UAE: Nobel laureates, influencers redefine love, discuss 'creating culture of peace' at summit
'The way I heard love being defined today was mind-boggling,' said Arif, a student of Arts and Statistics at Amity University. 'I always thought love just existed within family and close friends. But I have come to realise that real love is about humanity.'
Arif was among the hundreds of students attending the Global Justice, Love and Peace Summit, themed 'One Planet, One Voice' on Saturday which took place in Dubai Exhibition Centre at Expo City. What he and many others took away from the event was more than inspiration; it was a shift in perspective.
'When we begin to love strangers and pray for them the same way we pray for ourselves, that's when love transcends,' Arif said. 'If everyone followed this, peace and justice wouldn't be ideals; they would be realities. This event has transformed the way I think about life, relationships, and the world around me.'
Held under the banner of the 'I am Peacekeeper Movement' and chaired by Dr Huzaifa Khorakiwala, the summit brought together Nobel Peace laureates, thought leaders, youth, and influencers across diverse sectors in a call to action for a more compassionate and just world.
'We hosted this summit to bring together vital voices, from politics, business, Nobel Peace Prize winners, and even the glamour world, because when they speak on justice, love and peace, the world listens,' said Dr Khorakiwala. 'Justice protects dignity and rights, love brings kindness and compassion, and peace begins from within. If a person finds inner peace, they naturally create peace around them.'
He highlighted that inner peace is rooted in seven core human values: gratitude, forgiveness, love, humility, giving, patience, and truth. 'Regardless of politics or religion, these values guide individuals to peace within, and that's the first step towards peace in the world,' he said.
A key highlight of the summit was its focus on empowering youth. The organisers partnered with schools and universities to include students in the dialogue, believing that instilling values at a young age can have a lasting impact.
'Their minds are young, like soft clay,' said Dr Khorakiwala. 'It's like writing something now that will be etched on their hearts forever.' He added that youth are the torchbearers of tomorrow, and if moulded with the right values, can positively influence the course of humanity. 'We plan to organise this summit regularly and to use social media to spread our message far and wide.'
Riya Malhotra, a psychology student from Amity, also shared how the summit left a lasting impression on her. 'Listening to global leaders talk about love, justice, and peace made me realise how interconnected we all are,' she said. 'I have always believed in mental well-being, and today I understood how inner peace is not just personal, it can influence families, communities, even nations.'
Ahead of the summit, world-renowned voices joined the call for change.
Lech Wałęsa, former President of Poland and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, underlined the need for a new world order. 'We must build a global framework that integrates freedom, human rights, and universally accepted values,' he said. 'Even in discomfort, we search for better paths forward. Dialogue is how we'll find common ground.'
Former President of Mauritius, Ameenah Gurib-Fakim, who will moderate a session titled 'Beloved Mother Earth, Our Home: Can Love for the Planet Inspire a More Sustainable Future?', pointed out how peace has become a political tool in some parts of the world.
'Peace brings stability, and stability brings prosperity,' she said. 'We must move away from war economies and focus on building infrastructure, livelihoods, and a culture of peace.'
From royalty and judiciary to business icons and film stars, the summit served as a platform for a united call: to place humanity, inner peace, and shared values at the centre of the global dialogue.
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