Peace News (IPCA) 26, Sep 2022 | 11 : 40 PM
The United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has called for a 24-hour non-violence and ceasefire across the world to observe the World Peace Day.
“On this important day, a time to observe 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire, we renew our call for all people to do more than lay down their weapons”. With the theme of this year’s event being “End Racism and Build Peace”, the UN Secretary General also spoke against racism describing it as an evil that robs humanity of rights and dignity.
“Racism robs people of their rights and dignity. It inflames inequality and mistrust and pushes people apart at a time when we should be coming together as one human family to repair our fractured world.“Instead of fighting each other, we should be working to defeat our true enemies: racism, poverty, inequality, conflict, the climate crises and the COVID 19 pandemic” part of the message reads.
- HISTORY
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as International Day of Peace. This day coincided with the opening day of the annual sessions of the General Assembly. The purpose of the day was and still remains, to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world.
Two decades after establishing this day of observance, in 2001, the assembly moved the date to be observed annually on September 21. So, beginning in 2002, September 21 marks not only a time to discuss how to promote and maintain peace among all peoples but also a 24-hour period of global ceasefire and non-violence for groups in active combat.
