International Peace Day: September 20-26
“There is never a good war or a bad peace.” ~Benjamin Franklin
In 1981, the United Nations marked September 21 International Peace Day. This global holiday encourages all of mankind to cooperate to create a peaceful world.
"There are only two forces in the world, the sword and the spirit. In the long run the sword will always be conquered by the spirit." — Napoleon Bonaparte
Learn More about the Weekly Theme:
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PEACE- SEPTEMBER 21
“The International Day of Peace ("Peace Day") provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It was established by a United Nations resolution in 1981 to coincide with the opening of the General Assembly. The first Peace Day was celebrated in September 1982.
In 2002 the General Assembly officially declared September 21 as the permanent date for the International Day of Peace.
By creating the International Day of Peace, the UN devoted itself to worldwide peace and encouraged all of mankind to work in cooperation for this goal. During the discussion of the U.N. Resolution that established the International Day of Peace, it was suggested that:
"Peace Day should be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples…This day will serve as a reminder to all peoples that our organization, with all its limitations, is a living instrument in the service of peace and should serve all of us here within the organization as a constantly pealing bell reminding us that our permanent commitment, above all interests or differences of any kind, is to peace."
Since its inception, Peace Day has marked our personal and planetary progress toward peace. It has grown to include millions of people in all parts of the world, and each year events are organized to commemorate and celebrate this day. Events range in scale from private gatherings to public concerts and forums where hundreds of thousands of people participate.
Anyone, anywhere can celebrate Peace Day. It can be as simple as lighting a candle at noon, or just sitting in silent meditation. Or it can involve getting your co-workers, organization, community or government engaged in a large event. The impact if millions of people in all parts of the world, coming together for one day of peace, is immense.
International Day of Peace is also a Day of Ceasefire – personal or political. Take this opportunity to make peace in your own relationships as well as impact the larger conflicts of our time. Imagine what a whole Day of Ceasefire would mean to humankind.”
Read more about the background and history of this day at: http://www.internationaldayofpeace.org/ 
DEFINITIONS:Peacebuilding: This concept is different from peacekeeping or peacemaking. Peacebuilding strives to create a long-term culture of peace, rather than just focusing on current conflicts.
"Positive creativeness is the fundamental quality of the human spirit. Let us welcome all those who, surmounting personal difficulties, --- propel their spirits to the task of peacebuilding, thus ensuring a radiant future."
(Nicholas Roerich)
Global Ceasefire:
Personal Ceasefire: On September 21, declare your personal ceasefire. This means to stop all conflicts you have on a personal level. Here are some things to think about:
It can mean re-evaluating conflicts in our personal lives. Do we have relationships where confrontation or lack of communication is dominant? What can we do to improve these relationships?
What can we do to make sure all members of the family feel seen and heard? Why not declare a 24 hour ceasefire between siblings, where every quarrel has to be solved in a creative and peaceful way?
In school, are there people that are left out or harassed? What can we do to stop this?
At work, is conflict and competition affecting how people perform their duties and how they feel about themselves?
In your community, are there groups of people that don’t get along? How can we as an interest group reach out to others and start a conversation?
INFO ON SPEAKERS:
UB DISTINGUISHED SPEAKER: KOFI ANNAN
“Kofi A. Annan of Ghana, the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations, is the first to be elected from the ranks of UN staff. His first five-year term began on 1 January 1997 and, following his subsequent re-appointment by the UN Member States, he will begin a second five-year term on 1 January 2002.
As Secretary-General, Mr. Annan has given priority to revitalizing the UN through a comprehensive programme of reform; strengthening the Organization's traditional work in the areas of development and the maintenance of international peace and security; advocating human rights, the rule of law and the universal values of equality, tolerance and human dignity; restoring public confidence in the Organization by reaching out to new partners and, in his words, by "bringing the United Nations closer to the people". The Secretary-General has also taken a leading role in mobilizing the international community in the battle against HIV/AIDS, and more recently against the global terrorist threat.
Born in Kumasi, Ghana, on 8 April 1938, Mr. Annan studied at the University of Science and Technology in Kumasi and completed his undergraduate work in economics at Macalester College in the United States in 1961. From 1961 to 1962, he undertook graduate studies in economics at the Institut universitaire des hautes études internationales in Geneva. As a 1971- 1972 Sloan Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mr. Annan received a Master of Science degree in management.
