30 November 1981

International Year of Peace and International Day of Peace

The General Assembly,

Recalling that the promotion of peace, both at an international and a national level, is among the main purposes of the United Nations, in conformity with its Charter,

Reaffirming that, as set forth in the preamble of the Charter of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defence of peace must be constructed, that a peace based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of Governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere support of the peoples of the world, and that the peace must therefore be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind,

Further recalling that, on the basis of similar considerations, the General Assembly established the United Nations University in l972 and, more specifically, the University for Peace in l980, and entrusted other organs and organizations of the United Nations system with the promotion of peace, mainly through education in all its aspects,

Noting with appreciation the initiative taken by the International Association of University Presidents at its Sixth Triennial Meeting, held at San Jose, Costa Rica, in July 1981, to propose the declaration of a peace year, a peace month and a peace day,

Acknowledging the conclusions of the said Meeting that it would be appropriate to devote a specific time to concentrate the efforts of the United Nations and its Member States, as well as of the whole of mankind, to promoting the ideals of peace and to giving positive evidence of their commitment to peace in all viable ways,

Considering that, through the declaration and proper celebration of an international peace year and an international day of peace, it would be possible to contribute to strengthening such ideals of peace and to alleviating the tensions and causes of conflict, both within and among nations and peoples,

1. Invites the Economic and Social Council to consider, at its first regular session of 1982, the possibility of declaring an International Year of Peace at the first practicable opportunity, taking into account the urgency and special nature of such an observance as well as the guidelines for international years and anniversaries adopted by the General Assembly in its decision 35/424 of 5 December 1980, and to submit its recommendations to the Assembly at its thirty-seventh session on the basis of appropriate arrangements for the timing, organization and financing of the Year,

2. Declares that the third Tuesday of September, the opening day of the regular session of the General Assembly, shall be officially dedicated and observed as the International Day of Peace and shall be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples;

3. Invites all Member States, organs and organizations of the United Nations system, regional organizations, non-governmental organizations, peoples and individuals to commemorate in an appropriate manner the International Day of Peace, especially through all means of education, and to co-operate with the United Nations in the observance of that Day.