On 18 February 2026, a significant moment in international peace advocacy unfolded at the historic Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. Within Press Conference Room 10 of the former League of Nations building, UNDSMA formally introduced a series of transformative world peace initiatives designed to foster unity through education, sport, music, and the arts. The setting itself long associated with international dialogue and cooperation reinforced the broader vision of building bridges across nations through structured and sustained collaboration.
UNDSMA operates as an official foundation and movement of iHolding Group LLP, with a mission centered on promoting peace, goodwill, and education through multidisciplinary engagement. The newly announced initiatives reflect a strategic framework aimed at engaging youth, cultural leaders, athletes, artists, and innovators under a unified global structure known as the SAMEvision™ Network.
A defining highlight of the event was the formal appointment of Kirsan Ilyumzhinov as Chief Patron of Chess for Peace. Internationally recognized as the former President of the Republic of Kalmykia and long-serving President of FIDE, the world chess federation, Mr. Ilyumzhinov has long advocated for chess as a diplomatic and educational instrument. During his leadership, chess expanded across educational systems and developing nations, reinforcing its value not only as a competitive discipline but as a tool for strategic thinking, youth development, and intercultural dialogue. His patronage signals a strengthened global commitment to positioning chess as a vehicle for peaceful engagement.
The event also formally acknowledged Alain Khoueiry as Chairman of UNDSMA and principal architect of the SAMEvision™ Network. His vision integrates sport, music, and the arts into a cohesive international platform designed to advance peacebuilding through participation and mentorship rather than rhetoric alone. Under this framework, Chess for Peace stands as the immediate spearhead initiative, focused on introducing structured chess education programs worldwide, organizing cross-border youth tournaments, promoting non-violent competition, and facilitating international mentorship opportunities.
Beyond chess, the SAMEvision™ framework encompasses a diverse portfolio of initiatives aimed at strengthening cultural diplomacy and global cooperation. Fashion City and Design World promote sustainable design and creative exchange as tools of cultural dialogue. RaceWorld™ fosters motorsport collaboration to highlight engineering excellence and international unity, while the Champions for Peace – RaceWorld™ Rally symbolizes cross-border solidarity. The World Peace Awards provide a platform to honor humanitarian and cultural leadership on a global scale, and World Peace Concerts bring together international artists to amplify messages of unity through music. The Legends Tour connects renowned sports figures with youth audiences for mentorship, and the Culture for Peace Tour facilitates international artistic exchanges celebrating diversity and heritage.
Together, these interconnected initiatives represent a comprehensive approach to peacebuilding one that moves beyond traditional diplomacy into classrooms, creative studios, concert stages, racetracks, and chessboards worldwide. By engaging young minds and global communities through structured programs and shared experiences, UNDSMA’s initiatives aim to cultivate long-term understanding and goodwill across political, cultural, and economic boundaries. From the halls of the Palais des Nations, a renewed global call for collaborative peace has been set in motion.
