International Day of Peace 2025; September 21st.

FORUM: "Act now for a Peaceful World". International Day of Peace 2025. The Day has always been a time to lay down weapons and observe ceasefires. But it now must also be a time for people to see each other’s humanity. Our survival as a global community depends on that. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Peaceday, #sustainingpeace, #InternationalDayofPeace, #21September.

EVENT: On September 21st will held at United Nations Headquarters, a ceremony to observe the International Day of Peace. The ideas of peace, the culture of peace, need to be cultivated in the minds of children and communities through formal and informal education, across countries and generations. Several events will be held throughout the world to observe the Day. Register to participate!

Statement of the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the International Day of Peace 2025; September 21st.

 "Our warring world is crying out for peace. This year’s International Day of Peace urges each of us to give voice to that call. Around the world lives are being ripped apart, childhoods extinguished, and basic human dignity discarded, amidst the cruelty and degradations of war. We are seeing an explosion of conflict. International law flouted. And record numbers of people fleeing their homes. All they want is peace. Peace is everyone’s business. The impacts of war ripple around the world. We must silence the guns. End the suffering. Build bridges. And create stability and prosperity. Sustainable development supports peace – nine of the 10 countries struggling most with development are suffering conflict. And we must quell the racism, dehumanisation and misinformation that throw fuel on the fires of conflict. Instead, we must speak the language of respect, open our hearts to others. And use our influence to push for peace. Where we have peace, we have hope. Families unite, communities rebuild, children learn and play. Peace cannot wait – our work starts now".

António Guterres,United Nations Secretary-General.

International Day of Peace 2024; September 21st.

FORUM: “Cultivating a Culture of Peace.” International Day of Peace 2024. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. In that declaration, the United Nations’ most inclusive body recognized that peace “not only is the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process where dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are solved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.” In a world with rising geopolitical tensions and protracted conflicts, there has never been a better time to remember how the UN General Assembly came together in 1999 to lay out the values needed for a culture of peace. These include: respect for life, human rights and fundamental freedoms; the promotion of non-violence through education, dialogue and cooperation; commitment to peaceful settlement of conflicts; and adherence to freedom, justice, democracy, tolerance, solidarity, cooperation, pluralism, cultural diversity, dialogue and understanding at all levels of society and among nations. In follow-up resolutions, the General Assembly recognized further the importance of choosing negotiations over confrontation and of working together and not against each other. The Constitution of the UNESCO starts with the notion that “wars begin in the minds of men so it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed”. It is this notion that framed the theme and logo of this year’s observance of the International Day of Peace. The ideas of peace, the culture of peace, need to be cultivated in the minds of children and communities through formal and informal education, across countries and generations. The International Day of Peace has always been a time to lay down weapons and observe ceasefires. But it now must also be a time for people to see each other’s humanity. Our survival as a global community depends on that. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Peaceday, #sustainingpeace, #InternationalDayofPeace, #21September.

EVENTS: On September 21st will held at United Nations Headquarters, a ceremony to observe the International Day of Peace 2024. Several events are being held throughout the world to observe the Day. Get the List of worldwide events!

On september 13th; The programme will begin with the traditional Peace Bell Ceremony in the Peace Garden at 9:00 a.m. EDT, the U.N. Secretary-General and the General Assembly President will ring the Peace Bell to mark the 43nd Anniversary of the International Day of Peace. Watch the livestream!

PUBLICATION: A snapshot of the global state of peace. The average level of country peacefulness deteriorated by 0.56 per cent. Read the 2024 Global Peace Index, a report provided by the Institute for economics and Peace (IEP).

STATEMENTS: Read the statement of the U.N. Secretary-General Message for the International Day of Peace 2024; September 21th.

Everywhere we look, peace is under attack.
From Gaza, to Sudan, to Ukraine and beyond we see:
Civilians in the firing line;
Homes blown apart;
Traumatised, terrified populations who have lost everything – and sometimes everyone.
This catalogue of human misery must stop.
Our world needs peace.
Peace is the ultimate prize for all humanity.
And as this International Day of Peace reminds us – the solutions are in our hands.
Cultivating a culture of peace means replacing division, disempowerment, and despair with justice, equality and hope for all.
It means focusing on preventing conflict;
Propelling the Sustainable Development Goals;
Promoting human rights.
And tackling all forms of discrimination and hate.
This month’s Summit of the Future is a vital opportunity to advance these aims.
Let’s seize it.
Together, let’s lay the groundwork for peace.
And let’s nurture a culture where equality, peace and justice thrive.

António Guterres.

Secretary-General's remarks to the UN Peace Bell Ceremony. On 13 September 2024, as delivered
Secretary-General's 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace message.

Every year on 21 September, the United Nations invites the world to mark the International Day of Peace. This year’s focus is on “Cultivating a culture of peace”.

In a world mired by conflict, inequalities and discrimination, we must strive ever harder to promote dialogue, empathy and human rights for all.

As we begin the 100-day countdown to Peace Day, let us plant the seeds for non-violence, justice and hope.

António Guterres.

International Day of Peace 2023; September 21st.

 FORUM: “Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the Global Goals.” International Day of Peace 2023. This year’s theme is a call to action to recognize our individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. Fostering peace contributes to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals will create a culture of peace for all. Follow the conversation with the hashtags: #Peaceday, #sustainingpeace, #InternationalDayofPeace, #21September.

