21st September is the International Day of Peace!
Established by the United Nations (UN) in 1981 it’s an opportunity to celebrate the work of peacebuilders around the world, connect with other people who care about peace, and get inspired to take action.
This year, the theme of the day is Human Rights – celebrating 70 years since the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was signed. The concept of human rights is an important aspect of peace and justice – protecting individuals and groups from violence and oppression at the hands of powerful states or corporations. Human rights also uphold the principle of equality, recognising that all people are deserving of dignity and fair treatment.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said:
“It is time all nations and all people live up to the words of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognizes the inherent dignity and equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human race. This year marks the 70th anniversary of that landmark document.”
The UN suggests some actions you can take in support of human rights, this Peace Day:
- You can support SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions by seeking peaceful resolution of conflict when disagreements arise around you. You can be part of the solution by taking small steps. You can prevent an injustice at school or in your community by adopting a non-violent approach to problem solving and reporting potential crimes, including online bullying.
- You can promote human rights by collecting and promoting videos of as many articles as possible in as many languages as possible. Record yourself reading one of the 30 articles of the Declaration in any of the 135 languages currently available and share your video with your friends.
- You can engage by speaking up when others are at risk and stand with others’ human rights at work, in school and around the dinner table.
- You can reflect how each of us can stand up for rights, every day.
And if you’d like to discuss any of these ideas or learn more about peace and human rights, pop into Peace Hub for a friendly chat.