International Day of Peace 2022: Theme, history and significance

International Day of Peace 2022: The International Day of Peace is celebrated globally on September 21 every year. 

Initially, this day coincided with the opening day of the annual sessions of the General Assembly.

International Day of Peace 2022 Theme

This year's theme is “End racism. Build peace.”

Secretary-General António Guterres said racism continues to poison institutions, social structures and everyday life in every society. It continues to be a driver of persistent inequality. And it continues to deny people their fundamental human rights. It destabilizes societies, undermines democracies, erodes the legitimacy of governments, and… the linkages between racism and gender inequality are unmistakable.
 
The International Day of Peace was observed on 16 September 2022 at United Nations headquarters. The program begun with the traditional Peace Bell Ceremony in the Peace Garden.  

The Peace Bell was donated by the United Nations Association of Japan in 1954. It has become a tradition to ring the bell twice a year: on the first day of spring, at the Vernal Equinox, and on 21 September to celebrate the International Day for Peace.

The task of building peace belongs to every one of us.

Now more than ever, we need global solidarity, commitment and mutual trust.

As we ring the @UN Peace Bell, we sound the call for a world of peace for all people. #PeaceDay pic.twitter.com/M7pug7Evp3

— António Guterres (@antonioguterres) September 16, 2022

International Day of Peace History 

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.