Brussels, 5 October 2026
The Brussels International Forum 2026 opened today in the Belgian capital, bringing together international voices under the theme “Human Rights, Fundamental Freedoms and Peaceful Coexistence: Building Bridges of Cooperation, Dialogue and Mutual Understanding Among Peoples and Cultures.” The forum was organized by International Congress SHIELD and the International Diplomatic Council, both chaired by Dr. Daher Saleh Muhamed , with broad international participation and contributions from individuals and institutions representing countries and regions across the world.
The forum was officially opened by Dr. Saleh Mohammed Daher, President of International Congress SHIELD, who emphasized that human rights, peace and human dignity are not merely international principles or slogans, but fundamental issues directly connected to the lives and futures of peoples. He stressed the importance of moving beyond responding to the consequences of crises and wars towards addressing and preventing their root causes before they escalate.
In his opening address, Dr. Daher posed two central questions: “Why do we always wait for a major catastrophe before we begin dialogue? And how can we prevent the causes of war before it begins?”
He underlined the urgent need for greater dialogue, preventive diplomacy, mediation and international cooperation, as well as a more responsive international system capable of listening to peoples, protecting civilians, and promoting justice and human dignity. He also reaffirmed the call advanced by International Congress SHIELD since 2013 for reform of the United Nations system and international decision-making mechanisms, with a view to ensuring more balanced representation of the world’s regions.
Broad International Participation
The forum brought together participants from Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Mauritania, Austria, Luxembourg, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Palestine, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Italy, South Africa, Belgium and the Kurdistan Region, alongside representatives and contributors from other countries.
The programme also featured speeches, contributions and interventions delivered via video conferencing by participants joining from outside Brussels. These online contributions broadened the forum’s international reach and enabled its messages and discussions to extend beyond the conference venue.
Addressing the Challenges Facing Humanity
Discussions throughout the forum addressed a wide range of issues affecting humanity’s present and future, including human rights and fundamental freedoms, civilian protection, human security, diplomacy and mediation, wars and armed conflicts, refugees and irregular migration, human trafficking, freedom of expression and the media, digital disinformation, artificial intelligence and hate speech, climate justice, food and water security, intercultural and interfaith dialogue, and efforts to combat racism and discrimination.
Participants emphasized that differences among peoples, cultures and countries do not diminish their shared humanity. Security, peace, freedom and dignity remain common aspirations, while meaningful dialogue begins with listening to others and identifying common ground rather than deepening divisions.
Brussels Document 2026: Turning Dialogue into Recommendations
One of the forum’s principal outcomes is the Brussels Document 2026, which aims to translate the ideas and discussions raised during the event into principles and recommendations reflecting participants’ aspirations for a more just, secure and peaceful world. The document places respect for human dignity, the protection of human rights and stronger cooperation among peoples at the heart of international efforts.
European and Diplomatic Messages Reflect the Forum’s Wider Reach
Before the forum and as its proceedings commenced, International Congress SHIELD received messages, expressions of support and good wishes from a number of European, international and diplomatic institutions and entities. These communications reflected interest in the forum’s themes and in efforts to promote dialogue, human rights and peaceful coexistence.
Among the institutions and entities from which communications were received were the European Commission, the European Youth Foundation, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, the European Economic and Social Committee, Unia, and the Brussels International Relations Office, alongside other European and international organizations.
The organization also received messages and good wishes from diplomatic missions and institutions engaged in international affairs, including the Mission of Palestine to Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union, and the Embassy of Mauritania in Belgium. Further communications came from other institutions and organizations concerned with human rights, peace and international cooperation.
These messages and exchanges reflected the wider interest surrounding the forum and its humanitarian message. They also highlighted the importance of maintaining spaces in which diverse voices can come together to address challenges that transcend national borders, particularly the protection of people, the promotion of rights and freedoms, and the advancement of dialogue and mutual understanding among peoples and cultures.
From Brussels, a Message to the World
From Brussels, the forum delivered a message that extends far beyond geographical boundaries: the world does not need more walls between peoples, but more bridges. It does not need to wait for wars to erupt, but to prevent their causes. And it does not need the language of confrontation, but the language of dialogue and understanding.
The Brussels International Forum 2026 reaffirmed that the human person must remain at the centre of every international effort, and that human dignity, freedom and peace are not privileges, but shared rights belonging to all peoples.
Humanity before conflict. Dialogue before confrontation. Peace before war. Dignity as a right for every human being.
Issued by the International Diplomatic Council, Brussels.
SHIELD
