PEACE DAY CELEBRATED HERE

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ In a world where the media daily reports news of human conflict and prejudice of all kinds, including racial, gender, class, political and religious prejudice, Mongolia's annual celebration of UN International day of Peace on September 21st stands out as a call for unity and peace. On the International Day of Peace, the United Nations called for a complete cessation of hostilities around the world. This will be the eleventh year that the different religious communities in Mongolia have cooperated with the United Nations by joining countries throughout the world in observing the Peace Day. The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day"), established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly, provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982 and in 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace. The theme of this year’s observance is “Sustainable Peace for a Sustainable Future”. During the day on Friday September 21, each of the religious communities in Mongolia were holding prayers and meditations for peace in their various places of worship. The ceremony was opened at 11.00 am with the programme of prayers from all faiths represented in Mongolia around the Peace Bell in Sukhbaatar Square. The Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Mongolia, Ms Sezin Sinanoglu opened the ceremony and read the Peace Message from the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon, and called for one minute of silence for Peace. The ceremony was closed by Mr. Tsedendamba, representing the President of Mongolia’s Council of Religious Affairs. This simple ceremony around the Peace Bell, demonstrates that peace is central to the spiritual teachings of all faiths, and echoes the ringing of the Peace Bell at the United Nations Headquarters every year on the International Day of Peace. The Peace Bell in New York was cast in 1954 from coins donated by children from 60 countries, and was a gift from the UN Association of Japan. For half a century since, the bell has sent a powerful message around the world about humankind’s aspiration for peace. On “Peace Day” here the Peace Bell reminded us of the oneness of humankind, the oneness of all religions and the need for peace, unity and tolerance among the peoples of the world.