21 September 2006

On the 21 st of September the world observes the International Day of Peace. It was in 1981 that the United Nations General Assembly first declared this Day as an opportunity to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly subsequently refined its objective, to ‘a day of global ceasefire and non-violence, an invitation to all nations and people to honour a cessation of hostilities for the duration of the Day’.

Today, the need for peace appears more relevant than ever before. We are confronted almost daily with news of acts of violence shaking some part of our globalized world. Faced with such events – and the suffering, destruction and loss of life they cause – we are impelled to renew our efforts to break the cycle of violence and hostility. And we must do everything in our power to ensure that the grief and resentment caused by such events do not jeopardize our work to secure peace in the future.

This challenge lies at the heart of UNESCO’s mandate. Founded in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War, UNESCO’s constitutional objective is “to build peace in the minds of men”. The purpose of the Organization is to promote peace and security through international cooperation in the areas of education, culture, science and communication.

How, then, are we to transform a culture of war and violence into a culture of peace? A culture of peace is contingent upon the respect of cultural and religious differences and the recognition that these differences reflect the rich diversity of humankind. It therefore requires a commitment to dialogue and to mutual knowledge and understanding between civilizations, cultures and peoples. To achieve a culture of peace the principles of diversity and dialogue must be deeply embedded within each and everyone of us.

In this respect, the provision of quality education for all is key. Quality education is one of the most powerful tools for conquering the evils of ignorance and hate, and for promoting the values of tolerance, justice and equality. Through quality education we can develop a fuller understanding of other civilizations, and learn to respect and appreciate our cultural and religious differences. Instead of resolving conflicts with violence, we will be inspired to turn to dialogue and peaceful negotiation. Education will be particularly critical in tackling the surging trend of violence among youth, a trend that threatens the stability of various regions.

In cooperation with its Member States, UNESCO is working to promote quality education for all by revisiting and revising educational content and reorienting and training teachers so that education encompasses all elements of human development – including values, knowledge, attitudes and skills, as well as the capacities for the non-violent resolution of conflicts. The Organization also has the special responsibility, bestowed by the United Nations General Assembly, of leading the International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non- Violence for the Children of the World (2001-2010).

As part of its work in this area, UNESCO has established the Prize for Peace Education. The 2006 Prize will be awarded today, on the International Day of Peace, to Mr. Christopher Gregory Weeramantry ( Sri Lanka), in recognition of his ongoing commitment to the concept and culture of peace. As Chairman of the Weeramantry International Centre for Peace Education and Research (WICPER), which he founded in 2001, Mr Weeramantry has made a valuable contribution to the promotion of peace education, human rights, intercultural education, social integration, interfaith understanding, environmental protection, international law, disarmament and sustainable development.

The Fundación para la Reconciliación ( Colombia) will receive Special Mention under the Prize for its efforts in applying the concept of “emotional literacy” as a means of promoting forgiveness and reconciliation, especially among peasants from Colombia’s poorest areas. Created in 2001, the Fundación para la Reconciliación is engaged in developing a charter that would create a system of reconciliation with universal relevance.

These are two outstanding examples of people working to alert public opinion and mobilize the conscience of humanity in the cause of peace. Still, we must not lose sight of the fact that we are all agents of forgiveness and reconciliation, and as such we all have an important role to play in building and nurturing a culture peace. I call on the entire UNESCO community – Member States, National Commissions, non-governmental organizations, the media and staff – to seize the opportunity of the International Day of Peace to solemnly recommit ourselves to making a peaceful world a reality.