EVENTS: Peace Bell Ceremony on the Occasion of the 42nd Anniversary of the International Day of Peace at United Nations Headquarters. The programme will begin with the traditional Peace Bell Ceremony in the Peace Garden at 9:00 a.m. EDT. At that event, the U.N. Secretary-General and the General Assembly President will ring the Peace Bell. 

The International Day of Peace Youth Event 2023 's theme, "Actions for Peace: Our Ambition for the Global Goals," underscores the imperative for both individual and collective responsibility in urgently nurturing peace.

A youth choir from Brooklyn, New York, sings at the event.

STATEMENTS: Watch the statement of the U.N. Secretary-General Message for the International Day of Peace 2023; September 21th.

In his message for the International Day of Peace on September 21, 2023, the United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted the crises facing both people and the planet, including conflicts leading to significant displacements, severe natural disasters like fires and floods, rising temperatures, and persisting issues related to poverty, inequality, and injustice. Additionally, he noted the presence of mistrust, division, and prejudice in contemporary society. The Secretary-General emphasized the core theme of this year's International Day of Peace, stressing that peace is not a passive state but a consequence of deliberate actions. He called for proactive measures to accelerate progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, ensuring inclusivity and equity. Moreover, he advocated for action to combat the ongoing environmental crisis, safeguard natural resources, and protect human rights and dignity, especially as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrated its 75th anniversary. The Secretary-General highlighted the importance of diplomacy, dialogue, and collaboration in diffusing tensions and resolving conflicts, issuing a compelling call for global commitment to actively promote and maintain peace for the benefit of all humanity.

GET INVOLVED: Act for our common future.

Embrace the possible. That’s the call of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, a blueprint for a better world. We don’t have to wait for the future we want—we can create it right now. Everyone can join the global movement for change. ActNow is the United Nations campaign to inspire people to act for the Sustainable Development Goals.

International Day of Peace 2022; September 21st.

FORUM: "End racism. Build peace." International Day of Peace 2022.

The 2022 theme for the International Day of Peace is “End racism. Build peace.” We invite you to join the efforts of the United Nations as we work towards a world free of racism and racial discrimination. A world where compassion and empathy overcome suspicion and hatred. A world that we can truly be proud of.

  

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. But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.


As conflicts continue to erupt across the globe, causing people to flee, we have seen race-based discrimination at borders. As COVID-19 keeps attacking our communities, we have seen how certain racial groups have been hit much harder than others. As economies suffer, we have seen hate speech and violence directed at racial minorities. We all have a role to play in fostering peace. And tackling racism is a crucial way to contribute.


We can work to dismantle the structures that entrench racism in our midst. We can support movements for equality and human rights everywhere. We can speak out against hate speech – both offline and online. We can promote anti-racism through education and reparatory justice.

Statement by the U.N. Secretar -General on International Day of Peace 2022,


Peace is a noble and necessary pursuit, and the only practical pathway to a better, fairer world for all people.

Yet in too many places, in too many contexts, we are failing the cause of peace.

The theme of this year’s International Day of Peace — “End Racism. Build Peace.” — reminds us of the many ways racism poisons people’s hearts and minds and erodes the peace we all seek.

Racism robs people of their rights and dignity. It inflames inequalities and mistrust. And it pushes people apart, at a time when we should be coming together, as one human family, to repair our fractured world.

Instead of fighting each other, we should be working to defeat our true enemies: racism, poverty, inequality, conflict, the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.

We should tear down structures that sustain racism, and lift up human rights movements everywhere.

And we should drown out the vicious voices of hate speech with a united and sustained cry for truth, understanding and mutual respect.

On this important day, a time to observe 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire, we renew our call for all people to do more than lay down their weapons.



We call on them to re-affirm the bonds of solidarity we share as human beings and get down to the business of building a better, more peaceful world.


António Guterres




Secretary-General's 100-day countdown to International Day of Peace message,


Every year on 21 September, the United Nations calls on all people to lay down weapons and reaffirm their commitment to living in harmony with one another.

Today, as we mark the 100-day countdown to the International Day of Peace, this shared aspiration is more pressing than ever.

This year’s theme is “End racism. Build peace.” Racism poisons societies, normalizes discrimination and spurs violence. We must fight it by countering hate speech, promoting dialogue and addressing the root causes of inequality.

Over the next 100 days and beyond, let us work to safeguard the human rights of all people and build peaceful and inclusive societies. Together, we can realize the vision of a world free of racism and racial discrimination. António Guterres.


EVENTS:  The International Day of Peace will be observed on 16 September 2022 at United Nations Headquarters. The programme will begin with the traditional Peace Bell Ceremony in the Peace Garden at 9:00 a.m. EDT. At that event, the Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly will ring the Peace Bell. Following that, a Youth Observance will be held in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at 9:30 a.m. EDT, in which more than 500 students will interact with the Secretary-General and high-profile artists and activists. Young people will present projects that illustrate the action they have taken to combat racism and thereby foster peace. Both events will be broadcast live and on demand. See the Programme of the Youth Observance.

• Secretary-General’s Appeal for Global Ceasefire
• United Nations Messengers of Peace