IPPO, Geneva, June 24 (Reporter Li Shihui) – On June 24, during the 62nd session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the special meeting themed "Promoting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Peace and the Right to Development," hosted by the International Patriotic Pact Organization (IPPO), was successfully held at the John Knox International Center in Geneva, Switzerland.

As a thematic event initiated by civil society during the Human Rights Council session cycle, the meeting was independently planned and coordinated by the International Patriotic Pact Organization (IPPO). Upholding the principles of openness and inclusivity, the event was open to representatives of global non-governmental organizations and international issue experts. It focused on in-depth exchanges regarding core issues such as the practical implementation of the right to peace and the right to development, as well as civil society pathways for advancing the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, making it a vital component of civil-level peace and development dialogues during this session.

The meeting was chaired and moderated by Miomir, Founding President of the Serbian Media Education Center. During the opening session, he introduced the background, core agenda, and rules of discussion for the special meeting, guiding all attending representatives in pragmatic and in-depth exchanges centered on three core topics: commemorating the 40th anniversary of the Declaration on the Right to Development, global technology governance pathways in the digital era, and enhancing the effectiveness of multilateral civil cooperation mechanisms.

As the initiating and hosting organization of this meeting, the International Patriotic Pact Organization has consistently adhered to the international patriotic pact concept of "Loving One's Own Country Without Harming Other Nations’ Interests" in conducting various civil exchange activities since its establishment in October 2022. Nearly half of the representatives at this meeting were signatory members of the International Patriotic Pact Organization holding consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council. The attending representatives unanimously stated that they would rely on this platform to fully leverage the constructive role of civil society, promote the practices of the Civil Society "International Patriotic Pact" and the "nation’s rights to development review," and facilitate the effective global implementation of the principles established by the Declaration on the Right to Development.

During the keynote speech session, multiple expert representatives from different countries and fields shared their perspectives based on their own practices: Karl Bjertnes, representative of SEEDS-AFRICA, elaborated on the integration of AI technology inclusivity with universal basic guarantees, proposing that cutting-edge technologies should serve as public goods for the shared prosperity of all humanity rather than profit-making tools monopolized by a few; Reyma Mwanza, Geneva Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Aid Organization, combined grassroots African aid experience to point out that the core attribute of the right to development is its people-centric nature, emphasizing that a people-centered development orientation must always be maintained. By systematically narrowing the development gap between regions and groups, paper-based development rights must be transformed into tangible well-being for ordinary people; Dr. Madeline Chelb, Head of the Health and Environment Project in Cameroon, stressed from a public health practice perspective that armed conflict and the right to development are inherently contradictory. The international community must ensure that all countries equally enjoy the right to development through normalized multilateral dialogue mechanisms, thereby eliminating the root causes of conflict.

The meeting also officially announced upcoming events: On September 21, 2026, "International Day of Peace," the International Patriotic Pact Organization will host the 2026 Autumn Forum in Conference Room 1 of the United Nations Office at Nairobi. The forum will be themed "International Patriotic Pact and Nation’s Rights to Development: Building a New International Peace Order." It will invite organizational members, representatives of civil institutions, and international issue experts from around the world to jointly explore the implementation of the "International Patriotic Pact" at the civil society level, promote constructive cross-border patriotic exchanges, and establish a dual-promotion mechanism where civil society fosters both the review of nation’s rights to development and the advancement of global peace.

During the meeting, leaders from four international organizations signed an initiative, officially joining the "International Patriotic Pact Initiative" launched by the International Patriotic Pact Organization. All parties jointly committed to dedicating themselves to promoting cross-border civil society cultural exchanges and global patriotic peace-building efforts in the long term. The institutions and authorized representatives who completed the signing were: Dr. Avini Behnam, Head of the International Ocean Institute; Mark Limon, Founder of the Universal Rights Group; Reyma Mwanza, Geneva Representative of the Democratic Republic of the Congo Humanitarian Aid Organization; and Muhammad Shehadat, Founder of the Swiss Youth Peace Initiative.

The special meeting concluded successfully in an atmosphere of candid and enthusiastic exchange. The participating parties reached a broad consensus and pledged to continue supporting the civil activities organized by the International Patriotic Pact Organization, abandon the outdated mindset of zero-sum games and camp confrontation, jointly safeguard the equal right to development of all countries, and work hand in hand to promote lasting peace and shared prosperity worldwide.