Since the early 1980s, September 21 has been observed every year as International Day of Peace. Several peace-focused organizations take the day as an opportunity to inspire creative peacebuilding solutions. For professional mediators, it may serve as a time to reflect on the intimate and impactful nature of the work we do with parties, transforming conflicts into opportunities. The day is also a time to honor those who have made peacebuilding their life’s work. Some communities commemorate the day with festivities, while some agree to a day of cease-fire. Since few of us have escaped the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic, the 2021 International Day of Peace theme is befitting, “recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world.” 

History of International Day of Peace

Peace Day was first established in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution. According to the UN International Day of Peace universal website, the day

“ provides a globally shared date for all humanity to commit to Peace above all differences and to contribute to building a Culture of Peace.” 

In 2001, the UN General Assembly expanded the aim of International Day of Peace by declaring it a day of “global ceasefire and non-violence” and asking nations and their citizens to halt all violent conflicts throughout the day.

More recently, in 2015, United Nations Member States adopted the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which embraces 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) that lay the groundwork for lasting global peace and prosperity. The 2021 International Peace Day theme, “recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world” reflects not only the SDGs, but also the impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic.

How We Strive to Meet the Challenge

Our company, Interaction Management Associates, aims to foster peaceful solutions to conflict by making training more accessible, even throughout the pandemic. We currently have over 250 students enrolled in our programs from around the world, strengthening their conflict engagement skills as we build a supportive community of mediators of all levels, learning together in real time, with professional coaches. Each quarter, we offer mediation training scholarship opportunities to future peacebuilders who strive to make lasting impacts in their communities or through nongovernmental organizations with international reach.

Even more exciting, our very own Director of Education and Training, Jayne Waithitu, has been nominated by the United States Institute of Peace as one of ten finalists for the prestigious 2021 Women Building Peace Award. The winner, announced later in 2021, will be awarded a $10,000 grant.

In addition to coaching mediators of all levels from around the world, Jayne founded the Peace Warriors Organization, a woman-led peacebuilding nonprofit based in Kenya. Through the PWO program, she and the other women “peace warriors” in the organization have brokered peace agreements within and between high conflict regions. She has gained the respect and cooperation of government and traditional leaders alike throughout Kenya.

Inspired by Rwandan post-genocide peacebuilding processes aimed at creating a national identity founded on trust and dignity that fostered harmony and healing, Jayne recognized that women have an important role to play in grassroots peacebuilding efforts. Read more about Jayne’s work and her nomination as a finalist to the USIP Women Building Peace Award here.

Additionally, because of Jayne’s strong ties to the international peacebuilding sector, Interaction Management Associated was invited by the Quaker United Nations Office to join organizations around the world in signing a shared statement with a powerful vision on how we will foster a more peaceful world.

We firmly believe, as the letter states,

“Without peace, development will falter. Without justice, hope will wither. Without inclusion, we will all be left behind.”

The commitments detailed in this letter have inspired us to be more intentional about weaving equity and sustainability values throughout our course curricula.

Significance of Peace Day Around the World

For some, world peace wishes appear in annual new year’s greetings, prayers or holiday hymns. Many of us who work under the umbrella of conflict resolution can get caught up in the processes, procedures and technicalities of our work and forget that, ultimately, what our clients want, above all, is some semblance of harmony, justice and -- yes -- peace. Occasionally, we see news about peacebuilders “over there” brokering peace agreements or cease-fires in distant lands. And yet, for many people across our planet, peace is a distant dream for mere survival, as they attempt to escape violent conflict in their homelands. 

To get a sense of what the International Day of Peace means to our clients, students and practitioners, before we published this article, we posed this question to IMA’s over 10,000 followers across social media platforms.

Here are just a few of the inspiring responses we received:

From Mildred Lukoye, an IMA mediator based in Kenya:

International Day of Peace, to me, is a day when people should share peaceful moments with those who may have had conflicts previously; or any tough experiences before. These groups of people should be attended to and given some psychosocial support, material support notwithstanding. This day is also good for thanks giving prayers...for the peace and tranquility in our nations and the whole world.

Hajar Fartoot, from Iraq, tweeted:

World Peace Day is a day when there is no more anger and sadness and everyone is happy together... One of the symbols of world peace is the gathering of people in Arbaeen in the city of Karbala, where many people gather together and are kind and compassionate and there is no enmity or war.

From Australia, PhD peace education researcher Malineh Rezaei tweeted:

Happy International Day of Peace

24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire has been announced by the UN General Assembly and more…

Precious Titus, owner of Lagos Conflict Coach in Nigeria said Peace Day to her is:

The call to action it incites us is to continue working for peace by helping workforces build peace in their environments.

Another IMA mediator, Val Speltz, Career coach and military life cycle connector (USA) said:

My hope is that many will take a few minutes to recognize another person's dignity while acknowledging and appreciating the positive impact it has on them.

Pusshp Gupta, International lawyer-mediator in India told us:

I want to spread a message on this day: Live Life in Peace, Not in Pieces

As indicated by the above messages we received, individuals, organizations and communities around the world engage in diverse peace day activities, reflecting a range of local traditions, cultures and priorities. 

