The Whitaker Peace & Development Initiative is a non-governmental organization with global scope & reach founded by @ForestWhitaker / instagram: Whitaker_Peace
Joined June 2014
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"Our mission is to empower dedicated people to give them the tools to make them effective peacemakers and entrepreneurs." - @ForestWhitaker
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At the @OneYoungWorld Summit, our CEO @ForestWhitaker joined Executive Director Caroline Descombris and two South African Youth Peacemakers to discuss the power of youth-led peacebuilding and turning global commitments to peace into local action! #OYW2026 wpdi.org/news/from-conflicti…
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WPDI retweeted
80 years ago, @UNESCO set out to build peace in the minds of people. Its vision inspired @connectWPDI. This week in South Africa, I visited our field office and joined the @OneYoungWorld Summit, seeing that mission alive in the next generation. We must carry it forward together!
Today marks 80 years since @UNESCO officially came into existence, bringing to life a shared vision: to build peace through international cooperation.
Eight decades later, what have we achieved, and what lies ahead?
@UNESCO_DG Khaled El-Enany reflects on UNESCO’s legacy and future in the @UNESCOCourier.
Read more: courier.unesco.org/en/articl… #ForThePeople
WPDI retweeted
Next week, I’ll be on the @OneYoungWorld stage in Cape Town, sitting down with @connectWPDI's Executive Director and two of the Youth Peacemakers who make our mission in South Africa possible.
I’m ready to listen, learn, and support the young people shaping the future of peace.
In two weeks, the One Young World Summit opens in Cape Town. 🇿🇦
3–6 November: 2,000+ young leaders from 190+ countries tackling the world’s biggest challenges.
Follow us here to catch the highlights live. 🌍
#OYW26
What does it mean to invest in peace? 🕊️☮️
Across 12 schools, 2,000+ students and 84 educators turned #InternationalDayofPeace into action through games, peer mediation, acts of service, gardens and more.
Read more ↓ wpdi.org/news/investing-in-p…
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What happens when communities make space to listen?
In Lafon, South Sudan, 69 community leaders and representatives came together through a WPDI-led dialogue to discuss local challenges, resolve land disputes and strengthen peace.
Read the full story: wpdi.org/news/traditional-an…
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One evening. A global community. A shared commitment to peace. 🌍
From inspiring Youth Peacemakers to the inaugural WPDI Impact Awards, discover the highlights of the #RiseAsOne Gala 2026 and the people driving change.
Read our newsletter: wpdi.org/news/inside-wpdis-r…
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One evening. A global community. A shared commitment to peace. 🌍
From inspiring Youth Peacemakers to the inaugural WPDI Impact Awards, discover the highlights of the #RiseAsOne Gala 2026 and the people driving change.
Read our newsletter ↓wpdi.org/news/inside-wpdis-r…
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Through our partnership with @RCSGroup_, WPDI South Africa has trained 90 participants in conflict resolution in 2026. At a recent session, RCS team leaders explored listening, managing emotions, and navigating disagreements at work and in daily life ↓ wpdi.org/news/building-skill…
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Peace is a skill, and the classroom is one place to start.
After 10 years of WPDI’s Domestic Harmonizer Program, our team shares 10 lessons on helping students navigate conflict, support their peers, and carry these skills into everyday life.
Read more↓
wpdi.org/news/10-years-of-th…
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WPDI retweeted
Peace is possible, and it begins with people. Thank you to everyone who made WPDI’s #RiseAsOne Gala so meaningful: our youth peacemakers, honorees, performers, partners, and friends. 14 years ago, I founded WPDI with a vision for what we could build together. Our work continues.
WPDI retweeted
From fighting apartheid in South Africa to defending human rights worldwide, Navi Pillay reminds us that peace begins with the courage to imagine a more just world, and to spend a lifetime working toward it. Congratulations, Navi, on your well-deserved Nobel Peace Prize!
Amazing moment.
Navi Pillay has received the Nobel Peace Prize ! bbc.co.uk/news/live/ck5yng9z…
We are at the Nuremberg Court; I cannot think of a stronger symbol for her Nobel prize.
We are all so thrilled!
This is her first reactions upon hearing the news:
Mental well-being touches every part of our lives, and our work at WPDI. This #WorldMentalHealthDay, we recognize the care, connection, and opportunity it takes to heal. Peace is a skill: practicing empathy and dialogue helps us feel heard and hopeful
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Skill + Idea + Support = Economic Independence💡
At WPDI Mexico, 12 participants completed 6 months of entrepreneurship training, turning skills into business plans, & building confidence.
See how WPDI creates local opportunity: wpdi.org/news/from-crochet-b…
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Our voices are powerful tools for peace. On #InternationalDayOfNonViolence, we share children’s doves from South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda, brought to our gala through @childreninwar's #ProveItMatters campaign. Their hopes call us to listen, and act.
🎥 See it come to life!
Digital skills open doors and help build peace.
At WPDI Chiapas, 13 culinary technicians strengthened their digital skills through hands-on training from creating recipe templates to using Word & other tools.
Skills for school, work & new opportunities ↓wpdi.org/news/young-people-i…
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For @childreninwar’s global #ProveItMatters campaign @_VanessaFrazier WPDI helped 680+ children in South Africa, South Sudan and Uganda learn about their rights, write peace messages and fold them into doves. Their doves will be displayed at our gala 🕊️↓
wpdi.org/news/prove-it-matte…
WPDI retweeted
At his final #UNGA, @antonioguterres said: “To pretend that peace can be separated from dignity, opportunity and rights is an unacceptable illusion.” As @UNESCO’s Special Envoy, I saw this firsthand. It led me to create @connectWPDI. May this belief guide this week's discussions.
“The greatest power is not the power to dominate.
It is the power to build a future that works for everyone.”
At #UNGA, @antonioguterres stresses our shared future depends on whether humanity can govern power wisely.
un.org/sg/en/content/sg/stat…
Bid on unforgettable experiences, from an #ILoveLA set visit and Global Citizen Festival VIP access to a premium night with the New York Rangers. Funds raised support WPDI’s peacebuilding work. Auction closes Friday, Sept. 25: us.givergy.com/WPDI2026Gala/…
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WPDI retweeted
Everywhere my work with @UNESCO and @connectWPDI has taken me, I’ve seen the same truth: peace takes root when we invest in people. This #InternationalDayofPeace, I reflect on what that commitment looks like, and why it cannot wait until conflict begins. wpdi.org/news/investing-in-p…
