The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the United Nations General Assembly. Two decades later, in 2001, the General Assembly unanimously voted to designate the Day as a period of non-violence and cease-fire.

The process to heal from the Covid-19 pandemic has started in 2021. However, we have seen the pandemic hitting the underprivileged and marginalised groups the hardest. According to the UN, “By April 2021, over 687 million COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered globally, but over 100 countries have not received a single dose”. We have noticed the sad reality that people in conflict are most vulnerable and struggle with access to healthcare. Additionally, we have lived an increase in stigma, discrimination, and hatred, which only costs humanity more lives than saving them. 

The 21 September of Each year is the International Day of Peace. This day is a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace through observing 24 hours of non-violence and cease-fire. The 2021 theme for the International Day of Peace is “Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world”. 

In IFM-SEI Aims and Principles, we believe in the following about peace: ‘Peace is more than just the absence of war. We are dedicated to a world free from abuse, war, bullying, discrimination, exclusion and fear. We choose peace and peace education that criticises reality, but that also gives an alternative where conflicts are peacefully transformed.’ 

We strongly believe that real peace comes through a change in society’s values as a whole and can only really be achieved in a truly democratic and equal world. Conflict, violence and war can have a profound and long-lasting detrimental effect on children and young people in particular. At the same time, children and young people play a vitally important role in transforming conflict and choosing peace. Hence, IFM-SEI uses socialist education as our main tool to reach our aims and principles. 

IFM-SEI approach of socialist education asks how we, as collective actors worldwide, change the social system responsible for creating the divisions, whether around climate crisis, peace, race, gender, children, and class. Therefore, IFM-SEI conducted several projects through our approach, explicitly Building Bridges and Resist! Projects.   

 “Critical reflection on practice is a requirement of the relationship between theory and practice. Otherwise, theory becomes simply “blah, blah, blah,” and practice, pure activism.” – Paulo Freire

How can you Critically reflect so that we shape peace together’?

• Reflect on your local reality: 
  • How peaceful is your city, your region, your country?
  • What does the lack or presence of peacefulness mean for your own life and that of your families?
  • How can you positively affect the peacefulness around you?
• Raise awareness for violations of peace:
  • Does your media mention non-violent and violent conflicts beyond the daily headline?
  • Do your politicians advocate for Human Rights and Children’s Rights within your own country or concerning the vaccine redistribution among other countries?
  • Do industries invest in conflicts or do business with governments violating their citizens’ right to peace?
• Practice the theory:
  • What could you do for the individual members around you?
  • What can you do within your local, regional, and/or national group for peace?
  • How can you reach out to those in your community whose right to dignity and well-being is hurt in small or big ways?

We thrive on celebrating peace every Day around the year in a world of compassion, kindness, solidarity, equality, equity, and sustainability.