On Thursday, 13 August 2026, Dr. Athar Sultan-Khan, Professor and Dean of the Geneva School of Diplomacy, delivered a keynote address at the 31st AFS Youth Assembly, held at the World Health Organization building in Geneva.
The keynote focused on the role of diplomacy in today’s conflict resolution efforts, with particular attention to the conditions needed to enable forcibly displaced people to return home safely and with dignity.
Speaking to young leaders and future diplomats, Dr. Sultan-Khan underlined the importance of pursuing peace through dialogue rather than through further conflict. He highlighted that diplomacy can take time, but when applied with patience, trust, and the right approach, it can deliver lasting results.
The keynote also reflected on the concept of “Real Diplomacy by Dialogue”, developed through Dr. Sultan-Khan’s work at UNHCR and further shaped at the Geneva School of Diplomacy. This approach emphasises the importance of engaging the right envoy, in the right dialogue, with the right interlocutors, at the right time and place, and with the right diplomatic style.
At a time of ongoing wars, displacement, and global uncertainty, the message to participants was clear: diplomacy remains one of the most important tools for preventing and resolving conflict, rebuilding trust, and supporting sustainable peace.
GSD was honoured to contribute to the 31st AFS Youth Assembly and to engage with young people committed to international cooperation, dialogue, and a more peaceful future.
