Peace bell rings at UN amid cacophony of conflict
New York, US (PANA) - With more conflicts on Earth than ever before since the end of World War II, the Peace Bell rang on,12 September, at the United Nations headquarters in New York.
As he does every year on the occasion of the International Day of Peace, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres rang the bell, accompanied by Annalena Baerbock, the new President of the United Nations General Assembly, who took office this week, UN News reported.
This bell was presented to the UN in 1954 by the United Nations Association of Japan, an NGO that represented the country before it was a member of the organisation. A symbol of peace and universality, it was created from coins from around the world and bears the Japanese inscription: "Long live absolute world peace."
In a speech at the ceremony, Mr. Guterres highlighted the paradox between this ode to peace and the current international context. “The United Nations was born from the ashes of war to pursue the cause of peace. (…) But today, peace is threatened. Conflicts are multiplying. Civilians are suffering. Human rights and international law are being flouted, leaving behind scenes that shame our common humanity,” he said.
With 10 days to go before the General Assembly's high-level week, when world leaders will discuss issues related to peacekeeping and conflict resolution, the Secretary-General's words carried a special urgency.
Since its creation in 1945, the United Nations has advocated a much broader vision of peace than its proper definition in international law. It now includes the notion of dignity, as well as socio-economic, humanitarian, and ecological factors.
“This peace bell reminds us that even the smallest contributions can forge something lasting,” the Secretary-General said. “Even in a fractured world, we can come together to ring out peace. Let us answer that call.”
The International Days of Peace were established in 1981 and, starting in 2001, became a period of non-violence during which every country at war is expected to observe a ceasefire. The theme of this annual edition of the day is "Act for a Peaceful World." It emphasises the universal nature of the concept of peace and the role of each individual in promoting it.
“We know that peace does not happen by chance,” said António Guterres. “We must act to silence the guns … to protect civilians … to address the root causes of conflict … to invest in prevention, dialogue and trust … to support peacebuilders, especially women and young people, who are on the front lines of hope.”
Before ringing the bell, Annalena Baerbock reiterated the United Nations' responsibility to maintain peace. Despite the proliferation of conflicts around the world, she concluded with a message of hope, countering the current challenge to multilateralism: "Would there be fewer wars without the UN? Certainly not. This is not the time to give up. This is the time to redouble our efforts."
-0- PANA MA 13Sept2025
