Monday 21 September 2026, International Day of Peace
The story of Cartooning for Peace (CFP) is that of a virtually prophetic vision.
A vision that dates back 20 years, shared by two men: UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and the cartoonist Plantu. Both deeply affected by the intensity of the controversy following the publication of the so-called ‘Prophet’ cartoons, it became clear to them that editorial cartoons played a central role in democratic debate, intercultural dialogue and ‘living together’.
And yet, that was before the collapse of the press and the decline in newspaper readership, which have reduced the audience accustomed to reading and interpreting editorial cartoons; before the proliferation of disinformation tools; before the explosion of social media, which encourages us to retreat into our own circles of like-minded people and further fuels radical opinions; before the wave of authoritarian populism that facilitates the emergence of illiberal regimes where criticism and opposition are no longer welcome… Our two founders mapped out CFP’s international missions as if they had anticipated all these massive changes.
Lars Refn (Denmark) – Cartooning for Peace
Cartooning for Peace will therefore showcase editorial cartoons, share them and explore the diversity of opinions and artistic styles they represent, thereby promoting this art form of information and, more broadly, a professional, free and independent press – the main bulwark against fake news and state propaganda.
It will run workshops in educational settings, as well as in detention centres, to encourage the development of a critical perspective, an understanding of human rights, freedom of expression and the active practice of debate.
Finally, it will bring together a vast international network of cartoonists across five continents, monitoring changes in their working conditions and defending them in a wide range of threatening situations.
The relevance of this vision quickly led CFP to become the world’s largest network of cartoonists (375 members in 80 countries), as well as to be regularly called upon, in France and around the world, for its expertise on press cartoons as a fundamental element of freedom of expression and democratic debate. Over the past twenty years, our hundreds of exhibitions and publications have helped raise awareness of human rights and freedom of expression amongst more than 6 million pupils. Nearly 50,000 of them have taken part directly in workshops with press cartoonists. Several thousand teachers now download the ten or so teaching packs available on our website, which include specific editions for Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Canada, Ethiopia, Israel, Morocco, Mexico, Palestine and Tunisia…
Finally, through our advocacy work, several hundred French and European parliamentarians, as well as international political leaders, are regularly informed of the threats facing cartoonists around the world, and of the support measures we are putting in place.
Finally, through our advocacy work, several hundred French and European parliamentarians, as well as international political leaders, are regularly informed of the threats facing cartoonists around the world, and of the support measures we are putting in place.
This expansion of our activities is a testament to the relevance of the work we have undertaken, which each year goes further towards meeting a pressing need of our audiences, our institutions and our societies. However, securing funding for this work presents an ever-greater challenge for the association, in a world where public funds are dwindling and are being channelled towards a range of fundamental priorities.
This anniversary is therefore also an opportunity to ask for your support: please contribute to Cartooning for Peace’s work. Fighting for press cartoons, freedom of expression, reliable information and informed debate means placing ourselves at the heart of the defence of our democracies.
Download the message from Kak, President of Cartooning for Peace
