International Day of Peace (Sep. 21)

“…[S]ince wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defences of peace must be constructed.” Thus begins the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This concept—that a culture of peace needs to be cultivated in children and communities through education—is reflected in the theme of the 2024 International Day of Peace. 

This year also marks 25 years since the United Nations (UN) General Assembly formally adopted the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which recognized that peace “not only is the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process where dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are solved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation.” The International Day of Peace was established by the UN in 1981; two decades later, the UN General Assembly unanimously voted to designate it as a day of non-violence and cease-fire.