For nearly eight decades, the General Assembly has played a significant role in peace and security. It has deployed mediators to help resolve conflict, authorized or supported peace operations, called for ceasefires and support for humanitarian aid and civilian relief, used its convening power to develop multilateral responses to global threats like disarmament and nuclear proliferation, called out acts of aggression or violations of the Charter, and supported a range of accountability mechanisms.
Yet although these authorities are fully provided for in the Charter of the United Nations, much of this past practice remains unknown. In its 77th session, the Assembly passed a resolution on the revitalization of its work (resolution 77/335), in which it recognized the need to foster interaction between the General Assembly and the Security Council, and for Member States to have greater access to information about the Assembly’s functions and powers with regard to peace and security through the production of a digital handbook.
UNU-CPR led the research and drafting for this handbook, Assembly for Peace: a digital handbook on the UN General Assembly's past practice on peace and security. Since its publication, there has been increasing interest in the General Assembly’s peace and security practice, and how broader awareness of this past practice can help revitalize the General Assembly’s role in contributing to the maintenance of peace and improving synergies with the Security Council. With the support of a number of Member States, throughout 2025, UNU-CPR is leading a series of Learning Workshops on the past practice captured in the Assembly for Peace digital handbook, and the implications for current peace and security issues. This will be accompanied by other awareness-raising activities and follow-up research products over the coming year.
Read 'Assembly for Peace' here and watch the handbook's launch at UN headquarters here.
Information on other activities and outputs associated with this initiative will be published on this webpage in due course.
