North America’s problems cannot be solved without joint action by the people and communities of the three countries in the region. Grassroots organizations, communities that have suffered the impacts of violence, inequality, discrimination and racism from Canada, the United States and Mexico are coming together this week in Mexico City for the Peace Summit to build an agenda that reflects a common reality and charts a path of actions and solutions for the region.
The event calls for a social movement among historically marginalized communities most impacted by gun violence, immigration, and climate crises to catalyze a cross-border political agenda in anticipation of the 2024 presidential elections in both Mexico and the United States.
Speakers from Global Exchange, Black Lives Matter, March for Our Lives, CIELO, and others will facilitate two days of dialogue between a diverse coalition of more than 80 organizations and over 300 attendees to develop a unified action agenda around human rights, democracy, and peace. Participants are coming from communities who suffer disproportionately from policies around these issues, including victims of gun violence, migrants, Afro-descendant and Indigenous Peoples across the region.
We have been building momentum for the Peace Summit since 2022 by hosting several community forums across the U.S. and Mexico and by sending a letter signed by over 100 grassroots organizations to President Joe Biden, President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO), and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau urging action on gun violence, climate change, and immigration policies across the region.
We’ve long believed that community-led change and the civic power it generates are strengthened by people reaching out, building networks, cultivating relationships, and sharing knowledge strategically.