Thirty Nobel Peace Prize winners have been confirmed for the 17th World Summit of Nobel Peace Laureates to be held in Mérida, Yucatán, on September 19-22.

With the unprecedented number of speakers, the summit is expected to be the largest peace-promoting event in recent history.

“Every summit has a unique atmosphere gathering Nobel energy and great leaders, experts and inspirational stories, productive discussions and exchange of experiences to address issues that affect our common welfare,” said summit president Ekaterina Zagladina.

The event is taking place in a city was was recently ranked as North America’s second safest.

Zagladina hopes the summit will have a larger effect on the country at large.

“We hope that the spirit and energy of peace-making will energize the Mexican society and foster a common acting for peace and humanity today and in years ahead. We believe that the summit in particular will bring enormous benefits to all participants who are welcome to share examples and best practices for other nations by spreading peace and adding practical value to discussions.”

Among the confirmed laureates are Lech Walesa, former president of Poland; Frederik Willem de Klerk, former president of South Africa; José Ramos-Horta, former president of East Timor; and Juan Manuel Santos, former president of Colombia.

Amnesty International, the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Albert Schweitzer Institute and the Martin Luther King Center are among the Nobel Peace Prize-winning organizations scheduled to attend the summit.

Officials in Mérida say the event will highlight the city’s infrastructure and ability to host large-scale global conferences.

Mexico News Daily