KABUL (Pajhwok): United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says the world is facing a dangerous deficit of peace, while violence and division are destabilising societies.
In his message marking September 21, International Day of Peace, Guterres said conflicts were increasing in scale and complexity, crossing borders and inflicting widespread suffering on people.
According to him, dialogue is facing difficulties, solutions appear out of reach and global solidarity is also in short supply.
However, the UN chief said people around the world were showing that they were not powerless in the face of this situation.
He added that volunteers, activists, civil society leaders, peacekeepers and peacebuilders were working to create peace at the community level by bridging divisions, bringing communities together and advancing dialogue.
Guterres said this year’s theme for the International Day of Peace, “Invest in Peace: For All, Everywhere, Every Day”, showed that achieving peace was neither passive nor automatic, but required conscious decisions and investment to build a better future.
He stressed the need to build inclusive societies and invest in sustainable development, health, education, nutrition and social protection, saying gaps between people should be reduced and everyone should be given an opportunity to be heard.
The UN secretary-general also stressed the need to protect the rights and dignity of all people and strengthen peaceful tools, including diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping.
At the end of his message, Guterres urged people to draw inspiration from those working for peace in their neighbourhoods, classrooms and communities, and called on world leaders to invest in building a peaceful future for all.
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