UN Resident Coordinator, Mr. Gary Lewis: �If we, as human beings, expect the right to live in peace, what is our obligation to make that peace happen?�[/caption]Every year, the International Day of Peace is celebrated on 21 September. The theme of this year�s International Day of Peace is �Right of Peoples to Peace� in honour of the 30th anniversary of the�General Assembly Declaration on the Right of Peoples to Peace.
The�Tehran Peace Museum�also celebrated the International Day of Peace on 21 September. The event opened with the reading out of the message of the �Survivors of War� by Mr.�Mohammad Reza Taghipour Moghadam,�a war veteran and Executive Director of Tehran Peace Museum, emphasizing the necessity to promote a culture of peace.
Speaking on the occasion, the UN Resident Coordinator in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Mr. Gary Lewis, pointed to the �right to peace� aspect of the�UN Secretary General�s�message indicating that all rights have reciprocal obligations. He indicated that there are a number of things which can be considered obligations incumbent on governments and individuals to reduce the risk of conflict. According to Mr. Lewis, �If we, as human beings, expect the right to live in peace, what is our obligation to make that peace happen?� Among these obligations is the need to reduce poverty, reduce injustice, protecting the environment, improve accountability and �promote a culture of peace�. He added that the concept of �human security� should be elevated as an effective measure of security of peoples.
Former President of Iran, Dr. Seyed Mohammad Khatami: �The dialogue among civilizations should take place to confront the war among civilizations.�
The gathering was also addressed by former President Seyed Mohammad Khatami who said, �The dialogue among civilizations should take place to confront the war among civilizations.� He continued, �The warmongers and violence-seekers must leave the scene so that peace and tolerance would be established,� and highlighted, �Only through co-existence, mutual understanding, sincerity in living with others and rejoicing over their achievements can we speak about peace.� Mr. Khatami suggested, �We must listen to the messages and teachings of the peacemakers and prophets and fill life with affection and dialogue.� He also emphasized, �We must stand in solidarity with each other so that the wishes of the warmongers would be rescinded in the bud.�
Speaking�at the event, the Director and Representative of UNESCO Cluster Office in Tehran, Ms. Esther Kuisch Laroche, called for solidarity amongst all and underscored the importance of fostering �dialogue, understanding and trust between people� in order to achieve peace, and said �education, science, culture and art are all important tools to bring us together�.
The International Day of Peace was established in 1981. In 2001, a General Assembly�resolution�declared 21 September as an annual day of non-violence and cease-fire. Since then, the UN encourages the day to be commemorated through raising public awareness on issues related to peace.
Click�here�for more information about the World Peace Day.
By United Nations In Iran
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