International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace (September 21) was established by the United Nations in 1981 as a globally-shared day for humanity to rise above our differences to build a Culture of Peace.  The UN General Assembly has called for observing peace on this day through 24-hours of non-violence and ceasefire.  This year’s theme is “Recovering Better for a Sustainable and Equitable World.”  It is a day to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among nations.

As we celebrate International Day of Peace throughout the world, “May we live that every day.  That is the call,” said Dot Maver.  This day is filled with actions for peace.  See more at International Day of Peace with Dot Maver.  It is in community that we build conditions of peace so that we may live with freedom and safety and joy as a special wisdom on this planet we all call home, she said.

“In line with the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire last March, in February 2021 the Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for Member States to support a ‘sustained humanitarian pause’ to local conflicts. The global ceasefire must continue to be honoured, to ensure people caught in conflict have access to lifesaving vaccinations and treatments.” – See more about the International Day of Peace

The global COVID pandemic has highlighted that we are one interconnected, interdependent world.  And that we must make peace with nature and with each other.

“The pandemic has been accompanied by a surge in stigma, discrimination, and hatred, which only cost more lives instead of saving them: the virus attacks all without caring about where we are from or what we believe in. Confronting this common enemy of humankind, we must be reminded that we are not each other’s enemy.  To be able to recover from the devastation of the pandemic, we must make peace with one another.”  – www.un.org/peaceday

A step to making peace with each other is creating a cabinet-level Department of Peacebuilding (DoP/ HR 1111).  To create and sustain peace, we must have infrastructures to research, teach and promote peacebuilding.  The Department of Peacebuilding is such a structure.  YOU can be a part of creating the Department of Peacebuilding:

• Make one click to ask your member of Congress to cosponsor HR 1111
• Schedule and join in confirmed virtual Congressional meetings during the week of 9/27/21 through 10/1/21 – email nancy@peacealliance.org to let us know if you are scheduling a meeting or want to join in a confirmed meeting
• Call one, several or all on this list during the week of 9/27/21 through 10/1/21 (or before and after that) and ask them to cosponsor HR 1111 by contacting Rep. Barbara Lee’s office (email Gregory.adams@mail.house.gov to cosponsor) – each call takes only a moment

Our work is to extend peace beyond one day.  Beyond one place.  Beyond one person. To rise above our differences.