Hyderabad: International Day of Peace is observed every year on 21 September. It is also known as World Peace Day. Established in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution, 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. 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.
Cultivating 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.”
Background of International Day of Peace
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared the third Tuesday of September as International Day of Peace. The purpose of the day was and still remains, to strengthen the ideals of peace around the world. Two decades after establishing this day of observance, in 2001, the assembly moved the date to be observed annually on September 21. So, beginning in 2002, September 21 marks not only a time to discuss how to promote and maintain peace among all peoples but also a 24-hour period of global ceasefire and non-violence for groups in active combat.
Important Of International Day Of Peace
It connects us to each other: Nations and communities around the world struggle with poverty and disease, education, and healthcare. The International Day of Peace reminds us that regardless of where we come from or what languages we speak, we are more alike than we are different.
It reminds us to believe in something bigger than ourselves: We can get caught up in the day-to-day of work and family. But sometimes, it's healthy to reflect on how communities and nations need to get outside our comfort zones. We can have peace when we make an effort to see someone else's perspective or, put another way, to "walk a mile in their shoes."
It demonstrates that small actions can make big impacts: We can all contribute to the worldwide culture of peace be that through prayer, advocacy, education, and respecting others. If each of us did one small thing to bring about peace, even each week, think of the global impact this would have.
Significance of International Day of Peace
- The formula also contains a multiplier effect because as peace increases, money spent containing violence can instead be used on more productive activities which drive growth and generate higher monetary and social returns.
- “Substantial economic improvements are linked to improvements in peace,” says the report. “Therefore, government policies should be directed to improving peacefulness, especially in A COVID-19 environment where economic activity has been subdued.”
- The IEP says what it terms “positive peace” is even more beneficial than “negative peace” which is simply the absence of violence or the fear of violence. Positive peace involves fostering the attitudes, institutions & structures that create and sustain peaceful societies.
Quantifying Peace and its Benefits
- The Institute for Economics & Peace (IEP) is an independent, non-partisan, non-profit think tank dedicated to shifting the world’s focus to peace as a positive, achievable, and tangible measure of human well-being and progress.
- IEP achieves its goals by developing new conceptual frameworks to define peacefulness; providing metrics for measuring peace; and uncovering the relationships between business, peace and prosperity as well as promoting a better understanding of the cultural, economic and political factors that create peace.
- IEP is headquartered in Sydney, with offices in New York, Brussels, The Hague, Mexico City and Nairobi. It works with a wide range of partners internationally and collaborates with intergovernmental organizations. On measuring and communicating the economic value of peace.
About the Peace Bells
- There are now 22 replica Peace Bells around the World including 5 in Japan. There are Peace Bells in Ankara, Berlin, Warsaw, Mexico City, Ulan Bator, Brasilia, Los Angeles, and Montreal just to name a few cities. Australia currently has a Peace Bell located in Cowra NSW.
- Ringing the Peace Bell: In his report on the International Year of Peace (1987), the Secretary-General explained that the International Day of Peace was to be marked at United Nations Headquarters with a ceremony at the Peace Bell in which the Secretary-General would deliver a message, followed by a statement from the President of the Security Council.
- The President of the General Assembly is also often involved in the ceremony. The commemoration includes other events, taking place around the Peace Bell and around the world, and involving students, musicians, NGO representatives, etc.
- The Japanese Peace Bell was cast in 1952 and was presented as a gift to the United Nations on 8 June 1954, from the UN Association of Japan, UNAJ as a chapter in WFUNA. The bell was cast from coins donated by delegates of 60 nations who attended the 13th General Conference of the United Nations Association (UNA) held in Paris, France in 1951. The bell is a symbol of peace and on its side are eight Japanese characters that say, “Long live absolute world peace.”
- The bell is housed in a wooden structure resembling a traditional Shinto shrine made from Japanese Cypress. The bell was presented to the UN by Mr. Renzo Sawanda, a Japanese observer to the UN, in 1954.
- Given the current state of world events, given the number of terrorist attacks against innocent civilians and given the degree of family violence within our community, the Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin has decided to locate a World Peace Bell in the Canberra Nara Peace Park in conjunction with the World Peace Bell Association. World Peace Bells are precious because they represent a prayer for World Peace.
- The Rotary Club of Canberra Burley Griffin has already obtained the support of the World Peace Bell Association for the project and the approval of the National Capital Authority and the ACT Government for the use of the land and also for permission to erect a pavilion to house the Peace Bell on its chosen site within the Canberra Nara Peace Park. We believe that in these troubled times, this Peace Bell would act as an important symbol for World Peace and could provide a valuable addition to the existing park.
Prizes for peace across the world:
- The US gives 9 prizes with the help of the UN and UNESCO.
- The highest Peace Price in the world is The Nobel Peace Prize.
- The first Nobel Prizes were awarded in 1901 and carried a cash award of SEK 150,000, equivalent to SEK 8.9 million in 2020, which is roughly $1 million in 2020. The 2019 Nobel Prizes were worth SEK 9 million, which is about the same amount as 1901, adjusted for inflation.
In 2020, the Nobel Prize monetary award is 10,000,000 SEK, or US$1,145,000, or €968,000, or £880,000. A prize may not be shared among more than three individuals, although the Nobel Peace Prize can be awarded to organizations of more than three people.
- Since 1901 the Nobel Peace Prize has been awarded 100 times, to 131 laureates: 90 men, 17 women and 24 organizations.
- The country with the most Nobel Prize winners in Literature in France, with 15 individuals having won the award since 1901 when French poet and essayist Sully Prudhomme became the first-ever winner of the award. Jean-Paul Sartre was also given the prize in 1964 but voluntarily declined it.
Some Peace Prizes by India :
- Indira Gandhi Award for National Integration by the Indian National Congress to Promote national integration and understanding and fellowship amongst religious groups, communities, ethnic groups, cultures, languages and traditions of India (since 1987)
- Indira Gandhi Prize by Indira Gandhi Memorial Trust To individuals or organisations in recognition of creative efforts toward promoting international peace, development and a new international economic order (since 1986)
- Gandhi Mandela Awards by Gandhi Mandela Foundation for Peace, Social Welfare, Culture, Health Care, Sports, Education and Innovation (since 2019)
- Gandhi Peace Prize by Government of India for Contributions towards social, economic and political transformation through non-violence and other Gandhian methods (since 1995)
Top 10 Most Peaceful Countries According to the Global Peace Index
- ICELAND
- IRELAND
- AUSTRIA
- NEW ZEALAND
- SINGAPORE
- SWITZERLAND
- PORTUGAL
- DENMARK
- SLOVENIA
- MALAYSIA
