International Peace Day

Submitted by ub on

Each and every year humanity observe the International Day of Peace which is celebrated around the world on 21 of September.

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.

The United Nations General Assembly has declared this as a day to be devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

In 2021, as the world attempts to heal from the COVID global 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 marginalized 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 especially 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 the Member States to support a “sustained humanitarian pause” to local conflicts. The global ceasefire must continue to be honored, 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.

The United States reportedly owes over $1.2 billion to U.N peacekeeping operations. This is because Congress enacted legislation concerning United Nations funding back in 1995 that limits U.S. contributions to 25 percent. What's your take?