21 September 2012: UN staff and others celebrated the 31st International Day of Peace at events around the world, with participants at many events calling for a total cessation of hostilities. This year’s theme, “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future,” was chosen within the context of the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (UNCSD or Rio+20), which convened in June in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Celebrations at UN Headquarters in New York began with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the President of the General Assembly ringing the Peace Bell. Following this ceremony, the 15th Student Observance was held, highlighting environmental causes of conflicts and the need to address the ownership, control, management and ownership of natural resources in post conflict countries.

After ringing the Peace Bell, Ban said the UN “works for sustainable peace across the world… Today we must ring the peace bell with extra force and conviction. We need its beautiful sound to be heard above the voices of discord and extremism that have sparked violence in recent days.” Ban also stressed connections among sustainable peace, sustainable development and sustainable futures, noting that “armed conflicts attack the very pillars of sustainable development. Natural resources must be used for the benefit of society, not to finance wars.”

The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) organized a High-level Debate at UN Headquarters focused on, inter alia: new approaches and strategies to foster sustainable development that emphasize fragile cultural and social dimensions relevant for peace; international cooperation to highlight reciprocity, solidarity and the role of peace in intercultural and intercommunity exchanges; and roles for states and multilateral organizations in strengthening everyday peace. Irina Bokova, UNESCO Director-General, called for respect and tolerance of all cultures and religions at the Debate, stating that “education and respect for cultures must be relentlessly upheld, to fight ignorance and intolerance — this is the core of UNESCO’s mandate and action across the world.”

In Nairobi, the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) marked the Day by launching an e-learning course to make UN peacekeeping operations more sustainable and to improve natural resources management among “the Blue Helmets.” The course, developed in collaboration with the UN Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) and the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD), demonstrates how peacekeeping missions around the world affect, and are affected by, the broader environment and natural resources and stresses the importance of addressing environment and natural resources in peacekeeping missions.

The UN Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) held a forum in Monrovia on the role of natural resources in financing or fuelling conflict, as part of its broader outreach programme, “21 Days of Activism on Volunteerism for Peace and Development.”

Other events around the world included conferences at the Norwegian and Scottish Parliaments on “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future” and an event at the Peruvian Congress Building.

The UN General Assembly (UNGA) established the International Day of Peace in 1981 to coincide with its opening session in September. [UN News Story on International Day of Peace] [UN News Story on Planned International Day of Peace] [Statement by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon] [UNESCO High-level Debate Concept Note] [Statement by Irina Bokova] [UNEP News Story] [International Peace Federation Story and List of Events]