Celebration of the International Day of Peace

16 sep 2014

Celebration of the International Day of Peace

Kinshasa, 15 September 2014: On Sunday 21 September, the whole world will celebrate the International Day of Peace. This year’s theme focuses on “The Right of Peoples to Peace”

Several activities will be organized around the world, including concerts in large and small towns, in conflict areas and peaceful regions, so that each one can put forward this fundamental lesson and celebrate the value of human diversity and unity which is our strength.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission will commemorate the International Peace Day chiefly with a huge concert featuring national and international artists and taking place in Goma on 21 September 2014. The concert will be organized by the “Peace One Day” Foundation, with the support of MONUSCO. It will be broadcast live on Radio Okapi and possibly local TV stations.

Other events are planned across the country, including the peaceful march of citizens to symbolize peace. The march will culminate with a ceremonial planting of a tree of peace.

The Day will also be celebrated on Friday 19 September at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, from where the United Nations Secretary-General will hold a conference with the participation children around the world – an event to which children in the Democratic Republic of Congo are invited. They will participate via videoteleconferencing from Kinshasa, Bukavu and Goma.

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by Resolution 36/67 of the United Nations General Assembly, because the promotion of peace is one of the primary purposes of the United Nations, under the Organization’s Charter. In 2001, the General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 55/282 establishing 21 September as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire.

This year, the Day is dedicated to commemorating the thirtieth anniversary of the adoption, by the General Assembly, of the Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace, which enshrines the principle that establishing peace and security is a pre-requisite for durable progress and for the full exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms.