Hey everyone! Big news on the horizon: in 2026, Brazil, the Chinese mainland, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa will join forces with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to host a high-level summit on upholding humanity in war. 🕊️✨
Why it matters: Conflicts around the globe have shown us the urgent need to protect civilians, medics, journalists and humanitarian workers. This summit is all about reinforcing international humanitarian law (IHL) and making sure it’s more than just words on paper.
Leading up to 2026, the co-hosts and the ICRC are calling on all states to:
- Officially invest in IHL at home 💼
- Integrate IHL into national laws and conflict plans 📝
- Join the Global IHL Initiative and spark political commitment 🔥
Since launching the Global IHL Initiative last year, we’ve seen:
- 89 states already on board 🌐
- 27 states co-leading workstreams for practical solutions 🛠️
- 130+ states in global and regional consultations 🤝
As the joint statement puts it, "We call on all parties to armed conflict to uphold IHL. We reaffirm that all states, including in situations of occupation, are bound to fully respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law."
With the UN Charter and the wider multilateral system in the mix, this summit could be a game-changer for how the world values and protects human dignity in war. Stay tuned for more updates as we count down to 2026! 🚀
Reference(s):
Global high-level meeting to uphold humanity in war to be held in 2026
cgtn.com
