UN Peace Day, 21st September 2021

Peace Day 2021

As we observe the world, its people and the challenges we all face in our time, a call goes out to all who have within them the seeds of Peace – to all who have an understanding of the One World shared by the One Humanity – knowing that we all have common needs and common goals within a rich diversity of expression – that there is room and sustenance sufficient for us all on this planet – that there is nothing to fight for or against when we know one another within the one body of Humanity. ”
~ Merle Stubbs, Seeds of Peace

2021 Theme: Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world

Each year, the Secretary General rings the Peace Bell at UN Headquarters and calls on the people of the world to observe a minute of silence at 12 noon local time, setting up a wave of silence beginning in New Zealand and flowing around the world to end in Samoa almost 48 hours later.

The General Assembly has declared this a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace. It calls on all nations and people to reaffirm their commitment to living in harmony with one another by observing 24 hours focused on building the culture of peace together.

This Year’s Message from the United Nations

Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The UN General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire.

In 2021, as we heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, we are inspired to think creatively and collectively about how to help everyone recover better, how to build resilience, and how to transform our world into one that is more equal, more just, equitable, inclusive, sustainable, and healthier.

The pandemic is known for hitting the underprivileged and marginalized groups the hardest. By April 2021, over 687 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, but over 100 countries have not received a single dose. People caught in conflict are especially vulnerable in terms of lack of access to healthcare.

In line with the Secretary-General’s appeal for a global ceasefire last March, in February 2021 the Security Council unanimously passed a resolution calling for Member States to support a “sustained humanitarian pause” to local conflicts. The global ceasefire must continue to be honoured, to ensure people caught in conflict have access to lifesaving vaccinations and treatments.

The pandemic has been accompanied by a surge in stigma, discrimination, and hatred, which only cost more lives instead of saving them: the virus attacks all without caring about where we are from or what we believe in. Confronting this common enemy of humankind, we must be reminded that we are not each other’s enemy. To be able to recover from the devastation of the pandemic, we must make peace with one another.

And we must make peace with nature. Despite the travel restrictions and economic shutdowns, climate change is not on pause. What we need is a green and sustainable global economy that produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience to climate impacts.

The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. We invite you to join the efforts of the United Nations family as we focus on recovering better for a more equitable and peaceful world. Celebrate peace by standing up against acts of hate online and offline, and by spreading compassion, kindness, and hope in the face of the pandemic, and as we recover.

Visit the UN web page for more formation.

What we can do

On Tuesday, September 21st, we invite you to take peace into the world.  Forgive someone in your life, bring peace into your workplace, or organize a peace project.  

To support this Day on a spiritual level, this year there will be a wide variety of initiatives for silence, meditation and prayer – including the Global Silent Minute which is supporting the annual appeal for a silent minute to be observed at 12.00 noon in every time zone.

Join the International Day of Peace PEACEWAVE at 11:45 am in every time zone.  Visit the Facebook page for more details.  Join the Wave Zoom meeting at this link: 8984 657 1811 

24 Hour Global Meditation vigil

To support this Day on a spiritual level, the UN Days & Years Meditation Initiative and Intuition in Service coordinate an international Vigil for the 24 hours of September 21st in all time zones – with the object of joining with people of goodwill around the world to help create an atmosphere of mind and heart that is conducive to the emergence of a culture of peace and goodwill.

 A Pulse of Invocative Energy

Every 15 minutes, in every time zone, groups and individuals from around the world are invited to use an Invocation for Peace and for the values needed to create the culture of peace. Imagine the rhythmic pulse of invocation flowing from around the globe every 15 minutes – beginning and ending the 15-minute period with a sounding of the Great Invocation, or the Peace Invocation ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’, or an invocation or prayer for world peace of your choice,

How to participate:

1. Begin precisely on the quarter hour for the times you have undertaken to participate in the vigil by using the Great Invocation, ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ or another invocation or world prayer.
2. Link in thought with the others who are linking at the same precise time as you and then with everyone in the world who will be acting for peace on this special day.
3. Reflect on humanity’s need for light, love and spiritual purpose… and recognise that each person has a role to play in creating cultures of peace and goodwill.
4. Visualise the lighted, loving energies that can create the mental and emotional understanding and atmosphere within which right relations and peace can flourish in ourselves, our communities, our nations, and our world
5. Use the Great Invocation, ‘May Peace Prevail on Earth’ or another world prayer of your choice precisely on the end of the quarter hour. As you do this think of the rhythmic pulse of invocation flooding the mental environment of the planet.

~ ~ ~ Inspirations ~ ~ ~

The Spirit of Peace

The Spirit of Peace will, when the right time comes, vitalise the responsiveness of humanity, via the influence of the Hierarchy, to the will of God which has for basic intent the bringing of peace on earth. What is peace? It is essentially the establishing of right human relations, of synthetic rapport with its resultant cooperation, of correct interplay between the three planetary centres and an illumined, loving understanding of the will of God as it affects humanity and works out divine intent.”
The Externalisation of the Hierarchy page 161-2

The Reappearance

When the Christ, the Avatar of Love, makes His reappearance then will the
‘Sons of men who are now the Sons of God withdraw Their faces from the shining light and radiate that light upon the sons of men who know not yet they are the Sons of God. Then shall the Coming One appear, His footsteps hastened through the valley of the shadow by the One of awful power Who stands upon the mountain top, breathing out love eternal, light supernal and peaceful, silent Will.
‘Then will the sons of men respond. Then will a newer light shine forth into the dismal, weary vale of earth. Then will new life course through the veins of men, and then will their vision compass all the ways of what may be.
‘So peace will come again on earth, but a peace unlike aught known before. Then will the will-to-good flower forth as understanding, and understanding blossom as goodwill in men.”
The Reappearance of the Christ page 14

Humanity on the verge of great things

We stand today on the verge of great things.  Humanity is on its way with renewed impetus.  It stands no longer at the crossroads, but irrevocable decisions have been made, and the race is moving forward along a path which will lead it eventually into light and peace.  It will find its way into “the peace which passeth understanding” because it will be a peace which is independent of outer conditions and which is not based upon what present humanity defines as peace.  The peace which lies ahead of the race is the peace of serenity and of joy—a serenity, based upon spiritual understanding; and a serenity is not an astral condition but a soul reaction.  These qualities are not achieved as the result of disciplining the emotional nature, but demonstrate as a natural, automatic realignment.  These two qualities of the soul—serenity and joy—are the indications that the soul, the ego, the One Who stands alone, is controlling or dominating the personality, circumstance, and all environing conditions of life in the three worlds.”
Esoteric Psychology Volume II, page 200

Seeds of peace

“Peace in our time As we observe the world, its people and the challenges we all face in our time, a call goes out to all who have within them the seeds of Peace – to all who have an understanding of the One World shared by the One Humanity – knowing that we all have common needs and common …” – read more commentary by Merle Stubbs