Penang Peace Declaration 2026 calls for UN reform, a renewed Non-Aligned Movement and stronger regional cooperation to build a more peaceful, equitable and sustainable world.
- Reforming global governance: Calls for a more representative and effective United Nations, a renewed Non-Aligned Movement (NAM 2.0), and consideration of a UN regional secretariat or hub in Southeast Asia, with Penang proposed as a potential location.
- Strengthening regional peace and shared responsibility: Urges ASEAN to reaffirm its commitment to neutrality, while calling for urgent action on climate change, greater support for vulnerable communities and responsible development of artificial intelligence.
- From dialogue to action: Positions Penang as a continuing platform for civilisational exchange and peacebuilding, with a commitment to hold the Second Penang Peace Dialogue no later than one year after the inaugural meeting.
The First Penang Peace Dialogue, held in George Town on September 5–6, 2026, has issued a declaration calling for a more representative United Nations, a renewed Non-Aligned Movement and stronger regional cooperation to address the challenges of an increasingly divided world. Organised by the Commonwealth of World Chinatowns (CWC), the declaration draws inspiration from the Bandung spirit of solidarity and peaceful coexistence, urging nations to move beyond geopolitical rivalry towards dialogue, shared responsibility and sustainable development. It also proposes Penang as a venue to continue the Dialogue as an ongoing platform for peace and practical cooperation.
Collectively, CWC wishes to record its sincere appreciation to all participants for their time, experience and ideas, and to the many individuals and organisations whose support and hard work made the Dialogue possible. Their spirit of cooperation reflected the values the Dialogue sought to advance. Penang, situated at the crossroads of the Straits of Malacca, the Andaman Sea and the wider Nusantara, has for centuries been a meeting place of peoples, cultures and civilisations. It is therefore a fitting place from which to put forward the following proposals for a more peaceful and a cooperative world.
Penang Peace Dialogue Statement
1. A reformed United Nations: The United Nations Charter remains a fine and enduring document, providing an important foundation for international peace, cooperation, human rights and development. However, the operational and institutional mechanisms of the United Nations need to evolve to cope with the complexity, interconnectedness and speed of change in today’s world. We, therefore, call for meaningful reform of the United Nations, its institutions, systems and processes, to make them more representative, responsive and effective in a multipolar world. Such reform should strengthen the voice and participation of developing nations, improve the effectiveness of multilateral decision-making, and restore confidence in international institutions as instruments for preventing conflict, addressing global challenges and promoting shared prosperity
The United Nations should remain a forum where global problems can be discussed meaningfully, solutions developed collectively, and all nations given a meaningful voice in shaping the international order.
2. A renewed Non-Aligned Movement — NAM 2.0: The Non-Aligned Movement, with more than 120 states, remains an important collective platform for the Global South. We call for a renewal and repurposing of NAM around a developmental and peace-oriented agenda that resists great-power pressure, promotes sustainable development and advances a global culture of peace.
While a multipolar world may provide greater space for diverse centres of influence, multipolarity must be underpinned by effective multilateralism. We, therefore, call upon developing nations to work together to pursue non-aligned multilateralism as both a principled stance and a practical, peaceful path towards sustainable development.
3. A United Nations Secretariat in Southeast Asia: We call for consideration of a stronger United Nations presence in Southeast Asia, including establishing a regional UN Secretariat or hub. Southeast Asia, through ASEAN, has developed considerable experience in regional cooperation, dialogue and consensus-building. The region’s diplomatic traditions and culture of engagement can contribute meaningfully to global peace and multilateral cooperation. We hope to secure a suitable city in the region as a regional UN Secretariat for this purpose.
4. Restoring ASEAN’s commitment to neutrality: ASEAN’s 1971 commitment to a Zone of Peace, Freedom and Neutrality (ZOPFAN) remains relevant in today’s increasingly contested geopolitical environment. We call on ASEAN member states to reaffirm this principle, preserve the region’s strategic autonomy and avoid pressures that could draw Southeast Asia into competing geopolitical or military blocs. ASEAN’s tradition of dialogue, consensus-building and engagement should continue to serve as a foundation for regional peace and stability
5. Urgent action on climate change and poverty: Climate change poses a serious threat to communities worldwide and disproportionately affects vulnerable countries and communities in the Global South. We call on all nations, particularly developed economies, to fulfil their commitments on climate action and to strengthen support for adaptation, mitigation, technology transfer and capacity building in vulnerable regions. Climate change should be recognised not merely as an environmental challenge, but also as an issue of peace, security, development and human survival. Those with greater resources and greater historical responsibility should contribute a greater share towards building a sustainable and equitable future for everyone.
6. Wisdom in the age of artificial intelligence: We call for the responsible development and deployment of artificial intelligence, guided by ethics, human dignity and the common good. We strongly oppose the use of AI as an instrument of division, repression or warfare, and call for international cooperation to address the risks arising from its misuse and uncontrolled deployment.
The development of AI should safeguard human dignity, accountability, transparency and the interests of future generations. Technology should serve humanity, not the other way around.
Penang as home venue for peace dialogue
We commit to continuing the Penang Peace Dialogue as an ongoing platform for dialogue, reflection and practical cooperation. The First Penang Peace Dialogue has demonstrated that Southeast Asia has both the expertise and ambition to play a meaningful role in shaping a multipolar world. We look forward to the Second Penang Peace Dialogue, to be held no later than one year from the First Dialogue.
The Penang Peace Dialogue Statement is issued by Commonwealth of World Chinatowns.
