International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace, occasionally formally referred to as World Peace Day, is an internationally-honored holiday observed each year on 21 September to mark the absence of conflict and war, including the elimination of war fighters and weapons in armed conflicts. Peace celebrations are generally observed across cultures on this day, although the primary source of global concern about peace is usually the lack of violence and war in other parts of the world, especially in areas where ethnic or religious rivalries are high. Peace celebrations are notable on this day because they allow citizens to express their solidarity with other nations that have gone through difficult times, like during the Iraq War or conflict in Darfur (South Africa), or for other humanitarian causes.

Peace celebrations can also celebrate events that have been deemed critical to the cause of world peace. These include the signing of the Outer Space Treaty by the United States and Russia, as well as the signing of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty by the USA and Russia. Peace celebrations may also take place to mark International Youth Day, the World AIDS Day, or the promotion of sports, such as ice hockey and cricket. Some other causes that may be considered worthy of celebrations on this day include the fight against poverty and hunger, and the fight against child trafficking. Many of these causes attract participants from all around the globe, especially in countries with large ethnic or cultural differences, like Germany, Russia, and China, as well as from different countries that are members of the Commonwealth of Nations (an amalgamation of countries from Europe, Asia, and North America).

An annual International Day of Peace is sometimes held on this date to raise awareness about the issue of world peace. In years past, there have been a number of proposals made in an attempt to make this day more noteworthy in terms of global attention, and to get fellow nations involved. One of these proposals was to make the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) the official endorser of the International Day of Peace. This proposal was opposed by the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Japan, India, and Pakistan, among other nations, but was eventually passed. Today, the United Nations Security Council is recognized by many nations as the sole authority on resolutions concerning peace and security throughout the world.