Hieronder vind je de toespraak van de Secretaris-Generaal van de V.N. ter gelegenheid van de Internationale Dag van Vrede, morgen 21 september (in het Engels). Vrede tussen landen is van primair belang, want oorlogen en revolutie veroorzaken onmetelijke maatschappelijke en persoonlijke catastrofes. De Verenigde Naties zijn opgericht om te voorkomen dat er nieuwe oorlogen ontstaan. Daar hebben ze een belangrijke bijdrage aan geleverd, maar helaas zijn we er nog niet. Zelfs het machtigste lichaam van de Verenigde Naties, de Veiligheidsraad, kan individuele naties niet altijd dwingen het pad van de vrede te kiezen.
Niet alleen is vrede op wereldniveau belangrijk, het is dat heel zeker ook op maatschappelijk en persoonlijk gebied. We hebben allemaal behoeften aan liefde en vrede. Om die vrede een sterke basis te geven is er rechtvaardigheid nodig op alle vlakken, internationaal nationaal en in ons persoonlijke leven. Daar is nog wel het nodige te doen. De inkomensongelijkheid tussen en binnen landen wordt groter en de emancipatie van de vrouw en andere minderheden laat te wensen over. Belangen zijn divers en vaak tegengesteld. We beschikken in de meeste westerse landen over een solide rechtssysteem wat die verschillende belangen naar oplossingen kan dirigeren. Maar er blijft nog een grijs gebied van interpersoonlijke en genderverschillen. We moeten leren problemen te benoemen, uit te praten en door oplossingen te vervangen.
Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world
Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.
In 2021, as we heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are inspired to think creatively and collectively about how to help everyone recover better, how to build resilience, and how to transform our world into one that is more equal, more just, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier.
The pandemic is known for hitting the underprivileged and marginalized groups the hardest. By April 2021, over 687 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, but over 100 countries have not received a single dose. People caught in conflict are especially vulnerable in terms of lack of access to healthcare.
In line with the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire last March, in February 2021 the Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for Member States to support a “sustained humanitarian pause” to local conflicts. The global ceasefire must continue to be honoured, to ensure people caught in conflict have access to lifesaving vaccinations and treatments.
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.
And 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.
The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. We invite you to join the efforts of the United Nations family as we focus on recovering better for a more equitable and peaceful world. Celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover.
Background
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
