New York, NY — The Global Preventive Diplomacy Initiative (GPDI) was launched at an exclusive event organized by the Center for International Relations and Sustainable Development (CIRSD) on the top floor of New York’s iconic MetLife Building, bringing together diplomats, philanthropists, business leaders, academics, and thought leaders for a conversation on the future of conflict prevention and international cooperation. The launch came just days before the opening of the 80th Session of the United Nations General Assembly, which annually brings together heads of state and government for the High-Level General Debate — making New York the world’s diplomatic capital.
Initiated by two former Presidents of the UN General Assembly, H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa and H.E. Mr. Vuk Jeremić, GPDI is a bold new effort to put conflict prevention back at the heart of global diplomacy. The initiative calls for a renewed global commitment: investing in early warning systems, fostering principled dialogue, strengthening states against destabilizing pressures, and ensuring that both local actors and international mediators are integral to peacebuilding. Above all, it seeks to turn prevention from rhetoric into practice — making it a core political priority for member states.
The evening featured a fireside chat between Espinosa and Jeremić, who opened the discussion by posing a central question: “Is diplomacy dead — and if so, how can we revive it?” Both underscored that while the UN has its shortcomings, it remains the only organization with universal membership and legitimacy — and must be central to efforts to rebuild trust and cooperation.
Jeremić stated: “The UN is first and foremost a venue — a pragmatic facilitator, not a normative enforcer of any particular global direction. Preventive diplomacy must be developed into a tool for stability, security, and strategic foresight.”
Espinosa added: “Preventive diplomacy should become an assurance rather than a tool of interference, serving as an integral part of long-term development and governance strategies.”
Their key message to the audience was clear: preventing crises before they erupt is far more pragmatic — and cost-effective — than trying to end wars once they begin. In the coming months, GPDI will convene additional high-level figures and stakeholders around the world to advance a truly global prevention agenda.
