme of ‘peacemakers’ and included various conferences and thematic debates on this subject, with a strong emphasis on youth, as well as hosting a Village for Peace. The Channel Island representatives attended debates on combatting the silent weapon of communication technology, and about how the EU could create peace in other continents.
Several recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize gave talks at the forum, including Mohammed El-Baradei (2005 winner), Denis Mulwege (2018 winner), and Jody Williams (1997 winner). The event is particularly symbolic as it was held during the two days before the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings in Normandy.
The islands are extremely supportive of this initiative and look forward to future events.