In 2001, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 55/282 in which it decided that, since 2002, the International Day of Peace will be celebrated annually on 21 September, as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.
To inaugurate the day, the United Nations Peace Bell is rung in New York City. A minute of silence is observed as part of the ceremony to pay tribute to the memory of those who perished. The bell was presented by Japan in June 1954 as a gift to the United Nations. It was cast from coins collected by children from 60 countries.
The International Day of Peace calls on people not only to think about peace but also to do something for it. On this Day, the UN invites all countries and peoples to stop all hostilities and celebrate this holiday by conducting educational and public-awareness campaigns to resolve the problems of peace.
All events on the International Day of Peace are held with the propaganda of the peaceful skies and the consideration of the problems associated with the peaceful existence of states. Conferences and lectures are of an educational nature, giving people practical experience in achieving world peace.
Peace is the basis for the development of a country and all its citizens. For the majority of the inhabitants of our planet, peace is an everyday reality. In peacetime, people can study and work, create families, give birth to and bring up children, travel, enjoy life. However, for many people peace is nothing more than a dream. They live in an atmosphere of instability and fear.
The events of recent years – war, terrorism, military spending, deep contradictions, separating nations and individuals around the world, have raised the importance of the International Day of Peace.
