For Your Information
In the spirit of peace, recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. Established in 1981 by unanimous United Nations resolution, the Peace Day provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace. 2021 is significant as it is the 20th Anniversary of the UN Resolution on the Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace (A/RES/53/243 B). The theme of this year’s International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”.
In 2021, as we still fight the COVID-19 pandemic, we are inspired to think creatively and collectively about how to help everyone recover better, how to build resilience, and how to transform our world into one that is more equal, more just, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier.
The pandemic is known for hitting the underprivileged and marginalised groups the hardest. By April 2021, over 687 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, but over 100 countries have not received a single dose. People caught in conflict are specially vulnerable in terms of lack of access to healthcare.
In line with the Secretary-General's appeal for a global ceasefire last March, in February 2021 the Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for Member States to support a "sustained humanitarian pause" to local conflicts. The global ceasefire must continue to be honoured, to ensure people caught in conflict have access to lifesaving vaccinations and treatments.
The pandemic has been accompanied by a surge in stigma, discrimination, and hatred, which only cost more lives instead of saving them: the virus attacks all without caring about where we are from or what we believe in. Confronting this common enemy of humankind, we must be reminded that we are not each other's enemy. To be able to recover from the devastation of the pandemic, we must make peace with one another.
And we must make peace with nature. Despite the travel restrictions and economic shutdowns, climate change is not on pause. What we need is a green and sustainable global economy that produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience to climate impacts.
Above all, we should not forget that on 12 November 1984, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, proclaiming that "the peoples of our planet have a sacred right to peace" and "the maintenance of a peaceful life for peoples is the sacred duty of each State".
On this day, the United Nations invites everyone out there to celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover.
From Law Desk (Source: internationaldayofpeace.org).