Every September 21, the International Day of Peace is celebrated, declared by the General Assembly of the United Nations as the date on which peaceful coexistence among citizens prevails, harmony and the cessation of violence.
The declaration was made in 1981, however, two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously decided to designate this “Day of non-violence and ceasefire.”
However, maintaining peace and tranquility in a population requires the promotion of education and foundation of societies in which all its members feel that they can develop, without any difficulty and that everyone receives equal treatment, regardless of their race.
All citizens play a primary role in promoting peace and the fight against racism is crucial to achieve it, the reason why the Secretary General, António Guterres of the United Nations states: “Racism continues to poison institutions, social structures and daily life in all societies. It remains a key driver of persistent inequality. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and… it is a scourge that is also unequivocally linked to gender inequality”.
In the same way, it urges us to work together to dismantle the structures that entrench racism in the environment of each individual, to celebrate peace and to support the movements that day by day fight for equality, the fulfillment of human rights and to denounce hate speech on social platforms.
That is why this year the theme chosen for the International Day of Peace is “End racism, build peace”encouraging the population to a world free of racism and racial discrimination.
Celebration in New York
The International Day of Peace is celebrated on September 16, 2022 at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, with the traditional Peace Bell ceremony in the Peace Garden, attended by the Secretary General and the President of the Assembly to ring the Peace Bell.
Likewise, in the Hall of the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), an event will be held with the participation of young people in which they will present projects that reflect peace and the fight against racism.
