September 21: World Peace Day

Every year, the World Peace Day is celebrated on September 21. The day is also called International Day of Peace. It is celebrated by the United Nations and also by the other world organisations.

Highlights

The World Peace Day was first established by the United Nations in 1981. It was dedicated to peace education by the United Nations in 2013. Every year the United Nations Peace Bell is rung at the United Nations headquarters in New York city on the World Peace Day. This marks the inauguration of the day.

This year the day is being celebrated under the theme

Theme:  Shaping Peace Together

According to the United Nations, the day is dedicated to strengthen peace in the world. This is being done by observing 24 hours of nonviolence and ceasefire all over the world.

Peace Bell

The peace bell at the United Nations headquarters in New York city was an official gift of the Japanese people to the organisation. It was presented on June 8 1954 when Japan was not officially admitted to the United Nations. The bell was made from metal in the coins donated by delegates of 60 Nations that attended the 13th general conference of United Nations. It was held in Paris France in 1951.  This Peace Bell is rung twice a year. The bell is tolled on the first day of the spring, when the United Nations celebrates Earth Day. The Earth day is celebrated on April 22 to promote environmental protection.  The bell is then rung on the eve of opening of United Nations general assembly which usually coincides with the International Day of peace.

Symbol of World Peace Day

Dove is the symbol of world peace day as well. In 1949, the ‘”Dove of Peace” painting of the legendary Spanish artist Picasso was chosen as the Emblem of first International Peace Conference that was held in Paris. Eventually, dove was adopted as symbol of peace at every peace conferences then on.

Month: Current Affairs - September, 2020