13 September 2023, Geneva, Switzerland -  The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and International Negotiation Agency (ADN Group) will jointly host the much-anticipated Third Edition of World Negotiation Day at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to bring together the most distinguished dignitaries. This prestigious event will unite the world’s most renowned contributors to peaceful negotiations, conflict resolution, inequality reduction, and climate solutions. In addition to celebrating peaceful conflict resolution and providing a platform for network-building, the event will conclude with an award ceremony in which a carefully selected jury of high-level individuals vote for ‘Best Negotiator of the Year’ in accordance with the UNITAR guidelines. UNITAR and ADN aim to build on the successes of the 2019 and 2021 editions, which brought together over 250 participants each.

Building on the success of the previous editions, UNITAR and ADN expect to reach hundreds of international stakeholders involved in negotiations linked to peace and policymaking. Throughout this event, conferences and roundtables will enable participants to understand best practices in negotiations and how they are implemented in the highest decision-making circles in the world. The third edition of this event will be divided into two panels. The first one will bring together some of the greatest bilateral and multilateral negotiators and experts to share and discuss the role negotiation occupies in today’s challenging world with a special focus on the economic, political and business spheres. Interested participants are kindly asked to register via the following link: https://indico.un.org/event/1007595/

The World Negotiation Day 2023 will also celebrate in its second panel the “Art of Mediation” as a powerful tool for the maintenance of international peace and security through dialogue and diplomacy. Mediation stands as an indispensable field of study and practice for diplomats, negotiators, and peacebuilders for conflict resolution and the peaceful settlement of national and international disputes. The WND 2023 will explore the intricacies, techniques and best practices of mediation and it will highlight key regional and international actors’ roles in this filed.

UNITAR and ADN will conclude the World Negotiation Day by bestowing the "Best Negotiator of the Year" award, a prestigious distinction given to an exceptional negotiator who has displayed exemplary skills and achievements on the international stage in the preceding year. Chosen by a renowned international jury composed of eminent negotiators and leaders, the award honors individuals who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, creativity, and resilience in navigating complex negotiations and finding peaceful solutions to challenging global issues.

Nominees should have demonstrated their negotiation skills as being instrumental in reaching an agreement in a conflict situation between multiple stakeholders. In accordance with the UNITAR guidelines, the negotiations, during which the nominee will have conducted a successful negotiation, should relate to at least one of the following scenarios:

• A negotiation conducted in an ethical and responsible manner;
• A negotiation involving high stakes;
• A negotiation guided by a desire to co-operate with stakeholders;
• A negotiation that resulted in a solution that satisfied all stakeholders.

UNITAR and ADN kindly invite nominations for the “Negotiator of the Year” award by 14 November 2023. Please email anna.wollmann@unitar.org with your nominations.