UN Secretary General’s message on Peace Day 2010:

UN calls on youth to work for Peace

Stating that this year’s Peace Day is dedicated to young people, Ban Ki-moon United Nations Secretary General in his message on the International Day of Peace calls on all young people around the globe to join their elders to work for peace.

International Day of Peace occurs on September 21 each year. The day was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981 for “commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace within and among all nations and peoples.” Initially it was decided that the opening day of the General Assembly – third Tuesday of September – be observed as the International Day of Peace. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.

Twenty years later, in September 2001, the General Assembly decided that, beginning 2002 the International Day of Peace shall be observed on September 21 each year. It also declared that the Day shall, henceforth, be observed as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and peoples to honour the cessation of hostilities throughout the Day.

International Day of Peace is a day dedicated to ceasefire and non-violence. Peace is precious. It must be nurtured, maintained and defended, says the Secretary General.

The message:

This year, Peace Day is dedicated to young people. We recently entered the International Year of Youth. Its theme of dialogue and mutual understanding captures the very essence of peace.

Young people today are at home with global diversity; comfortable in an interconnected world. Yet they are also vulnerable to the forces of extremism. So I say to all Governments and our partners, let us do more for young people. Let us give them a world of peace and tolerance.

And I say to all young people: join us. Help us to work for peace. You are impatient. You see what we, your elders, allow to persist, year after year; poverty and hunger, injustice and impunity; environment degradation.