UK & Ireland Mayors, Provosts & Leaders for Peace Chapter
The UK & Ireland Mayors, Provosts and Leaders for Peace Chapter welcomes national and international initiatives to support the International Day of Peace as we approach the 75th anniversary of the creation of the United Nations.
International Peace Day was instituted by the United Nations in 1981 and is dedicated to support the cause of world peace, and specifically the absence of war and violence. Since 2013 the day was also dedicated by the Secretary-General of the United Nations to peace education, the key preventive means to reduce war sustainably. (1)
The local Chapter of Mayors for Peace welcomes support from the global Mayors for Peace Executive to support the initiative ‘#We The Peoples 2020’, which is organising a number of events between September 21st and October 2nd. This initiative is supported by over 80 groups worldwide. (2)
Some of the key events the initiative is supporting include:
- September 21 : UN International Day for Peace and the UN 75th Anniversary High Level Event
- September 21-24: UN Sustainable Development Summit
- September 21-27: UN Climate Week
- September 26: UN Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
- September 30 UN Summit on Biodiversity
- October 1. UN High Level Meeting on Women
- October 2: UN Day of Nonviolence
Chapter members are encouraged to support some of these events and a link to each of them can be found at the website: https://www.unfoldzero.org/wethepeoples2020/
As an organisation that was established calling for the abolition of nuclear weapons, Mayors for Peace welcomes plans for a series of global presentations, workshops and a panel discussion on September 26th for the UN Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.
Amongst the speakers to this event are the Mayors for Peace Executive Advisor Jackie Cabasso, the Shadow Minister for Peace and Disarmament Fabian Hamilton, the Secretary-General of Religions for Peace Professor Azza Karam; CND Vice President Jeremy Corbyn MP, and winner of the 2016 International Children’s Peace Prize, Kehkashan Basu. (3)
Many other events are being held over the week, including:
- The global Peace One Day Live Digital Experience featuring live panel discussions, live music and a special event to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the United Nations. This can be found on its website https://peaceoneday.org/Main/PeaceDayLive. It will include contributions from the likes of Jude Law, Sir Mark Rylance, Forest Whitaker, Emelie Sande and the Mayor of Bristol, Marvin Rees.
- Peace Partners, who spoke at the most recent UK & Ireland Mayors for Peace Chapter webinar, are hosting an introductory Peace Education Programme webinar on the 24th You can register at:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/1115987042306/WN_nPIYwuY-R3CvcMNvkBG52w - Peace Jam UK, who have also spoken at a recent Chapter meeting, are organising peace education training sessions for schools and communities in September and on October 7th and 14th and can be registered at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/peacejam-uk-compassion-in-action-curriculum-training-registration-114164617444
Many other events are taking place around the UK and Ireland and globally. Members of the Chapter are encouraged to take part in them.
The Lord Mayor of Manchester, Councillor Abid Chohan, Vice President of Mayors for Peace, said:
“I welcome the many events that will take place locally, nationally and internationally for the International Day of Peace and over the week, including for the International Day to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons. Both anniversaries are important for celebrating the necessity for establishing more peaceful communities and the reduction of wars and weapons of mass destruction.
“We also know over the next few weeks the six ratifications needed for the entry into force of the Treaty for the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons are expected to take place. In the 75th anniversary year of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic weapon attacks this is an important milestone as Mayors for Peace and other groups work for ways to create nuclear weapon disarmament. In this troubled world, this week is a reminder of the importance of people coming together to work for peace. I encourage people and our Councils to take part in some of these initiatives.”
Ends –
For more information please contact Sean Morris, UK and Ireland Mayors for Peace Chapter Secretary on 00 44 (0)161 234 3244.
Notes:
(1) United Nations – https://www.un.org/en/observances/international-day-peace
(2) #We The Peoples 2020 – https://www.unfoldzero.org/wethepeoples2020/
(3) Events for the International Day for the Elimination of Nuclear Weapons –
https://www.unfoldzero.org/event/nuclear-weapon-free-world-global-civil-society-commemoration-of-the-un-day-for-nuclear-abolition/