The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") is a global holiday for individuals, organizations and nations to celebrate peacebuilding and peacemaking on a shared date.

This annual International Day of Peace was established by the UN as a "global call for ceasefire and non-violence... a time to reflect on the horror and cost of war and the benefits of peacefully resolving our disputes."

Established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly, the first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982. In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.  "International Peace Day" has grown to include millions of people around the world who participate in all kinds of events, large and small. The Teach Peace Foundation celebrates the day each year with an Evening of Peace awards dinner.

You might wonder how peacebuilding is different from peacemaking. Peacebuilding is creating a long-term culture of peace while peacemaking is solving specific disputes. The Teach Peace Foundation programs are peacebuilding.

During the discussion of the U.N. Resolution that established the International Day of Peace, it was suggested that:

"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."

Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.

Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.

International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.

Source: Modified from http://internationaldayofpeace.org/about/background.html.