Rukmini Barua Deka
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared in a resolution sponsored by Costa Rica the third Tuesday of September (the opening day of regular sessions of the General Assembly) as the International Day of Peace, devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September, 1982.
In 2001, a resolution was passed by the General Assembly sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica to give the day of Peace a fixed date and declare it as a global ceasefire day. In 2002, the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace, which is observed every year and calls for a full day of peace and ceasefire throughout the world. The ‘Peace Bell’ is rung at the UN Headquarters on this day. The bell is cast from coins donated by children on all continents and considered a symbol of global solidarity.
Wars and conflicts are widespread. We are living in an age of terrorism where tales of atrocities committed by malevolent masterminds dominate the headlines of print and electronic media worldwide. They use violence and threats of violence for fulfilling their demands, thereby vitiating the society and estranging people. Inter-religious and communal tensions and lashings are rife , particularly in our country. Atrocious crimes like terror and massacre of people by human bombs are not something new. Such incidents create strong feelings of indelible fear which people are unable to dispel.
Attempts should be made to cast off and bury the hatchet that exists between different groups. By preventing and resolving conflicts there will be harmony and understanding between different groups and communities. The prevailing injustice should be resolved and justice should restored to people through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, community conferences, collaboration, international law or military action as a last resort.
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. Preserving world peace is a central purpose of the UN. Under the Charter, member States agree to settle disputes by peaceful means and refrain from threatening or using force against other states. Over the years, the UN has played a major role in helping defuse international crisis and in resolving protracted conflicts. It has undertaken complex operations involving peacemaking, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance. It has worked to prevent conflicts from breaking out. After a conflict, it has taken action to address the root causes of war and lay the foundation for peace.
UN peacekeeping brings hostile parties to agreement through diplomatic means. The Security Council may recommend ways to avoid conflict or restore or secure peace through negotiation or recourse to the International Court of Justice. The UN is increasingly undertaking activities that address the underlying causes of conflict. Development assistance is a key element for peace-building. The Security Council sets up UN peacekeeping operations and defines the scope and mandate in its efforts to maintain international peace and security.
Each year events take place all around the world for the International Day of Peace. Every Peace Day event provides an opportunity to inspire individuals and empower communities to celebrate victories for peace that have been won throughout the year. A Peace Day event can be as simple as lighting a candle or meditating on Peace on September 21. A Peace Event can also be as big as organizing a peace concert for thousands of people.
Multiple factors have contributed to the outbreak of war. In a nutshell, they are greed, starvation, Third World debt, the environment, dictatorship and terrorism. We have to bear in mind that a huge sum of money is being spent on fighting wars and on guns, rockets and nuclear missiles. In the strife-torn regions, thousands of children have been orphaned, women have been widowed and people have become homeless. The world will cease to exist if no action is taken to help humanity which is crying for peace.
Human Rights and Peace Studies should be introduced in educational institutions for youth. They should be imparted instructions to inculcate the virtue of forgiveness and get rid of the vice called hatred. Instead of going haywire, they should rectify their faults and keep away from feud. Only then we can establish a violence-free and peaceful society. THE SENTINEL
In 1981, the United Nations General Assembly declared in a resolution sponsored by Costa Rica the third Tuesday of September (the opening day of regular sessions of the General Assembly) as the International Day of Peace, devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September, 1982.
In 2001, a resolution was passed by the General Assembly sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica to give the day of Peace a fixed date and declare it as a global ceasefire day. In 2002, the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace, which is observed every year and calls for a full day of peace and ceasefire throughout the world. The ‘Peace Bell’ is rung at the UN Headquarters on this day. The bell is cast from coins donated by children on all continents and considered a symbol of global solidarity.
Wars and conflicts are widespread. We are living in an age of terrorism where tales of atrocities committed by malevolent masterminds dominate the headlines of print and electronic media worldwide. They use violence and threats of violence for fulfilling their demands, thereby vitiating the society and estranging people. Inter-religious and communal tensions and lashings are rife , particularly in our country. Atrocious crimes like terror and massacre of people by human bombs are not something new. Such incidents create strong feelings of indelible fear which people are unable to dispel.
Attempts should be made to cast off and bury the hatchet that exists between different groups. By preventing and resolving conflicts there will be harmony and understanding between different groups and communities. The prevailing injustice should be resolved and justice should restored to people through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, community conferences, collaboration, international law or military action as a last resort.
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. Preserving world peace is a central purpose of the UN. Under the Charter, member States agree to settle disputes by peaceful means and refrain from threatening or using force against other states. Over the years, the UN has played a major role in helping defuse international crisis and in resolving protracted conflicts. It has undertaken complex operations involving peacemaking, peacekeeping and humanitarian assistance. It has worked to prevent conflicts from breaking out. After a conflict, it has taken action to address the root causes of war and lay the foundation for peace.
UN peacekeeping brings hostile parties to agreement through diplomatic means. The Security Council may recommend ways to avoid conflict or restore or secure peace through negotiation or recourse to the International Court of Justice. The UN is increasingly undertaking activities that address the underlying causes of conflict. Development assistance is a key element for peace-building. The Security Council sets up UN peacekeeping operations and defines the scope and mandate in its efforts to maintain international peace and security.
Each year events take place all around the world for the International Day of Peace. Every Peace Day event provides an opportunity to inspire individuals and empower communities to celebrate victories for peace that have been won throughout the year. A Peace Day event can be as simple as lighting a candle or meditating on Peace on September 21. A Peace Event can also be as big as organizing a peace concert for thousands of people.
Multiple factors have contributed to the outbreak of war. In a nutshell, they are greed, starvation, Third World debt, the environment, dictatorship and terrorism. We have to bear in mind that a huge sum of money is being spent on fighting wars and on guns, rockets and nuclear missiles. In the strife-torn regions, thousands of children have been orphaned, women have been widowed and people have become homeless. The world will cease to exist if no action is taken to help humanity which is crying for peace.
Human Rights and Peace Studies should be introduced in educational institutions for youth. They should be imparted instructions to inculcate the virtue of forgiveness and get rid of the vice called hatred. Instead of going haywire, they should rectify their faults and keep away from feud. Only then we can establish a violence-free and peaceful society. THE SENTINEL
No comments:
Post a Comment