About International Day of Peace, Sept. 21, 2008

About International Day of Peace, September 21

The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.

By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal. During the discussion of the U.N. Resolution that established the International Day of Peace, it was suggested that:

"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening
the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples.
This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization,
with all its limitations,
is a living instrument in the service of peace
and should serve all of us here within the organization
as a constantly pealing bell reminding us
that our permanent commitment,
above all interests or differences of any kind,
is to peace."

Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

Source: http://internationaldayofpeace.org/about/background.html
© 2008 Pathways To Peace, Inc.

Peace Links:

http://www.peaceoneday.org/
Peace One Day (POD)

Peace One Day was founded by Jeremy Gilley in 1999 to document the efforts to create an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence with a fixed calendar date. In 2001, POD achieved its primary objective. United Nations General Assembly resolution (A/Res/55/282) was unanimously adopted by UN member states, formally establishing an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence on the UN International Day of Peace, fixed in the global calendar on 21 September – Peace Day. With the Day in place, POD's main aim is to raise awareness of Peace Day 21 September. POD is a non-profit organisation, impartial and independent of any government, political persuasion, corporation or religious creed.

http://www.un.org/events/peaceday/2007/index.shtml
United Nations (UN)

The United Nations established International Day of Peace in 1981, as an annual observance of global non-violence and ceasefire. In 2001, UN adopted the resolution that set September 21 as the fixed date for Peace Day. Each year, there are Peace Day celebrations at UN headquarters in New York, where the Secretary-General rings the Peace Bell and leads a minute of silence at noon. Peace Day is also observed at several UN agencies worldwide. One activity in which all people can participate is the UN request for a minute of silence at noon in all time zones – this has now been observed consistently for 27 years. Plus, the UN arranges ceasefires on International Day of Peace, that allow humanitarian organizations to provide food, medicines and other aid to people who are otherwise cut off from such basic needs due to conflicts.

http://www.thinkpeace.net/11433.html
ThinkPEACE Network

The ThinkPEACE Network promotes International Day of Peace by organizing "Stand-up for International Peace" at comedy clubs worldwide. The three goals of the ThinkPEACE Network are:

* To promote International Day of Peace.
* To promote the idea that teaching young people about peace is more important than teaching them about wars, generals and conquerors.
* To promote the idea that world peace is possible.


http://www.pathwaystopeace.org/
Pathways To Peace (PTP)

Pathways To Peace is an international peacebuilding, educational and consulting organization. It serves as International Secretariat for the Culture of Peace Initiative (CPI), which reports annually on Peace Day activities through the annual CPI Reports. Other projects include: Events with Peace Leaders, and PACEM - Pathways Consulting, Educating & Mentoring Programme. Pathways To Peace has Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and works with several UN agencies. It is also an official Peace Messenger of the United Nations. PTP was involved in the creation of International Day of Peace in 1981 and works with the UN to promote the Day. Recently, PTP enlisted calendar publishers worldwide to highlight September 21 as Peace Day in their calendars, starting in 2009.