International Day of Living Together in Peace – 16 May

The International Day of Living Together in Peace is observed on 16th May every year across the globe since 2018. The main objective of observing the day is to speak regarding accepting differences and one can listen to, recognize and respect people and promote peace, moderation, tolerance, inclusion, understanding, and solidarity.

It’s a day for all of us to unite, share in our differences and diversity, encourage reconciliation and build a sustainable world of peace. Peace is always the goal. On this day, the United Nations seeks to promote a world of peace and non-violence through understanding.

History of International Day of Peace

The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by a unanimous United Nations resolution (A/RES/36/67) to create and build up a culture of peace across the countries. On December 8, 2017, at its 72nd session, the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted Resolution 72/130 by a consensus of its 193 member states establishing May 16 as an annual “International Day of Living Together in Peace”.

It is a means of regularly mobilizing the efforts of the international community to promote peace, tolerance, inclusion, understanding, and solidarity. It is an opportunity for all to express the deep desire to live and act together, united in difference and diversity, to build a sustainable world based on peace, solidarity, and harmony.

This idea came from Sheikh Khaled Bentounes, Honorary President of AISA International NGO, who initiated the Day. “We always have need of those smaller than oneself. No one can claim to have the whole; everyone has a part. Let us put ourselves in synergy; let us put our knowledge, our assets, and our will at the service of peace for all.

Let us increase our investment in the culture of peace to extinguish the fire of hatred with the altruistic impetus of love…. I address this humanity of which each one of you is depositary, and humbly ask you to make this “International Day of Living Together in Peace” a reminder of the preciousness and urgency of the reconciliation of the human family,” said Sheikh Khaled Bentounes addressing the UN Assembly,

The United Nations invites all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities during the Day and to otherwise commemorate the Day through education and public awareness on issues related to peace. The day is an opportunity for everyone to share the deep desire to live and act together, united in difference and diversity, to build a sustainable world based on peace, solidarity, and harmony. May 16, 2018, marked the first celebration of the IDLTP. Thirteen countries participated: Algeria, Swiss, Germany, France, Morocco, Cameroun, the Netherlands, Belgium, Congo, Spain, Benin, Canada, and Indonesia.

Imagine a world with fewer conflicts, less violence, less individualism, less predation towards nature, imagine a world where the difference would be an asset, where education for peace would be a priority, a world where humanity would build its future with one another and not one against the other. This world is possible if each of us works together in synergy with the other to build a society of living better together in peace

The actions

The actions of the International Day of Living Together in Peace (IDLTP) center on eight themes.

Through citizen action and shared reflection, IDLTP seeks to synergize consciences through which the virtues and qualities of every man and woman are put forward.

IDLTP seeks to build bridges. Through social networks, it promotes the brewing of fertile ideas and the transmission of skills, offering a message of hope to the youth of all countries.

IDLTP organizes a platform on ecology, convinced that sustainable development promotes lasting peace by encouraging dialogue with all actors in the economy. It highlights the connection and interdependence between man and nature. It supports informing, educating, and promoting innovative practices.

IDLTP invites us to draw from the common heritage of the wisdom of humanity to reconnect with peace and spirituality. By calling us to revisit the sacred texts, it highlights their universal character. It thus promotes reconciliation between the cultures and traditions of the human family while nourishing a living spirituality that gives meaning to life.

IDLTP offers a stage for the music and art of the Five Continents. It calls on musicians and artists to celebrate this event and federate people through the richness, creativity, and beauty of our differences.

IDLTP is committed to promoting gender equality and harmony. It recalls that it is in the light of feminine energy, which is an essential source of peace, that the reconciliation between men and women and their complementarity in unity can be achieved.

IDLTP promotes an architecture with a human face based on the notion of better living together. By creating a label, it wants to promote the construction of houses, villages, and cities, based on innovative and ecological concepts, while safeguarding the architectural heritage proper to each culture.

The IDLTP proposes the creation of an Academy of Peace. Its role will be to initiate and teach pedagogy and a method to develop the Culture of Peace in all segments of society. It will bring together all the initiatives working in this direction. Each year, it will award an international IDLTP prize to action for better education in Living Together in the Culture of Peace.

“I truly believe the only way we can create global peace is through not only educating our minds but our hearts and our souls.” – Malala Yousafzai

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