International Day Of Living In Peace
Every year on May 16th, the International Day of Living Together in Peace urges people to live in a united and peaceful way by listening to, respecting, and appreciating others.
They say that variety is the spice of life. Unfortunately, many people feel threatened by those who are different than them. While it seems like our nation and our world are more polarized than ever, the universe has a long history of racism, prejudice, and war.
Following WWII, the United Nations (UN) began doing its part to build a sustainable world of peace instead of division. To do this, the UN has encouraged countries around the world to promote reconciliation and unity. Countries can achieve this goal by working with communities and faith leaders to foster forgiveness and compassion toward one another.
Reconciliation can also be attained when individuals find peace with themselves and with others. Tips for doing this include:
- Seek to love others instead of trying to control them.
- Practice tolerance for others by appreciating their diversity and the choices they make.
- Walk away when you are angry or are trying to win over a conversation.
- Don’t compare yourself to other people.
- Accept other people the way they are instead of trying to change them.
Imagine what a peaceful world we would live in if everyone put all of these tips into practice.
International Day Of Living In Peace
Since the end of WWII, the UN has been working toward world peace. In their endeavors, the UN recognized the year 2000 as the “International Year for a Culture of Peace.” The years 2001 through 2010 were called the “International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for Children of the World.” Both of these events led to a new resolution which was adopted by the UN General Assembly on December 8, 2017. The resolution declared May 16th as the International Day of Living Together in Peace.