Mr. Annan joined the UN in 1962, working for the World Health Organization in Geneva, where he later also served with the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees. At UN Headquarters in New York, Mr. Annan held senior positions in a diverse range of areas, including human resources management (1987-1990), budget and finance (1990-1992), and peacekeeping (March 1992-December 1996). He was Under-Secretary-General for Peacekeeping at a time when nearly 70,000 military and civilian personnel were deployed in UN operations around the world.
Before becoming Secretary-General, Mr. Annan received a number of special assignments. In 1990, he facilitated the repatriation of international staff and citizens of Western countries from Iraq after it invaded Kuwait. He subsequently led initial negotiations with Baghdad on the sale of oil to fund humanitarian relief. From November 1995 to March 1996, Mr. Annan served as the Secretary-General's Special Representative to the former Yugoslavia. As Secretary-General, Mr. Annan has used his good offices in several delicate political situations, including an attempt in 1998 to gain Iraq's compliance with Security Council resolutions, as well as a mission that year to promote the transition to civilian rule in Nigeria. In 1999, he helped to resolve the stalemate between Libya and the Security Council, and to forge an international response to violence in East Timor. In 2000, he certified Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Since the renewed outbreak of violence in the Middle East in September 2000, he has worked to encourage Israelis and Palestinians to resolve their differences through negotiations based on Security Council resolutions and the principle of "land for peace".
The Secretary-General has strengthened partnerships with civil society, the private sector and others outside of government whose strengths complement those of the UN. He has called for a "Global Compact" to encourage businesses to respect standards relating to the environment, employment laws and human rights. In April, 2000, he issued a report on the UN's role in the 21st century, outlining actions needed to end poverty and inequality, improve education, cut HIV/AIDS, safeguard the environment and protect peoples from violence. The report formed the basis of the Millennium Declarations adopted by national leaders attending the UN Millennium Summit that September.
Calling the HIV/AIDS epidemic his "personal priority", the Secretary- General issued a "Call to Action" in April, 2001, proposing the establishment of a Global AIDS and Health Fund, which has since received some $ 1.5 billion in pledges and contributions.
Since the terrorist attacks hit the United States on 11 September 2001, the Secretary-General has played a leading role in galvanizing global action through the General Assembly and the Security Council to combat terrorism. The Secretary-General has received honorary degrees from universities in Africa, Asia, Europe and North America, as well as a number of other prizes and awards for his contributions to the aims and purposes of the United Nations.
The Secretary-General is fluent in English, French and several African languages. He is married to Nane Annan, of Sweden, a lawyer and painter who has a great interest in understanding the work of the United Nations in the field. Two issues of particular concern to her are HIV/AIDS and education for women. She has also written a book for children about the United Nations. The Annans have three children.”
From Les Prix Nobel. The Nobel Prizes 2001, Editor Tore Frängsmyr, [Nobel Foundation], Stockholm, 2002
This autobiography/biography was written at the time of the award and later published in the book series Les Prix Nobel/Nobel Lectures. The information is sometimes updated with an addendum submitted by the Laureate. To cite this document, always state the source as shown above.
Source = http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/2001/annan-bio.html
WNY PEACE CENTER
Featured Speaker: Elea Mihou
Monday September 21, 2009 at 1:00 PM in 17 Norton Hall
Elea Mihou is the executive director of the Western New York Peace Center, a nonprofit organization based in Buffalo with a forty-two year history of working for global justice. Ms. Mihou is a graduate of the University of Buffalo, earning her Master’s of Urban Planning from the School of Architecture and Planning. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to join us as Ms. Mihou shares her knowledge of the international day of peace, as well as her experience as a local community advocate for peace.
http://wnypeace.org/about/home.php
http://buffaloactivist.wnypeace.org/
How can I get involved?
Related Majors:
Anyone can be involved in promoting peace in our world, regardless of your major or profession! However, if you are interested in disciplines that actively engage in the study of peace-building and international and intra-national relations, you might want to check out:
Anthropology
Political Science
Sociology
History
Geography
International Studies (Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Concentration)
Legal Studies (Social Sciences Interdisciplinary Concentration)
For a complete list of majors at UB, please visit: http://www.buffalo.edu/home/academicprograms/
SA Clubs
Anthropology SA
Geography SA
Political Science SA
Community Action Corps
For a complete list of SA clubs at UB visit: http://www.sa.buffalo.edu/clubs.html
Local organizations
WNY Peace Center: http://wnypeace.org/join/volunteer.php
Other Resources:
Undergraduate Academies Websites:
http://academy.buffalo.edu/
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http://ubacademies.ning.com/
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Stay informed on UA activities from your phone or computer with Twitter:
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