2022 Theme: End racism. Build peace.
Each year the International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp 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.
But achieving true peace entails much more than laying down arms. It requires the building of societies where all members feel that they can flourish. It involves creating a world in which people are treated equally, regardless of their race.
As Secretary-General Ant¨®nio Guterres has 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.¡±
As conflicts continue to erupt across the globe, causing people to flee, we have seen race-based discrimination at borders. As COVID-19 keeps attacking our communities, we have seen how certain racial groups have been hit much harder than others. As economies suffer, we have seen hate speech and violence directed at racial minorities.
We all have a role to play in fostering peace. And tackling racism is a crucial way to contribute.
We can work to dismantle the structures that entrench racism in our midst. We can support movements for equality and human rights everywhere. We can speak out against hate speech ¨C both offline and online. We can promote anti-racism through education and reparatory justice.
The 2022 theme for the International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp is ¡°End racism. Build peace.¡± We invite you to join the efforts of the United Nations as we work towards a world free of racism and racial discrimination. A world where compassion and empathy overcome suspicion and hatred. A world that we can truly be proud of.
Blue Man Group at UN for International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp
Background
The International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp was in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.
2022 Events
The International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp was observed on 16 September 2022 at United Nations Headquarters. The programme began with the traditional ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp Bell Ceremony in the ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp Garden at 9:00 a.m. EDT. At that event, the Secretary-General and President of the General Assembly rang the ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp Bell. Following that, a Youth Observance was held in the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Chamber at 9:30 a.m. EDT, in which more than 500 students interacted with the Secretary-General and high-profile activists and artists, including the Blue Man Group. Young people presented projects that illustrated the action they had taken to combat racism and thereby foster peace.
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Highlights of the International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp Youth Observance
Related links
Secretary-General's message 2022
²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp is a noble and necessary pursuit, and the only practical pathway to a better, fairer world for all people.
Yet in too many places, in too many contexts, we are failing the cause of peace.
The theme of this year¡¯s International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp ¡ª ¡°End Racism. Build ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp.¡± ¡ª reminds us of the many ways racism poisons people¡¯s hearts and minds and erodes the peace we all seek.
Racism robs people of their rights and dignity. It inflames inequalities and mistrust. And it pushes people apart, at a time when we should be coming together, as one human family, to repair our fractured world.
Instead of fighting each other, we should be working to defeat our true enemies: racism, poverty, inequality, conflict, the climate crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic.
We should tear down structures that sustain racism, and lift up human rights movements everywhere.
And we should drown out the vicious voices of hate speech with a united and sustained cry for truth, understanding and mutual respect.
On this important day, a time to observe 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire, we renew our call for all people to do more than lay down their weapons.
We call on them to re-affirm the bonds of solidarity we share as human beings and get down to the business of building a better, more peaceful world.
Secretary-General's 100-day countdown to International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp message 2022
Every year on 21 September, the United Nations calls on all people to lay down weapons and reaffirm their commitment to living in harmony with one another.
Today, as we mark the 100-day countdown to the International Day of ²Ù±ÆÊÓƵapp, this shared aspiration is more pressing than ever.
This year¡¯s theme is ¡°End racism. Build peace.¡± Racism poisons societies, normalizes discrimination and spurs violence. We must fight it by countering hate speech, promoting dialogue and addressing the root causes of inequality.
Over the next 100 days and beyond, let us work to safeguard the human rights of all people and build peaceful and inclusive societies. Together, we can realize the vision of a world free of racism and racial discrimination.
Ant¨®nio Guterres
