MELBOURNE, Australia - s4story -- Over 200 leaders from government, education, interfaith, youth and women's sectors gathered at St Kilda Town Hall on Sunday 11 October for the Australian Peace Summit 2026, closing the day with numerous collaborative commitments across five areas of work.

Hosted by HWPL Australia under the theme "Collective Impact for a Thriving Australia," the Summit was held in connection with the global commemoration of the 12th Anniversary of the September 18th HWPL World Peace Summit, first held in Seoul in 2014. At that summit, leaders in politics, faith, women's groups, youth groups and media signed agreements on conflict resolution, the establishment of peace and mutual cooperation.

"As a Civil Society UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime) delegate, it was a privilege to meet people from diverse backgrounds, communities, and professional fields, each bringing valuable ideas and experiences." - Laura Laffitte, UNODC Delegate

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The day opened with a cultural booth precinct in the Town Hall courtyard, where community groups shared food, dress, music and traditions from across Melbourne's communities. A main summit session followed, moving into facilitated room discussions across five streams: Peace Education, International Law, Interfaith, Youth and Women's Empowerment.

"I think the peace education program should be offered in primary and secondary school, starting with government schools. Children should also be educated about the absence of their parents who provide for their family, as parents are not vocal about this and children struggle to understand it." - Irene Alogoc, Executive Director DOJ Philippines

Each discussion was structured to produce specific actions that participants carry back into their own sectors. Delivered with approximately 20 partner organisations and community groups, the program also featured interactive panels, youth speakers and cultural performances through the afternoon, closing with an invitation-only dinner celebration.

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"I have a young son. I'm really hoping in the next few years he can go through the peace education system." - Ladan Ahmed, Senior Project Advisor, Department of Education

The Summit consolidated HWPL Australia's 2026 program of work, which included peace education delivered in schools across Australia, monthly interfaith dialogue through the Australian Religious Peace Academy (ARPA) as part of HWPL's global WARP Office network, the six-month Grow Well Melbourne project run by IPYG across Melbourne's western suburbs, monthly volunteer meal preparation and hand delivery in Footscray, and a DPCW workshop with community leaders on applying international peace law principles at a local level.

Discussions returned to the structural pressures facing Australian communities: declining social cohesion, youth disengagement, mental health concerns, community isolation, economic uncertainty and rising demand on frontline services. Participants noted that these pressures cross sector boundaries, and that coordinated effort between organisations produces outcomes unavailable to any one of them working alone.

http://hwplvic.com.au