United Nations Peace Messenger Cities are cities around the world that have volunteered for an initiative sponsored by the United Nations to promote peace and understanding between nations. The movement began in the International Year of Peace, 1986 and lasted until 1991, during that period 74 cities were chosen from among thousands and appointed as Messengers of Peace by the UN Secretary-General Javier Perez DeCuellar. Representatives of 63 cities met on 7 and 8 September 1988 in Verdun, France to participate:
"in the building of a world less violent and more humane, a world of tolerance and of mutual respect to enable the requirements of peace based on justice and human rights to be better understood".
The International Association of Peace Messenger Cities was established in 1988 and now administers the programme according to the statute of the Association and criteria for membership. The International Association of Peace Messenger Cities was established to recognize and encourage the role and responsibility cities have in creating a culture of peace. The IAPMC had its first meeting in Verdun France in 1988. It was formalized at a General Assembly meeting in New Haven, Connecticut, USA in 1990. Our first Statute was adopted in Marrakech, Morocco in 1991. The organization was born out of United Nations General Assembly designation as Peace Messengers based on idea that municipal authorities have profound responsibility to assume an active, creative role in establishing a Culture of Peace within their borders. Member cities of the Association meet twice a year with the aim of exchanging programmes, ideas and experience in cities around the globe. Their website, http://www.iapmc.org, is active after the General Assembly which was held in Slovenj Gradec, Slovenia. The IAPMC has been extensively involved in numerous peace campaigns, banning of anti-personnel landmines campaign, nuclear non-proliferation, human rights, and has attracted substantial public awareness in peacemaking efforts of the United Nations Organization, Economic and Social Council, Department of Public Information and other bodies. The participation at the international conferences throughout the years of IAPMC activities has been notable at prominent events such as World Social Forum, First World Conference on City Diplomacy etc. It has been one of the sponsors and co-organizers of Haifa International Conference for a WMD-Free Middle East in 2013. The organization is also a member of Abolition 2000 and cooperates well with similar organizations, such as Mayors for Peace.
Representatives
President: VICTOR HADJIAVRAAM, Mayor of Morphou Vice Presidents: ANDRZEJ PIETRASIK, Mayor of Plonsk, VINCENT N'CHO, Vice-Governor of Abidjan District Secretary-General: ANDREJ ČAS, Mayor of Slovenj Gradec Deputy Secretary-General: DUŠAN STOJANOVIČ, Slovenj Gradec UN Representative: SYLVESTER E. ROWE
New member cities can apply for membership, providing they fulfil and comply with the membership criteria, either by contacting the officials or any of the member cities which can propose the new member city at the General Assembly. As of 2017, the 112 Peace Messenger Cities are:
