HQ · 37.5665°N · 126.9780°E
Seoul
HWPL Headquarters
The journey starts here: from Seoul, HWPL coordinates its contributions at all four UN headquarters.
Animated particle globe: points of light form a dove of peace and assemble into the Earth. As the page unfolds, the camera travels to the four UN headquarters while arcs of light connect Seoul with New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.
Dossier · 2026 · IR-01Classification · Public
HWPL · United Nations
Toward an international law for peace.
UN-ECOSOC Special Consultative Status since 2017, active in over 170 countries and at all four UN headquarters.
§ 01UN Accreditation
A recognised actor in international peace policy.
Special Consultative Status · UN · Since 2017
A recognised actor in international peace policy.
HWPL's standing in the UN system, verifiable in the official civil-society register of the United Nations.
Note on accreditation
The ECOSOC Special Consultative Status is held by HWPL International (headquartered in Seoul), not by the Austrian association itself. HWPL Austria cooperates closely with the international organisation: some of our members act as representatives of HWPL International at UN bodies, particularly at the Vienna UN office, and contribute there to side events and consultations.
UN sourceBy the numbers
178Countries reached
922,000+DPCW endorsements
1,012Peace-education sites
5Diplomatic seats
§ 02UN Headquarters
Presence at all four UN headquarter cities.
The United Nations operate from four primary duty stations. HWPL contributes at each, calibrated to the thematic focus of the venue.
HQ · 37.5665°N · 126.9780°E
Seoul · HWPL Headquarters
The journey starts here: from Seoul, HWPL coordinates its contributions at all four UN headquarters.
01 · 40.7484°N · 73.9680°W
New York
UN Headquarters
The UN's political nerve centre. Where the General Assembly, ECOSOC and the High-Level Political Forum negotiate SDG 16 (peace, justice, strong institutions). Decisions made here set the agenda for all UN member states.
02 · 46.2044°N · 06.1432°E
Geneva
UN Office at Geneva (UNOG)
Human rights and peace diplomacy. Seat of the Human Rights Council, which monitors freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and protection of minorities worldwide. Peace talks for conflicts from Syria to Yemen take place here.
03 · 48.2333°N · 16.4167°E
Vienna
UN Office at Vienna (UNOV) · Home base
The UN's prevention capital. Home to UNODC, the IAEA and the OSCE: criminal-justice prevention, nuclear non-proliferation, anti-corruption and crime prevention. Peace before escalation, not after the explosion.
04 · 01.2921°S · 36.8219°E
Nairobi
UN Office at Nairobi (UNON)
Peace through environment and city. The only UN headquarters in the Global South, home to UNEP (climate and environment programme) and UN-Habitat (sustainable cities). Climate resilience is conflict prevention.
§ 03Multilateral footprint
Four institutions. One direction.
HWPL's peace work is not confined to the UN system. Parliamentary bodies on four continents have formally endorsed the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War.
United Nations01
ECOSOC
193 member states
Special Consultative Status since 2017, the highest civil-society accreditation tier of the UN Economic and Social Council.
African Union02
Pan-African Parliament
55 African states
Resolution in support of the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War.
Latin America03
PARLATINO
23 Latin American and Caribbean states
Plenary resolution endorsing the DPCW (2025).
National parliaments04
Three continents
Asia · Africa · Latin America
Endorsements, Peace Day proclamations and bilateral parliamentary cooperation.
§ 04Vienna · Our focus
Vienna focus
Prevention begins together. At the roots, not the symptoms.
"Prevention works only when governments, intergovernmental organisations, civil society and communities act together."
— Kyoto Declaration, 14th UN Crime Prevention Congress (2021)
Vienna is Austria's only UN headquarters — home to UNODC, where prevention is debated globally. This is exactly where HWPL Austria plugs in: address crime not just reactively but at its structural root causes, before they consolidate.
The framing follows the Kyoto Declaration (2021): prevention as a whole-of-government and whole-of-society task, governments, intergovernmental organisations, UNODC and civil society in structured dialogue, moving beyond diagnostic assessment toward operational exchange.
HWPL's contribution is carried by empirical work: the Peace Education Programme runs at 1,012 educational institutions across 112 countries, complemented by the Youth Empowerment Peace Class (YEPC), a structured youth programme for identity formation and community resilience in over 112 countries.
Structural root causes in focus
- Lack of values and identity formation
- Weak family and community structures
- Social exclusion and inequality
- Identity conflicts and polarisation
- Online influence and normalisation of harmful behaviour
§ 05Global Programmes
How HWPL institutionalises peace, concretely.
Four pillars that anchor HWPL's international work.
01
DPCW, International Peace Law
The Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War is HWPL's central contribution to international law: 10 articles, 38 clauses, over 922,000 endorsements from 178 countries. Supportive resolutions from the Pan-African Parliament, PARLATINO and national parliaments on three continents.
02
WARP Office, Interreligious Dialogue
World Alliance of Religions' Peace Offices bring clergy from different faiths together at the same table, academic, non-proselytising, comparing scripture. 292 offices across 132 countries worldwide.
03
IPYG, Global Youth for Peace
International Peace Youth Group: over 1,700 partner organisations from 131 countries. In 2025, IPYG groups around the world organised more than 500 peace events, peace walks, cleanups and Letter Campaigns addressed to heads of state.
04
Peace Education
A structured 12-lesson curriculum running at 1,012 educational institutions across 112 countries, with national adaptations co-developed with local educators.
§ 06Milestones
From Seoul 2013 to today's UN engagement.
Film reel · 2013 → today
- Reel · 01 / 062013
Founding & Declaration of World Peace
30,000 participants from 130 countries join the first HWPL Peace Walk in Seoul.
- Reel · 02 / 062014
World Peace Summit & Peace Agreement
At the inaugural HWPL World Peace Summit on 17–18 September in Seoul, former heads of state and religious leaders sign the Peace Agreement that later becomes the DPCW.
- Reel · 03 / 062016
Proclamation of the DPCW
19 international jurists draft the Declaration of Peace and Cessation of War with 10 articles and 38 clauses.
- Reel · 04 / 062017
UN ECOSOC Special Consultative Status
The UN Economic and Social Council grants HWPL the highest civil-society accreditation tier.
- Reel · 05 / 062025
11th World Peace Summit · PARLATINO Resolution
PARLATINO endorses the DPCW; the summit brings 800+ global leaders from 170 countries to Cheongju.
- Reel · 06 / 062026
10 Years of the DPCW · UNODC engagement in Vienna
1,933 participants from 152 countries gather in Seoul for the anniversary. In Vienna, HWPL contributes to UNODC thematic work on crime prevention.
Reel · keeps rolling
Much more to come.
This file keeps writing itself, live. Every new UNODC contribution, every Vienna stage, every step the HWPL family takes lands here — as it happens.
Hosted by HWPL Austria
This page is operated by HWPL Austria, the Austrian national chapter of HWPL. Visit the Austrian website too: projects, events and ways to get involved.