UN chief urges peace, end of conflict in International Peace Day message

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday called on the international community to “silence the guns, end the suffering, build bridges, and create stability and prosperity,” in a message on the International Day of Peace, observed annually on Sept. 21.
“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, he said.
Around the world, lives are being ripped apart, childhoods extinguished, and basic human dignity discarded, amidst the cruelty and degradations of war, Guterres said.
“We are seeing an explosion of conflict. International law flouted. And record numbers of people fleeing their homes,” he said.
“All they want is peace. Peace is everyone’s business,” said the top UN official, adding that the impacts of war ripple around the world.
Guterres pointed out that while sustainable development supports peace, nine of the 10 countries struggling most with development are suffering conflict.