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. Â
Prevention as a Transformative Agenda: Adapting the UN Peace and Security Toolbox for 21st Century Global Threats.
Join us to discuss the new paradigms shaping the future of global peace and security under the United Nations. The webinar will take place on Thursday, 12 September 2024, from 14:00-15:15 CEST.
Moderation: Ms. Svenja Korth, Head, Peace and Security Hub, United Nations System Staff College - UNSSC
Speakers:
- Ms. Alexandra Fong, Chief, Policy and Guidance, Policy and Mediation Division, United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (UN DPPA)
- Mr. Daniel Forti, Senior UN Analyst, International Crisis Group
- Ms. Eduarda Passarelli Hamann, General Coordinator, Rede Brasileira sobre OperaçÔes de Paz / Brazilian Research Network on Peace Operations (REBRAPAZ)
(Part 2) High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace 2024.
High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, under the theme "Cultivating and Nurturing the Culture of Peace for Present and Future Generations
High-Level Forum on the Culture of Peace, under the theme "Cultivating and Nurturing the Culture of Peace for Present and Future Generations". UN Web TV
United Nations Headquarters
Watch the (Part 2) High-level Forum on the Culture of Peace 2024!
Peacebuilding Commission Ambassadorial-level Meeting on Colombia.
The meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission with President Petro comes in the context of efforts to reinvigorate peace implementation in a c
The meeting of the Peacebuilding Commission with President Petro comes in the context of efforts to reinvigorate peace implementation in a challenging national context.Â
The meeting will provide President Gustavo Petro with an opportunity to present his Administration's peacebuilding priorities, share the successes and challenges of its peacebuilding journey with the Peacebuilding Commission and mobilize international support for the government's "Total Peace" policy.
It is envisaged that the meeting will facilitate stronger collaboration between the Commission and the country, leveraging the PBC's advisory and bridging roles in support of national peacebuilding priorities and in continuation PBC comprehensive accompaniment and UN support.
President Petro will also address the Security Council the same day during its quarterly meeting on Colombia. A representative of Comunes (former FARC political party) is also expected to address the Council.
Agenda:Â
Opening remarks by H.E. Mr. Sergio França Danese, Chair of the Peacebuilding Commission
Statement by E. Mr. Gustavo Petro, President of the Republic of Colombia
Remarks by Carlos Ruiz Massieu, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Colombia
Briefing by Ms. Maria Eugenia Mosquera, Legal Representative of Communities Building Peace in Colombia (CONPAZCOL)
Remarks by Ms. Elizabeth Spehar, ASG for Peacebuilding Support
Interventions from the floor
Final remarks by the President of Colombia
Closing remarks by the Chair
Related Documents
Concept Note
Watch the Peacebuilding Commission Ambassadorial-level Meeting on Colombia!
âAs we begin the 100-day countdown to Peace Day, let us plant the seeds for non-violence, justice and hope.â â United Nations Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres calls on people everywhere to promote dialogue, empathy and human rights for all.
UNESCO Series of Regional Expert Consultations on Intercultural Competencies for Peacebuilding. Fifth Edition: Arab States.
The fifth edition will bring together experts and practitioners to discuss the main challenges to intercultural understanding in the region, the role of intercultural skills in building trust among different parties, and ways of improving intercultural competence to better promote peacebuilding efforts, paying particular attention to the role of women and youth.
The fifth of the six regional editions of online expert consultations will focus on Arab States and will be held on Thursday 21 September 2023, from 15:00 to 17:00 GMT+2 (via Zoom).
On 20 June 2023, UNESCOâs Social and Human Sciences Sector launched the UNESCO Series of Regional Expert Consultations on Intercultural Competencies for Peacebuilding. Through these consultations, UNESCO aims to explore the potential of the development of intercultural and socio-emotional skills to serve as an enabler for peace in fragile, conflict-affected and post-conflict contexts.
