🌸 April 26, a day when we become peace  Peace has long only been found mainly in political discourse and theoretical literature on the topic: negotiation tables between world powers, military and security, and international treaties. In that process, women have been viewed as mere victims or subjects of protection. However, the truth speaks differently. Women, caretakers of their children and mediators of conflict, have already been actively creating peace in their surroundings.

🕊 The start of International Women’s Peace Day

April 26 is International Women’s Peace Day. Beginning on April 26, 2013, when women worldwide came together and promised to build a platform for peace and cessation of war for everyone, IWPG has expanded its civic network to 500 partner NGOs. In 2019, IWPG announced the International Women’s Peace Declaration in Korea with 6,035 people from 30 countries. The event has now grown into a global network of more than 3,500 women spanning across 70 cities in 40 countries.

⚖️ Women are the heroes that create peace

25 years have passed since UNSC Resolution 1325 has been adopted, but official female participation in peace processes and negotiations still remains at a mere 10%. The International Women’s Peace Day fights against such realities. IWPG allows women to break away from the ‘victim narrative’ to demonstrate their resilience and power of unity, proving they can substantially contribute to ending war and rebuilding societies. Women are the strong foundation of our society, working as educators, raising their children, rebuilding relations, and mediating conflicts.

The solidarity of women continued on this year’s April 26. Women have planted the hope of peace even amidst the brutalities of war. When they believe in the power of ‘unity’ and come together in this era of cynicism, we must all remember: we are the reality of peace.

On April 26, 2026, IWPG held commemorative events for the International Women’s Peace Day across 53 cities in 14 countries worldwide, including Korea, USA, Australia, Germany, Mongolia, Czechia, Netherlands, Japan, India, Turkiye, Myanmar, Mali and the Philippines.

Clayton County officially designates International Women’s Peace Day

The biggest achievement this year was that Clayton County in Georgia, USA, became the first local region to officially designate April 26 as International Women’s Peace Day.

The commemorative event held at Rayburn House Office Building in Washington D.C. gathered much political attention, and in Melbourne, Australia, the networking forum was held under the sponsorship of the city government and Federation of Multicultural Women in Australia.

Across Mongolia (Ulaanbaatar, Zavkhan, Orkhon), 800 people gathered for a peace march and traffic safety campaign. An essay and drawing exhibition, along with a bell-ringing ceremony, was held at Volkspark Friedrichshain, Germany, while a workshop on non-violent conversation and documentary screening took place for two days in Prague, the Czech Republic.

💃 Online declarations of peace spreading through social media: “I am Peace!” The “I am Peace” dance challenge commemorating April 26 spread online. Women spread the message that they are the heroes of peace in their communities and daily lives.

100 students of Universidad Juárez Autónoma de Tabasco (UJAT) in Mexico participated in a group dance challenge to spread the value of peace, and peace activists and institutions from 4 cities in the Philippines and Amcha Ghar School from India also joined, contributing to the united voice of women coming together.

Please click IWPG’s Newsletter (Issue #90) and the IWPG website for more details on April 26 International Women’s Peace Day activities. >> Click for more

IWPG introduces special contributions published in commemoration of Apr 26 International Women’s Peace Day.