By René Wadlow

September 21 is the United Nations (UN) designated International Peace Day, set out in 1981 by a UN General Assembly resolution as being a day close to the start of the General Assembly. The Day is devoted to creating a culture of peace through dialogue in a spirit of mutual understanding and a consciousness of the unity of humanity. As the psychoanalyst Erick Fromm wrote, “I believe that the One World which is emerging can come into existence only if a new man comes into being – a man who has emerged from the archaic ties of blood and soil, who feels himself to be a Citizen of the World, whose loyalty is to the human race and to life.”

This year, September 21 is one of the two Action Days of the Summit for the Future being held at the UN in New York. We are all aware that in many parts of the world there is armed conflict, political rivalries and growing tensions. The current heavily State-centered approaches to world politics hampers the effectiveness of the UN and its Specialized Agencies. In these times of insecurity when many people feel uncertain about the future, when anxieties and fears are promoted and then exploited by political populists, old-fashioned nationalists and religious fundamentalists, we need to present a positive vision and to build bridges of understanding over the current divides of nationalism, ethnicity and social classes.

Today, the revolutionary character of our times is recognized by many observers. Those who live in the midst of swift social change confront the upheaval of their way of life. We are entering a period of change for which there are no blueprints. Therefore, it is essential that we learn to work together. We celebrate our similarities rather than our differences. Thus, on this Day of Peace, we are called to new levels of creativity and constructive action.

Prof. René Wadlow is President of the Association of World Citizens.