The initiative is implemented in the framework of the âThe Road to Peace: Dialogue and Action for Tolerance and Intercultural Understandingâ programme, endorsed by Member States at the 214th session of the Executive Board. Inspired by the Tree of Peace, an artwork by UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Hedva Ser, the Road to Peace programme highlights the importance of protecting shared values and promoting attitudes and behaviour conducive to dialogue, non-violence and socio-emotional resilience as key elements of democratic, inclusive and peaceful societies.
The consultations are open to the public. Simultaneous interpretation in English and Arabic will be provided for the fifth edition.
Working documents
Harnessing Intercultural Competencies for Peacebuilding (summary)
Provisional agenda for the fifth edition of expert consultations
The stage is set for the general debate of the 78th session of the United Nations General Assembly. As the world continues to grapple with the socio-economic fallout from the pandemic and the ongoing impact of the war in Ukraine, the debate will be held fully in-person for the first time since 2019, with world leaders heading to NY to deliver their statements in the iconic Assembly Hall.
Here, UN News gives you a front row seat to all the action. From your mobile phone or computer, follow Heads of States and Government as they define responses to the worldâs most pressing challenges and take part in high-level discussions on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), ambitious action to end the climate crisis, and an unprecedented three summit-level sessions on heath: pandemic preparedness; universal health coverage; and the global fight against tuberculosis.
Watch the Special Coverage of the 78th General Debate
18 September â 26 September 2023
The UNGA 78 will open on Tuesday, 5 September 2023. The first day of the high-level General Debate will be Tuesday, 19 September 2023.
Itâs that time again! The global spotlight will shine on UN Headquarters in New York later this month when the General Assembly (UNGA) welco
Also on Wednesday, Mr. Guterres paid tribute to former Secretary-General Dag Hammarskjöld on the 62nd anniversary of his death.
âDag Hammarskjöld shaped our United Nations in innumerable ways â setting new standards of public service and launching our Organization on its active career as the custodian of world peace,â Mr. Guterres said.
âHis legacy endures, not as distant memory, but as a living guide for our shared mission.
âHe recognized that the United Nations may be imperfect â but he knew it was indispensable. And he summoned us all to reach higher.â
Mr. Hammarskjöld and others on board were killed in a plane crash, when their chartered DC6 aircraft crashed just after midnight on 17-18 September 1961, near Ndola (then Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia). A sole survivor of the accident succumbed to injuries a few days later.
A panel investigating the crash reported, in 2017, that it âappears plausibleâ that an external attack or threat may have led to the fatal crash.
The General Assembly in December 2022 decided to continue the search for answers and continue the official probe.
The event will center around deepening our understanding of the connection between peace, security, and sustainable development, fostering a
The event will center around deepening our understanding of the connection between peace, security, and sustainable development, fostering a holistic approach to global harmony.
To commemorate the International Day of Peace, the Permanent Mission of India will organize a Discourse on Peace. Yoga Guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar will grace the conference as Chief Guest.
The International Day of Peace emphasizes the resolution of conflicts through non-violent means, fostering s and the well-being of all. Peace is more than just the absence of war; it encompasses social, political, and economic stability. It also underlines the power of dialogue, education and cross-cultural understanding to prevent conflicts and promote sustainable development.
Tentative programme:
Opening Remarks by Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations
Keynote Remarks by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Founder of Art of Living
Special Remarks by Mr. Miguel Moratinos, High Representative for UNAOC
A youth choir from Brooklyn, New York, sings at the event.
Achieving peace is neither automatic nor a vision, Mr. Guterres said in a video message to a special event on youth for peace.
âPeace is the result of action. Let us commit to build, drive and sustain peace for all,â he emphasized.
The event showcased the actions and commitments of young people â in their communities, schools and countries â in boosting progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
âSomething specialâ
Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, better known as DJ Cuppy, remarked that every young person has âsomething unique and specialâ that indicates they can make the world a better place.
