21 September 2026
On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, the European Muslims League (EML) renews its commitment to dialogue, peaceful coexistence and the building of constructive relations among people of different religions, cultures and communities.
The International Day of Peace, observed every year on 21 September under the auspices of the United Nations, represents a call to responsibility for everyone: institutions, religious communities, civil society and individual citizens.
The 2026 theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day”, reminds us that peace is not built only in the halls of international diplomacy. It is built every day in our cities, schools, places of worship, families and relationships between people.
For the European Muslims League, investing in peace means first and foremost investing in mutual understanding. Prejudice, discrimination, Islamophobia, antisemitism, religious hatred and every form of intolerance thrive where dialogue and human encounter are absent.
Christians, Muslims, Jews and followers of other religious traditions can play a concrete role in preventing divisions, demonstrating that faith can be an instrument of encounter rather than a cause of conflict.
“Peace does not begin with declarations, but with people. It begins when we learn to know those whom we consider different, when a mosque, a church or a synagogue becomes a place of dialogue, and when our differences are not used to create fear. As a European Muslim, I believe that we have a particular responsibility: to demonstrate every day that identity, faith and peaceful coexistence can walk together,” said Alfredo Maiolese, President of the European Muslims League.
The experience of many societies around the world demonstrates that Christian and Muslim communities can live side by side, preserving their religious identities while contributing together to the life of society. This reality should be valued, particularly at a time when fear and polarization risk turning differences into instruments of division.
Peace also requires the courage to counter hate speech and generalizations. An entire religion or community cannot be held responsible for the actions of individual persons or groups.
The European Muslims League therefore regards interreligious dialogue not as a merely symbolic exercise, but as a concrete instrument for conflict prevention and trust-building.
Investing in peace means investing in education, young people, respect for human dignity and our capacity to meet one another before differences become confrontation.
The International Day of Peace ultimately reminds us that peace belongs to everyone and that each of us can contribute to building it.
Peace begins with the way we choose to see and treat one another.
European Muslims League – EML
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE 2026: DIALOGUE BETWEEN PEOPLE IS THE FIRST INVESTMENT IN PEACE
