The United Nations Day of International Peace themed "Global Family Harmony" was commemorated in Washington DC on Friday, September 21, 2007 at the International Press Club.
H.E Ambassador Dr. Kwame Bawuah-Edusei, Ghana's Ambassador to the United States, who was the guest speaker for the occasion, rang the official bell and signed an international peace declaration.
Ambassador Bawuah-Edusie, in his speech observed that one effective tool to sustain peace is effective communication which brings transparency and understanding. He said the rule of law if fairly applied cannot only bring order, but diffuse tense situation and avert conflicts.
Expounding on the causes of conflicts and wars, the Ambassador said economic disparity, mismanaged excess resources and sometimes potential presence of oil and lack of water, can generate wars. Further, reasons revealed are racism, ethnicity, religious extremism and military adventurism.
"We share a strong bond through our common humanity that compels us to seek to attain global harmony and peace particularly in today's world, plagued as it were by violence, war, suffering and disharmony", he stressed. Economic empowerment of the poor, he observed further, can promote sustainable peace although in severe cases of economic deprivation, humanitarian assistance goes a long way to help. He mentioned education in early years of life about other cultures, tolerance and conflict resolution as very important foundation to peace. Using Ghana as an example, he explained that the institution of free compulsory education and inter-mingling of youth across cultures in boarding schools at High School level has been instrumental in building the foundation of 50 years of a nation devoid of wars and famine.
He called for the renewal and repositioning of everyone for the emulation of the worthy ideas that help the attainment of sustainable peace and stability in the world. He urged all to purposefully ensure that unitedly a fair world of humane personalities who eschew potential divisive tendencies will emerge harnessing common talents, energies and unique positions of nations to address pressing challenges confronting today's world.
The International Day of Peace was first celebrated in September 1982, having been established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981
