Message from
HEAD, WUED, CMS

In a world marked by conflict, displacement, and ecological distress, the call for global unity and enforceable peace has never been more urgent. According to the Global Terrorism Index 2024 by the Institute for Economics & Peace, over 8,000 attacks across 45 nations claimed more than 28,000 lives last year, the highest number the world has witnessed since 2017. Most of these survivors were children, women, and families who continue to suffer in conflicts not of their making. UNICEF further reported that more than 52 million students lost access to education due to war and instability, a tragic reminder that behind every statistic lies a shattered future.

When nearly half a billion children today live in conflict zones, it becomes clear that our existing systems for peace and security are no longer sufficient. The world’s crises, whether terrorism, climate emergencies, or global inequities, are not isolated disruptions but reflections of a deeper disorder: the absence of enforceable world law.

True peace cannot be achieved through weapons or temporary truces. It must be built upon justice, collective responsibility, and holistic education. We need a framework of enforceable international law that safeguards not only borders but human dignity, rights, and the environment for generations yet unborn. Reforming global governance, strengthening the United Nations Charter, and instituting transparent mechanisms of accountability are no longer optional. They are essential.

As Jan Tinbergen once envisioned, a strengthened world authority, rooted in law and legitimacy, is the only way to address shared global challenges, like terrorism, pandemics, environmental degradation, and mass disarmament. Yet, law alone cannot heal humanity. As UNESCO reminds us, “Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” This is where education becomes our most powerful instrument of change.

At City Montessori School, we believe that education nurtures conscience before conflict, and compassion before judgement. Through education rooted in the philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, we can empower children to see global unity not as a compromise of sovereignty, but as the foundation of a safer, more just world.

Thus, guided by our Founder-Manager, Dr Jagdish Gandhi’s vision that ‘Schools must serve as lighthouses of society,’ we instil values of coexistence, tolerance, and global citizenship in our students.

The 26^th International Conference of Chief Justices of the World (ICCJW) embodies this very vision: to forge a sustainable framework for peace, justice, and cooperation in a fractured world. By bringing together the honourable Chief Justices of the World, the custodians of law and the voices of youth, this conference reaffirms our collective duty to build a world governed not by might, but by moral and legal order.

As we move forward, let us remember–

It is through global cooperation, enforceable justice, and enlightened education that humanity can truly honour its children, ensuring that their future is secure, dignified, and free from fear.

We look forward with great honour to welcoming the eminent dignitaries of this conference, whose wisdom and guidance will illuminate our shared path.