International Day Of Living Together In Peace

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“The International Day of Living Together in Peace reminds us of all the work that remains to be done to achieve and maintain peace and non-violence. The importance of this work must never be underestimated and there will always be more to be done."- Audrey Azoulay UNESCO Director-General. Why is it that as neighbours we cannot live together in peace? Today’s world is characterized by high levels of intolerance and conflicts. Communities are engaged in long standing wars among each other, so too are families. The ongoing war in Ukraine launched by Russia is one prime example of the political, economic and social instability in our post World War 2 society. One only has to pause for a few seconds and look at the situations in neighbouring Haiti, in far away countries such as Sudan to reinforce that the world is in a crisis. Unfortunately, the international community continues to search for peace through the means of wars. This backyard solution to find that elusive peace has not worked and will not. The Prince of Peace. We live in a perpetual time of war. This title, “Prince of Peace,” presents Jesus as the antidote to the peace we are searching for in the world. His peace doesn’t just have the potential to impact our environments, such as our homes, places of work, or schools. Jesus’ peace provides peace for our minds where the most hostile war occurs. Even when our circumstances are not peaceful, our hearts and minds can be filled with peace because of Jesus. One of my favourite Bible verses speaks to the eternal peace that only Jesus can give. In one of his discourses to his disciples, Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” –St. John 14:27. The heart of man is exceedingly evil. The fact is only God can change the heart of man. In order for us to have true peace and sustainable development, the hearts of mankind must be changed. Too many countries continue to suffer from underdevelopment simply because there is a lack of peace. Living together in peace is all about accepting differences and having the ability to listen to, recognize, respect and appreciate others, as well as living in a peaceful and united way. The United Nations General-Assembly, in its resolution 72/130, declared May 16th the International Day of Living Together in Peace, as a means of regularly mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding and solidarity. The Day aims to uphold the desire to live and act together, united in differences and diversity, in order to build a sustainable world of peace, solidarity and harmony. The United Nations adds that the day also invites countries to further promote reconciliation to help to ensure peace and sustainable development by working with communities, faith leaders and other relevant actors, through reconciliatory measures and acts of service and by encouraging forgiveness and compassion among individuals. Background. Following the devastation of the Second World War, the United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war. One of its purposes is to achieve international cooperation in solving international problems by promoting and encouraging respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language or religion. In 1997, the General-Assembly proclaimed - by its resolution 52/15 — the year 2000 as the "International Year for a Culture of Peace". In 1998, it proclaimed the period 2001-2010 as the "International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for Children of the World." In 1999 the United Nations General-Assembly adopted the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace, which serves as the universal mandate for the international community, particularly the United Nations system, to promote a culture of peace and non-violence that benefits all of humanity, including future generations. The declaration came about as a result of the long-held and cherished concept contained within the Constitution of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) that "since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed." The Declaration embraces the principle that peace is not merely the absence of conflict, but also requires a positive, dynamic participatory process, in which dialogue is encouraged and conflicts are resolved in a spirit of mutual understanding and cooperation. The Declaration also recognizes that to fulfill such an aspiration, there is a need to eliminate all forms of discrimination and intolerance, including those based on race, color, sex, language, religion, political or other opinion, national, ethnic or social origin, property, disability, birth or other status.
Sustainable Development Goals. The United Nations Sustainable Development #16 speaks to the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development. The United Nations states that ongoing and new violent conflicts around the world are derailing a global path to peace and achievement of SDG 16. One quarter of humanity lives in conflict-affected areas and as of May 2022, a record 100 million people had been forcibly displaced worldwide--more than double the number a decade ago. Citizens also face challenges accessing justice, basic services/legal guarantees and are generally underrepresented due to ineffective institutions. Moreover, structural injustices, inequalities and emerging human rights challenges are putting peaceful and inclusive societies further out of reach. In order to meet SDG16 by 2030, action is needed to restore trust and to strengthen the capacity of institutions to secure justice for all and facilitate transitions to drive sustainable development. Globally, about 457,000 people were victims of homicide in 2021 the highest number of victims in the last 20 years. Jamaica with a population of approximately 3 million people recorded 1,474 homicides for 2021 this is among the highest in the world on a per capita basis. The UN argues that the noticeable spike in killings in 2021 can be partly attributed to the economic repercussions of COVID-related restrictions, as well as an escalation of gang-related and socio-political violence in several countries. The homicide rate was 5.8 per 100,000 populations, marginally lower than in 2015 (at 5.9 per 100,000). Men and boys represent about 80% of victims and 90% of suspects. In 2022, the United Nations recorded 16,988 killings of civilians in armed conflicts: a 53% increase compared to 2021, and the first increase since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda. Four out of ten deaths occurred in Ukraine. One in five was a woman. The proportion of deaths by heavy weapons and explosive munitions increased significantly, from 13% in 2021 to 39% in 2022, in contrast to the steady decline over the previous five years. Based on survey data from 114 countries, on average, approximately 69% of the population report feeling safe or very safe walking alone around the area in which they live after dark, a figure that has remained stable over the period 2016-2021. Women continue to feel significantly less safe than men. Numerous wars have been fought over the centuries; yet we live in a world where wars and the rumours of wars are constantly making their rounds. We should never distance ourselves from the global conflicts. The world is very much unsafe. It is time that we truly give peace a chance to work. Those who are behind the ongoing wars must be big enough to sit at the negotiating table and work towards peace. We must always be mindful that without Jesus as part of the process there will never be peace. In the words of Albert Einstein, peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding. Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues. waykam@yahoo.com @WayneCamo © #InternationalDayofLivingTogetherInPeace

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