Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples.
The Secretary-General celebrated the International Day of Peace in the Peace Garden at United Nations Headquarters by ringing the Peace Bell and observing a minute of silence. United Nations Messengers of Peace participated in the ceremony.
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Marking the International Day of Peace, top UN officials, diplomats and Messengers of Peace participated in the traditional peace bell ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, Secretary-General António Guterres said “we see conflicts multiplying everywhere in the world; we see links between conflicts and terrorism; we see insecurity prevailing, we see people suffering, but we don’t give up.”
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
Guterres said “we know that when we appeal for combatants to have a pause and to respect this day, we know many will not respect it, but we don’t give up.”
Guterres and the President of the General Assembly María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés then proceeded to ring the peace bell.
The peace bell is a gift from the Japanese people to the United Nations.
The theme for this year’s Day is “The Right to Peace - The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70”. The theme celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
