21/09/2020
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The United Nations celebrated the International Day of Peace for the first time in 1982. On this day the United Nations Peace Bell is rung at the UN headquarters in New York. 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.
This year, it has been clearer than ever that we are not each other’s enemies. Rather, our common enemy is a tireless virus that threatens our health, security and very way of life. COVID-19 has thrown our world into turmoil and forcibly reminded us that what happens in one part of the planet can impact people everywhere.
In March, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called on all warring parties to lay down their weapons and focus on the battle against this unprecedented global pandemic. While the message is intended for armed parties, solidarity and cooperation across borders, sectors and generations are also needed to win this new fight against the worst public health crisis of our time.
For the United Nations, 2020 was already meant to be a year of listening and learning. To mark its 75th anniversary, the UN has invited millions of people worldwide to join UN75, the largest and furthest-reaching global conversation on building the peaceful and prosperous future that we want.
Social media can be used with great success in terms of peace promotion. Through various social media platforms individuals from across the globe have been afforded the opportunity to interact with people both inside and outside of their own communities. Social media can facilitate peace by encouraging valuable dialogue between people from different ethnic, religious, and political backgrounds. This dialogue can, in turn, alter attitudes, change perceptions, and encourage increased tolerance & mutual understanding between ethnic groups who would otherwise never have had the opportunity to engage with one another.
