The International Day of Peace is held annually on the 21st of September to achieve the purpose of promoting peace throughout the world. The UN General Assembly has named this day a day to strengthen the ideas of peace and to transform the land we are living in with no roots of violence. The day further intends to increase the bonds among nations by preserving peace among the people as it is an essential fact needed to minimize wars and any other conflict within the nations and in the world.

Historical significance

The International Day of Peace was first declared in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later (2001), the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire, “providing a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to peace above all differences and to contribute to building a culture of peace”.

The Peace Bell, donated by the United Nations Association of Japan in 1954, is traditionally rung twice a year, on the first day of spring and on the International Day of Peace (21st of September) being the other occasion.

This year, the theme of International Peace Day is “End racism. Build peace”. Accordingly, peace is a condition free from any disturbances. Furthermore, when you are not disturbed by anyone or anything, it is called peace. Peace, on the other hand, means working together with each other to find solutions to any kind of issue. Achieving peace is not an easy task. If you feel you are in peace there should not be any disturbances, and there should prevail equal treatment beyond and inside the boundaries.

Secretary–General of the UN has specially made a statement regarding this year’s theme as below.

“Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures, and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and … the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.”

In order to prevent all causes of conflict, peace is vital. All humans have the same rights, and no one can violate these rights. When the rights of humans are violated, it becomes the root cause of all conflicts.

Fight Inequality, Fight Racism

Racism, xenophobia and related discrimination and intolerance are seen in every society. Racism may have harmful effects on society as a whole, and fighting against racism is the responsibility of every human being. We all have to take part to build a world where the issues of racism are being addressed properly.

What can we do to maintain peace in society?

It is impossible to maintain peace by force. To keep a full stop to all acts of violence, we should step forward by speaking against hate speech on social media or any other platform. In addition, we should promote anti-racism through education and on a global scale and stand for anyone who gets discriminated against due to their race, skin colour, beliefs or values. Peaceful resolutions, discussions and policies should constantly appear before the table in order to provide a better world not only for the present generation but also for the coming generations. 

The effects of COVID-19 greatly affected peace all over the world; for instance, both developed and developing countries were equally affected by the economic crises. Further, in recent times, people were forced to flee to other countries due to ethnic, racial and many other conflicts whereas many children lost their parents and elders lost their loved ones. It is when people are tested, they feel the value of peace, and it was evident from the voices of those people who suffered due to racial issues. Hating each other is not the solution. Instead, we should join hands and stand for each other. 

A world which can appreciate compassion and empathy is the dream of everyone. On that note, peace is the most valuable jewel in the world. We should combat racism and spread peace in every moment and in every way possible.

Written by: Rtr. Nethmi Sasangika

Graphic Design by: Rtr. Dhanuka Nawanjana