Mission Statement
The Peacemaking Reflection Group of former UN system staff (PRG) is an informal group of former international civil servants, who use their collective experience to articulate common positions and recommendations for today’s world leaders. While the Group fully recognizes that the world today faces challenges that have become more acute since their active service, its members strongly believe that the UN Charter’s principles and provisions remain valid. What needs to change is how these principles and provisions are being applied, as a standard for national and international politics and all interactions between and among state and non-state actors, expanding the corpus of international law with more effective means of enforcement. The Group respects political diversity and advocates for innovative ways and means to apply the UN Charter, thus strengthening multilateralism at a time when world values appear to be diverging. The ultimate goal is to prevent conflicts, actively promote a culture of peace worldwide, and achieve sustainable development with human rights for all.
The PRG Way
Guided by the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the basic principles of moral behaviour that are common across humanity’s many political systems, cultures and religions, and drawing on our diverse experiences as international civil servants in various parts of the UN system, the PRG members have come together to:
- Exchange views and inform each other about current developments in global politics, economics and governance;
- Reflect collectively on innovative ways to strengthen the UN and other global governance arrangements, with a view to ensuring their optimal and effective functioning towards advancing the UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of human Rights and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development / the SDGs;
- Make key interventions and intercessions, public or private, through letters, articles and other means to inform the public and influence the attitude of decision-makers for the common good;
- Consider, develop and advance concrete initiatives to address today’s global challenges in peace and security, sustainable development and humanitarian affairs/human rights;
- Build partnerships with other groups and individuals, experts, activists or otherwise, to discuss developments, exchange views and experiences, reflect on possible interventions, and join forces to carry out shared initiatives.
Read an account of the origins and endeavours of the PRG by member Michael Askwith; published in the Newsletter of the British Association of Former United Nations Civil Servants (BAFUNCS), No. 84, Autumn 2023
Blogs maintained by PRG participants
(list not exhaustive)