A declaration published in The Lancet on the International Day of Peace calls for stronger protection of the right to health during conflicts and greater use of health as a tool for peace and conflict resolution. Stefan Swartling Peterson at Karolinska Institutet is part of the writing team behind the 2026 World Health Summit Academic Alliance Declaration.
The declaration was developed by the World Health Summit Academic Alliance , a network of 30 academic institutions from around the world. It argues that health and peace are closely interconnected and that lasting progress in one depends on the other. According to the authors, armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, forced displacement and climate-related emergencies are putting both health systems and international cooperation under increasing strain.
The declaration highlights that attacks on healthcare facilities and healthcare personnel have become a growing concern in conflicts around the world. It also points to the broader consequences of war, including displacement, disrupted healthcare, worsening mental health, increased poverty and food insecurity.
Calls for stronger research and collaboration
The authors call on leaders attending upcoming UN High-Level Meetings to support research on the links between health, peace and sustainable development, strengthen health initiatives that promote social cohesion and reconciliation, and improve support for health professionals working in conflict settings.
Academic institutions are encouraged to advance research, strengthen women’s leadership in health and peacebuilding, and support international scientific collaboration across borders and conflict lines.
“Health is one of the few areas that can bring people together even when political relations are strained. By protecting health systems and strengthening collaboration across borders, we can contribute both to better health and to more peaceful societies,” says Stefan Swartling Peterson , professor at the Department of Global Public Health , Karolinska Institutet, and member of the declaration’s international writing team.
The declaration will be highlighted in connection with the World Health Summit in October and was published ahead of upcoming UN discussions on global health.
About the World Health Summit Academic Alliance
The WHS Academic Alliance (formerly M8 Alliance) is the scientific network of the World Health Summit, bringing together 30 leading academic institutions from all continents. Founded by Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin in 2009, the Alliance fosters international collaboration, connects the scientific community to inform global health agendas, and supports evidence-based health policy and practice.
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