United Nations to Highlight Critical Importance of Refugees, Migrants during International Peace Day Observance
The United Nations will celebrate the International Day of Peace on 15 September. The theme of the 2017 observance, “Together for Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All”, honours the spirit of TOGETHER, a global initiative that promotes respect, safety and dignity for everyone forced to flee their homes in search of a better life.
In a video message released ahead of the Day, the Secretary-General said: “On the International Day of Peace, we reflect on the cruel price of war. Ruined schools, bombed hospitals, broken families and refugees searching for hope. Our mission is to work for peace — every day and everywhere. No group interest, national ambition or political difference should be allowed to put peace at risk.”
The International Day of Peace, traditionally observed on 21 September every year, was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. In 2001, the Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and ceasefire. The United Nations invites all nations and peoples to honour a cessation of hostilities during the Day, and to otherwise commemorate it through education and public awareness on peace-related issues. The present year also marks the twentieth International Day of Peace Student Observance at the United Nations, which began in 1997.
At United Nations Headquarters in New York, activities for the Day will begin on at 9 a.m. on 15 September with the traditional Peace Bell Ceremony in the Japanese Garden. Secretary-General António Guterres and Miroslav Lajčák (Slovakia), President of the seventy-second session of the General Assembly, will ring the Japanese Peace Bell in the company of Koro Bessho, Permanent Representative of Japan to the United Nations, and Alison Smale, Under-Secretary-General for Global Communications. Joining them will be United Nations Messenger of Peace Jane Goodall. Students will hold the flags of all 193 Member States, as well as that of the United Nations. At 9:30 a.m., in Conference Room 4, more than 700 high school and university students will hear from the Secretary-General, Ms. Goodall and Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth.
Students participating in New York, and by video link from the United Nations Mission in Colombia, will present ideas and projects that promote respect for diversity, acceptance and support for refugees and migrants. In addition, there will be a musical performance by the artists Leila and Omnia Hegazy. The traditional ringing of a peace bell cast from recycled weapons of war will be led by two young refugees: Wendo Mbilizi from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Saja Almogalli from Iraq, who found their new home in the United States.
The events are open to previously registered guests. United Nations grounds pass holders are required to pre-register. Students attending the observance will be given seating priority. The Peace Bell ceremony and the student observance will also be broadcast live via United Nations Webcast at http://webtv.un.org.
Additional information, including the Secretary-General’s video message, is available in all six official United Nations languages on the International Day of Peace website at www.un.org/en/events/peaceday.
Media contacts: student conference, please contact Kimberly Mann, Chief, Education Outreach Section, Department of Public Information, at email: mann@un.org.
Peace Bell Ceremony/Messengers of Peace, please contact Jon Herbertsson, Information Officer, Department of Public Information, at email: herbertsson@un.org
For media accreditation, please contact the United Nations Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit at malu@un.org.