Geneva, 25 February 2026: In a significant gathering at the Palais des Nations, UNDSMA formally presented its global World Peace Initiatives, spearheaded by Chess for Peace and coordinated under the SAMEvision™ Network. The press conference, held on 18 February 2026 in Room 10, Building A, brought together international leadership, program representatives, and global contributors committed to advancing peace through structured youth engagement.
The session outlined a comprehensive governance structure and strategic framework integrating sport, music, and the arts as powerful instruments of youth development and intercultural cooperation.
Vision and Leadership
Byron Byrd, Founder of UNDSMA and the SAMEvision™ Network, moderated the conference and articulated the overarching vision behind the initiative. He emphasized that sustainable peace is achieved not merely through dialogue but through structured engagement platforms that cultivate education, discipline, and international cooperation.
According to Byrd, sport serves as an effective mechanism to teach tolerance and respect, music operates as a universal language that bridges boundaries, and the arts represent the creative soul that unites humanity. The SAMEvision™ Network was introduced as a collaborative framework connecting independent entities under one coordinated international structure.
Alain Khoueiry, Chairman of UNDSMA, addressed the importance of governance, transparency, and accountability in expanding these programs globally. He stressed that each initiative within the framework operates with measurable social impact while maintaining structural integrity and collective responsibility.
Chess for Peace as the Spearhead Initiative
A central focus of the presentation was Chess for Peace, positioned as the educational spearhead of the broader movement.
Sainbayar Tserendorj, representing the International Association for Chess Lovers, highlighted chess as a universal language of strategy, discipline, and intellectual development. Through structured education programs and international tournaments, Chess for Peace fosters dialogue, mutual understanding, and non violent intercultural competition among youth.
International chess advocate Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, former President of the International Chess Federation, reflected on chess as a bridge across cultures and a constructive alternative to conflict. During the session, he was formally recognized as Chief Patron of the Chess for Peace movement in acknowledgment of his longstanding contributions to global chess development.
Organizational Framework
The structure presented during the conference clarified the roles of participating entities:
• UNDSMA, United Nations Development of Sport, Music, and the Arts, serves as the coordinating foundation advancing multidisciplinary peace building engagement.
• SAMEvision™ Network functions as a global collaborative platform integrating sport, music, cultural programming, and youth mentorship.
• Chess for Peace operates as the primary educational initiative within the broader framework.
While each organization maintains independent governance, all collaborate within a coordinated international network to maximize collective impact.
Global Programming and Collaborative Initiatives
Byron Byrd introduced an extensive portfolio of upcoming initiatives designed to reinforce goodwill and peaceful engagement through structured participation.
These initiatives include:
- Chess for Peace – global chess education, youth tournaments, and mentorship programs promoting strategic thinking and discipline.
- Fashion City and Design World – creative platforms encouraging sustainable design and cultural diplomacy.
- RaceWorld™ – international motorsport collaboration emphasizing teamwork, engineering innovation, and regulated competition.
- The World Peace Awards – a recognition platform honoring humanitarian and cultural leadership.
- World Peace Concerts – music diplomacy events uniting international artists around themes of unity.
- Champions For Peace RaceWorld™ Rally – a symbolic cross border rally promoting solidarity through organized sport.
- The Legends Tour – mentorship engagements connecting established global athletes with youth audiences.
- Culture for Peace Tour – artistic exchange programs celebrating heritage and diversity.
- Football for Peace – youth focused football initiatives encouraging teamwork, respect, and inclusion.
TalentDiscovery™ and PlayerDevelopment™
At the core of the framework lies the TalentDiscovery™ and PlayerDevelopment™ model. This mechanism identifies emerging youth talent across sport, music, and the arts while providing mentorship pathways that link experienced leaders with young participants.
The model integrates education, ethics, and leadership development alongside competition, ensuring that talent cultivation contributes to broader social cohesion and responsible global citizenship.
Key Objectives
The conference outlined four principal objectives:
- Expand structured youth education programs internationally.
- Promote intercultural dialogue through regulated and collaborative participation.
- Integrate cultural diplomacy into youth development platforms.
- Establish scalable partnerships across civil society, cultural institutions, and the private sector.
The event, held in accordance with established NGO booking procedures at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, clarified that the initiatives presented are independent programs of the organizing entities and are not official programs of the United Nations.
Through structured engagement across sport, music, and the arts, UNDSMA and its partners aim to create long term pathways for education, discipline, intercultural cooperation, and sustainable peace.
