The conference title echoes a 1979 Washington Post article inspired by Senator Adlai Stevenson, who envisioned satellites serving peace as well as human progress. Nearly fifty years later, this vision is no longer aspirational: global sharing of satellite imagery has advanced dramatically in reach, resolution, and analytical value. Yet Very High Resolution (VHR) imagery (<50 cm) remains dominated by military demand, limiting access for humanitarian actors who urgently require these data to document crises, support vulnerable populations, and counter misinformation.
A recent PRIO report notes a record 61 armed conflicts in 36 countries in 2024. Effective humanitarian action now depends on reliable, high-resolution observations that only satellites can provide. Realizing this potential requires stronger cooperation among governments, the private sector, and the scientific community.
An Opportunity for Cooperation
In an increasingly polarized world, satellite data sharing offers a rare avenue for constructive, cross-bloc collaboration. UNOSAT already demonstrates the power of trusted, neutral institutions to distribute reliable information when misinformation proliferates during crises. Expanding access to VHR imagery for humanitarian use would significantly enhance global capacity to respond to disasters and conflicts.
Conference Objectives
This conference pursues two main goals:
- Assess the current state of satellite-based earth observation for humanitarian needs, including collection, analysis, and dissemination.
- Explore ways to strengthen commitments—from States, international organizations, and private providers—to supply and fund VHR imagery for peace and humanitarian purposes.
Participants
The conference will convene experts in conflict analysis, crisis management, mediation, humanitarian assistance, science diplomacy, and space technology, alongside representatives from governments and the commercial space sector.
The conference was a collaboration between the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), Kongsberg Satellite Services (KSAT), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) and PRIO.
Find the programme.
