International Day of Living Together in Peace

16 May

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 UN General-Assembly, in its resolution 72/130, declared 16 May 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 Day invites countries to further promote reconciliation to help to ensure peace and sustainable development, including 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.

MESSAGE FROM THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL

"In a world in which we regularly witness tensions, acts of hatred, rejection of others and discrimination, the pursuit of peace and the will to live together harmoniously is more crucial than ever. UNESCO, and the United Nations as a whole, is striving on a daily-basis to provide people with the means to achieve peace, not only because peace is one of the major goals of the 2030 Agenda, but also because it is a precondition for sustainable development and for the common good."

— Audrey Azoulay Director-General, on the occasion of the International Day of Living Together in Peace