In the US, the town of Oak Ridge, Tennessee observes International Day of Peace with live music and other festivities around the community’s Friendship Bell. Oakland University in California will also celebrate Native American culture, music and traditions on Peace Day. The town of Iowa City, Iowa will commemorate the day by honoring its environmentally-friendly businesses. 

Showing remarkable dedication, two girls who immigrated from India to Australia have committed to singing 193 national anthems on September 21 to commemorate world peace.

The world’s largest annual public gathering, the Arba’een Walk, takes place later in September 2021, and is seen as a powerful symbol of universal freedom and compassion. Here you can see a photo of the event, tweeted in response to our question above, by Hajar Fartoot.

A news media outlet based in India generated a list of peace day wishes to inspire their readers to post on social media, to spread awareness and inspire peace.

International Peace Day will open in 2021 with an invitation to Somalis living around the world to submit poems to the prestigious Home of Somali Poetry Award.

Finally, Korean pop stars of the musical group BTS delivered a moving speech the day before International Day of Peace to the 76th United Nations Assembly, highlighting the commitment younger generations have to building an equitable, resilient, peaceful and sustainable world.

Why Equity and Sustainability Matter

Most of us know someone impacted by COVID-19. As the world recovers, global peace leaders challenge us to work together to rebuild a world that is inclusive, resilient and healthier. One thing the pandemic highlighted is its significant impact on economically marginalized populations around the world. Many of the world’s poorest people have little access to basic necessities for survival, let alone vaccines. The hope of one 24-hour cease-fire may provide access to life-saving medicines desperately needed in communities impacted by violent conflicts.

As stated on the United Nations website for International Day of Peace:

“The pandemic has been accompanied by a surge in stigma, discrimination, and hatred, which only cost more lives instead of saving them: the virus attacks all without caring about where we are from or what we believe in. Confronting this common enemy of humankind, we must be reminded that we are not each other’s enemy. To be able to recover from the devastation of the pandemic, we must make peace with one another.”

In addition to the Covid-19 virus, recent conflicts highlighted systemic racism, igniting global peace movements aimed at fostering equitable access to justice. The Association for Conflict Resolution’s Diversity Committee called upon its members to “make an ongoing, continuous effort of focus, creativity, determination and persistence in order to begin the transformation of the enormous racist system” in the US, causing great rifts in our communities. As this lawyer explains, transformative action can be as simple as being that first voice of courage speaking up against hate.

We must also consider the role of women working tirelessly around the world to foster peace. As the United States Institute of Peace reminds us,

“Every day, women around the world are leading movements to create enduring, peaceful societies. It’s time to recognize the invaluable but often overlooked role that women play in ending and preventing conflict.” 

The UN International Day of Peace website invites us to “create Peace Day everyday” which may seem unrealistic, in light of conflicts happening in our communities and around the globe. Yet, some scholars question the inevitability of conflict. We have many default responses to conflict, few of which naturally draws us into it. Many of us who have witnessed the effectiveness of courageous conflict engagement have faith in humanity. Bottom line, we all desire peace. For peace to be sustainable, it must not only be inclusive, but also a reflection of all humankind.

Also, as stated on the UN’s International Day of Peace website, for humankind to survive,

“we must make peace with nature. Despite the travel restrictions and economic shutdowns, climate change is not on pause. What we need is a green and sustainable global economy that produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience to climate impacts.”

As Jayne Waithitu explains in this article, she believes that “peace is life and development.” In other words, peace must be accessible and sustainable in order for us to survive on this planet.

What You Can Do

There are many simple things you can do on the International Day of Peace to start a ripple effect from wherever you are. Click here to find Peace Day events near you. If you are unable to participate in an event, consider joining fellow humans around the world for a moment of silence at noon, in whatever time zone you are located. 

Also, International Cities of Peace, lists communities across the globe that officially commemorate Peace Day. If your town is missing, check out how to establish a City of Peace. 

There is no need for you to drop everything and dedicate your life to peace at this very moment. Start small. Start where you are. Be creative. Make it an enjoyable experience.

Consider any of these activities for fostering equitable and sustainable peace:

• Become a mediator

• Teach children peace

• Do something for the environment

• Work to prevent bullying

• Join the Peace Corps or other volunteer organization

• Self-reflection and mindfulness

• Learn about suicide prevention

• Be a better listener

• Build your conflict resilience

• Make someone laugh

• Reflect on what respect means to others

• Take action to end racial injustice

• Read a book on peace or conflict resolution

• Study the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

• Share a message of peace on social media

• Get creative in a way that makes sense for you

If you’re just learning about International Peace Day for the first time, no worries. One silver lining of the global pandemic is the beauty of virtual connections. Take a moment to check out these inspiring messages of peace from diverse voices around the world.

So, whether you are a peacebuilder, mediator or just another fellow human, please join us in this 2021 International Day of Peace challenge. 

What action, small or large, will you take to foster equitable and sustainable global recovery?