CPNN

Over the course of the last eight years at CPNN we have published a survey of events around the world to celebrate the International Day of Peace (IDP). The number of events we could find grew from 562 in 2017 to 942 in 2023.

Unfortunately, due to technical problems, it has not been possible for us to make such a survey in 2025, and instead we have published a few articles from every region of the world.

North America: Campaign Nonviolence, organized by the NGO Pace e Bene, listed many thousands of actions for weeks between the IDP and the Interntional Day of Nonviolence. The list included actions that took place in 137 localities, including events in 32 of the 50 United States. The goal of the Campaign is to ‘build a culture of peace and active nonviolence, free from war, poverty, racism, and environmental destruction’.

Latin America. As usual there were many celebrations of the IDP in Argentina and Mexico. The article we chose to print in CPNN was from the Raúl Corales Fornos School in Ciego de Ávila, Cuba. The event began with a moving musical performance, a reading of a poem about peace by students from different grades, who presented plays, dances, and songs. The students then delivered messages full of hope and optimism, shared their reflections on peace and the need to build a better future for all.

Western Europe: Once again this year the Belgian Coalition Against Nuclear Weapons invited cities and municipalities in Belgium to participate in the International Day of Peace by hoisting the peace flag on their municipal building(s). The initiative grew from 189 municipalities in 2024 to nearly 200 this year. There were also many events in France sponsored by Mouvement de la Paix and the CGT trade unions but their website shows only those that took place in 2024.

Eastern Europe: In previous years, we have been impressed by the large number of IDP celebrations in the schools, libraries and cities of both the Ukraine and the Russian Federation, despite the devastation of their war and the forbidding of mentioning the word “war” or criticizing the war. This year the number of celebrations was reduced, but we republished examples from the Yeisk Polytechnical College in Russia and from the Humanitarian Hub of the Donetsk Region of the Ukraine. The Hub houses Ukrainian refugees who fled from the city of Donetsk when it was captured by Russia. Meanwhile, the widespread celebration of the IDP in Belarus continued and we republished an article from a school in Baranvichi.

Middle East and North Africa. In this region, Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people was the subject of the IDP. In their statement marking the International Day of Peace, the Muslim Council of Elders said that peace is the essence of the message of Islam. They added that celebrating the International Day of Peace while the Gaza Strip is witnessing a horrific humanitarian tragedy puts the human conscience to a real test. This requires the international community to shoulder its legal and moral responsibilities and act urgently to save innocent civilians in the Gaza Strip, halt the killing, starvation, and forced displacement policies, work to deliver humanitarian and relief aid, find a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, and recognize the legitimate right of the Palestinian people to establish their independent state with Jerusalem as its capital.

South Asia. Many celebrations took place in India. An inspiring and heart-touching program was organized at the Baha’i House in Indore, in which the Baha’i community brought people of all religions and faiths on one platform and spread the message of peace. The highlight of the event was the collective Peace Pledge, in which all the participants pledged to cultivate inner peace, promote dialogue, and protect nature and all living creatures.

East Asia. It has become a tradition in Japan to celebrate the IDP with calligraphy. These events are held annually by the Wa Project TAISHI at shrines across the country. On the 21st, at Gokoku Shrine in Kagoshima City, calligraphers Matsuda Yoshinobu and Ueno Hiroko, both natives of the prefecture, and students from the calligraphy club at Shonan High School wrote messages of peace.

Sub-Saharan Africa. IDP celebrations were the occasion to call for peace and nonviolence in the electoral process. In Tanzania, the 3-day Youth, Peace and Security Forum in Dar es Salaam drew young people from across the country, alongside religious leaders, diplomats, civil society groups, and government officials. The forum addressed four priorities: youth participation in decision-making, the role of young people in digital spaces, economic empowerment as a safeguard against crime, and youth-led climate action.

United Nations: UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on the international community to “silence the guns, end the suffering, build bridges, and create stability and prosperity.” Peace cannot wait,” as the warring world is crying out for peace, said the UN chief. “This year’s International Day of Peace urges each of us to give voice to that call.”