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The United Nations Association of Santa Barbara & Tri-Counties Chapter will have the 10th Annual UNA-SB Peace Prize Luncheon on Tuesday, September 22, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. PT at The Crocodile Restaurant & Bar at the Lemon Tree Inn, located at 2819 State Street in Santa Barbara.
The milestone event will celebrate Jackie Gilbert, Co-Founder and Executive Director of One Thread Collective, as the chapter’s 2026 Peace Prize Awardee. Gilbert is being recognized for her leadership, human rights advocacy, and work alongside Indigenous Wayúu and Afro-Colombian communities in La Guajira, Colombia.
For 10 years, the Santa Barbara UNA Peace Prize has honored individuals whose work advances peace, human rights, sustainability, international cooperation, and the values of the United Nations through meaningful local – global impact.
This year’s luncheon will also celebrate Santa Barbara’s identity as an International City of Peace. International Cities of Peace recognizes Santa Barbara for its community-wide culture of peace, including the longstanding work of the UNA Santa Barbara & Tri-Counties Chapter and other local peacebuilders. Santa Barbara is listed as #323: https://www.internationalcitiesofpeace.org/cities-listing/santa-barbara-california-u-s-a/
“The 10th anniversary of the Peace Prize gives us an opportunity to celebrate both an extraordinary local leader and Santa Barbara’s enduring commitment to peace,” said Nancy Martin, UNA President.“Jackie Gilbert’s work demonstrates how local leadership, cross-cultural partnership, and a commitment to human dignity can create meaningful change across borders.”
Gilbert spent nine months in La Guajira as a Fulbright researcher conducting ethnographic fieldwork in Wayúu and Afro-Colombian communities. Before co-founding One Thread Collective, she participated in a social movement responding to human rights abuses connected to the activities of a multinational mining corporation”.
During 2020, Gilbert also helped organize a large-scale emergency-relief initiative addressing the economic effects of the pandemic on vulnerable rural communities in La Guajira. Through One Thread Collective, Gilbert works in partnership with Indigenous Wayúu women to support economic opportunity, cultural preservation, traditional artistry, and community resilience. The nonprofit recently opened its first brick-and-mortar store in Santa Barbara’s El Paseo, offering handwoven accessories and homewares made by Wayúu artisans.
The luncheon will bring together chapter members, community leaders, nonprofit partners, previous Peace Prize winners, peace advocates, and residents to recognize Gilbert’s contributions and celebrate Santa Barbara’s role in advancing the culture of peace. The luncheon reflects the chapter’s broader mission to advocate for the United Nations at the local level, promote peace and human rights, encourage global cooperation, and bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals to life within the Tri-Counties region.
Event Details:
10th Annual UNA-SB Peace Prize Luncheon
Tuesday, September 22, 2026
11:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. PT
The Crocodile Restaurant & Bar
Located inside the Lemon Tree Inn
2819 State Street
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
Early-registration tickets are $40 for UNA members and $60 for nonmembers. Tickets purchased at the door will be $75, subject to availability. Registration includes event admission and the attendee’s choice of one lunch menu option. Advance registration is encouraged, as space is limited. Tickets and information: https://bit.ly/2026peaceprize