âThat is pretty epic,â she said.
She highlighted the importance of young people for improving engagement with the wider world and as a way of helping lift each other up. Â
âI believe, as humans, we have to as much as we can for as long as we can [âŠ] and so can you â itâs about finding your gift and just getting started,â DJ Cuppy told UN News.
âPeace begins with you,â she added.
âTorch bearersâ
Also speaking at the event, Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-Generalâs Envoy on Youth recounted her own experience growing up in Sri Lanka during the civil war, wondering how the violence had become so brutal.
âI found that the root cause of the war was much deeper â it went down to discrimination, poverty and inequality,â she said, underscoring the need for dignity and development for peace.
âYouth are the torch bearers for peace, human rights and sustainable development.â
Stepping down
Ms. Wickramanayake also announced that Thursday marked the end of her tenure as Youth Envoy, ending six years of engagement with the UN.
âThere is no better way to wrap up my mandate than to spend it with you,â she told the young people assembled.
Recalling her work over the years, Ms. Wickramanayake said she heard the powerful message from young people that peace goes beyond an absence of violence and strife.
It is âsomething biggerâ she added, emphasizing that peace meant having the freedom to live your life the way you want.
âRescue the SDGsâ
In conclusion, Ms. Wickramanayake echoed the Secretary-Generalâs call to rescue the SDGs.
âWe need to rescue the SDGs, so through education, equal opportunities, better healthcare, decent living conditions, by addressing climate change, we can make the world more peaceful,â she said.
UN Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres on Thursday reiterated his call to action for countries across the world to establish peace forged thr
The ceremony included traditional ringing of the Peace Bell, which was cast in the 1950s from coins and medals donated by people all over the world, including the Pope, as a symbol of hope for peace.
The Bell is rung twice a year: on the first day of spring, at the Vernal Equinox, and on 21 September to commemorate the International Day for Peace.
The Peace Bell also rang on other special occasions, such as on 26 April 2011 to mark 25 years of the devastating Chernobyl accident.
Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, also spoke, reiterating the importance of peace for sustainable development.
âWe know that sustainable development â and sustainable peace â are two sides of the same coin, one cannot be realised without the other,â he said.
Ahead of next weekâs annual General Debate, Mr. Francis urged everyone to recommit to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
âLet us recommit to a world where peace and security are a reality for all.â
Peace Bell ceremony held at United Nations Headquarters in observance of the International Day of Peace 2023.
Today âpeace is under assaultâ across communities, countries and regions, UN Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres said on Wednesday, underscoring the need for global solidarity and mutual trust.
Mr. Guterres made the appeal at a ceremony commemorating the International Day of Peace, which is observed annually on 21 September.
He emphasized the interconnectedness of peace with the wellbeing of both humanity and the environment and as a way of addressing challenges ranging from poverty and inequality to biodiversity loss.
âPush for peaceâ
âFor people and planet alike, we can â and we must â push for peace,â Mr. Guterres said.
Pushing for peace, he continued, encompassed not only preventing conflicts, but also addressing discrimination, supporting sustainable development and expanding opportunities for women and girls.
It also means accelerating the battle against climate change, ending the reliance on fossil fuels and adopting renewable energy.
âNow more than ever, we need global solidarity, collective action, commitment and mutual trust. Let us all pledge to be part of this push for peace.â
Two sides of a coin
Dennis Francis, President of the 78th session of the General Assembly, also spoke, reiterating the importance of peace for sustainable development.
âWe know that sustainable development â and sustainable peace â are two sides of the same coin, one cannot be realised without the other,â he said.
Ahead of next weekâs annual General Debate, Mr. Francis urged everyone to recommit to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
âLet us recommit to a world where peace and security are a reality for all.â
Today âpeace is under assaultâ across communities, countries and regions, UN Secretary-General AntĂłnio Guterres said on Wednesday, underscor
