About Us

Dialogue with you to promote global governance

I have been wondering and pondering for more than 60 years, since I was a young teenager, why people keep fighting and fighting wars, why nations keep fighting each other for supremacy, why they continue to be allowed to hurt and kill their neighbors, and I have been heartbroken and troubled by every war and conflict that has occurred. Thanks to the help of everyone in society, I have been able to achieve great success as an entrepreneur. Now, I have decided that it is time for me to take action together with you to find answers to questions that I have been pondering since childhood. I am more than thrilled and excited to bring our ideas and opinions together and to take action.

To ensure that we are on the right track, in 2020 I began working to establish United Peace International. In 2023, with six Nobel Peace Prize laureates as advisors and in partnership with their organizations, we began our work in earnest. In November of this year, we will welcome them and six other advisors to Tokyo for an event to continue and broaden our discussions about how to solve global problems through strengthening global governance structures and institutions and how to work together to achieve world peace. At that event, I look forward to sharing with you our work and progress toward building world peace through enhanced global governance.

I would be happy to think about how we can take actions with you and to receive your comments and thoughts in detail about it.

I hope this will be an opportunity for us to begin a great dialogue and move forward together on our common goal of world peace.

Our beliefs in peace through improved global governance and what kinds of activities we will do

UPI believes that peace is not a utopian dream, it is a choice. By working together, we can tackle key elements of creating a world in which peace is the reality and not a dream. UPI envisions a world united in peace through strong systems of global governance that focus on the shared well-being of all people and the planet.

UPI seeks not only to help rebuild existing multilateral and global governance institutions but also to collaborate with other organizations to consider structural reforms in such institutions and systems on the road to helping create new structures to address the challenges of the interdependent world of the 21st Century and beyond.

Why Now? In various ways, everyone in the world is feeling the changes facing us all. It is a time of great challenges but also opportunities for much needed systemic changes to meet those challenges.

In April 2023, a much-anticipated report from the High-Level Advisory Board on Effective Multilateralism, A Breakthrough for People and the Planet, commissioned by UN Secretary General Guterres was released. It is a centerpiece of continuing discussions around the world in the lead up to the 2024 Summit of the Future, where UN Member States will consider ways to lay the foundations for more effective global cooperation. UPI aims to convene thought leaders, activists, former politicians, business leaders, philanthropists and experts leading innovative strategies for international cooperation to address the myriad crises facing our people and planet and engage in these vital conversations and processes while supporting effective organizations and campaigns striving daily for improved global governance and cooperation.

The Imperative of United Nations Reform to Realize World Peace based on Global Governance

We believe that to achieve world peace based on global governance, it is essential to have judicial, legislative, and executive institutions that are founded on democracy and oversee its functioning. The United Nations, established and operated as the body to propel this vision forward, must undergo reforms to reclaim its original role. Particularly, we advocate for the reevaluation and reconstruction of the role of the UN Security Council and its five permanent members (the United States, Russia, China, France, and the United Kingdom). This reform should not be based on the security of states or disputes over deployment but must be organized and governed based on human security.

The current composition and function of the UN Security Council reflect the international order post-World War II, which is not adapted to the 21st century’s multipolar and highly interdependent world. The veto power of the permanent members often hinders the Security Council from acting swiftly and effectively. This is evident in significant international conflicts such as the crises in Syria, Ukraine, and the ongoing issues between Palestine and Israel.

Furthermore, expanding the UN Security Council to include voices from emerging and regional powers like Brazil, India, South Africa, Japan, and Germany is critical. These countries have grown in economic and geopolitical significance in the international community, necessitating the reflection of their influence in the governance structure.

Additionally, UN reform includes updating approaches to global challenges such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate change. Strengthening multilateral cooperation within the UN framework and developing more inclusive and effective solutions are required. This necessitates enhanced coordination among UN agencies and expanded collaboration with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), the private sector, and civil society.

Lastly, stabilizing the financial foundation of the UN is crucial. The current system, reliant on contributions from member states, often leads to financial uncertainty, affecting UN projects and operations. Establishing a more transparent and predictable funding mechanism is necessary.

Overall, the reform and update of the UN are paramount for strengthening global governance and enhancing the international community’s capacity to adapt to the challenges of the 21st century. To ensure the UN plays its role in truly solving common global problems, it is essential to reform both its structure and functions to be timely and relevant. Based on this perspective, we commit to advancing activities aimed at achieving world peace based on global governance, in collaboration with people all over the world.

Minemitsu Nishimura

President and Founder of United Peace International Inc.

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