Peace Days
In 1981, the United Nations declared September 21st to be the International Day of Peace (IDP). IDP provides an opportunity to highlight and encourage the development of activities aimed at creating a kinder, more peaceful and more harmonious society.
Since 2015, the Peace Network for Social Harmony has had the pleasure of coordinating Montreal’s Peace Days celebrations, with activities taking place before, after and on the IDP itself. We feel fortunate to work with so many wonderful partners in this initiative, including those from the community, cultural, educational, and philanthropic sectors. These partners organize an array of activities each year that enable Montrealers to contemplate and to take concrete action for peace.
The Peace Network assembles these activities under the banner of Peace Days; it is a special moment on the calendar to highlight the peace builders of our city and their tremendous efforts. The rich and diversified Peace Days programming includes more than fifty activities each year, grouped into four main categories: In Dialogue; Learning; Community; and Arts and Culture. Given the current health context, many activities this year will take place online.
Peace Days will take place over twelve days, from September 21st, the International Day of Peace, to October 2nd, the International Day of Non-violence.
We encourage you to become involved, organize your Peace Days activity and register it with our platform!
Take Action for Equality: End racism. Build peace
8th edition, Peace Days 2022
Taking action for justice, equality and inclusion is everyone’s responsibility. Participate in Peace Days and be part of the movement!
To commemorate the International Day of Peace, the United Nations invites us in 2022 to end racism and build peace. The organization invites us to “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.”
The United Nations reminds us that “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 António 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”.
The United Nations stresses our joint responsibility in promoting sustainable peace. “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 – both offline and online. We can promote anti-racism through education and reparatory justice.”
Each of our individual and collective actions has a direct impact on our social fabric and our shared living environments. Our actions can help build a just, egalitarian, inclusive, non-violent and harmonious society.
Be an actor for peace, work together for equality!
We invite you to follow us on social media, using following keywords:
#peacedays | #peaceinaction| #itsonme | #endracism
#journeesdelapaix | #agirpourlegalite | #jesuisresponsable | #mettrefinauracisme
Source: United nations. 2022 Theme: End racism. Build peace.
