International Day of Peace 2015: UN chief appeals for global, 24-hour cease-fire

September 21^st, 2015 (ICR News) United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for the laying down of arms and a 24-hour cease-fire amongst all nations and groups taking part in armed conflict on Monday, September 21st, which is observed around the world each year as the International Day of Peace.

The International Day of Peace was first observed in 1982 after a resolution sponsored by the United Kingdom and Costa Rica was adopted unanimously by the United Nations General Assembly.

“I am asking all partners to lend their voices to this call for a laying down of arms, and to work non-stop in the days to come to bring about a 24-hour cease-fire on September 21st,” Mr. Ban said in a statement issued on Thursday.

“Let’s make this International Day of Peace a day without violence, and a day of forgiveness. If, for one day, we can live in a world without aggression and hostility, we can imagine how much more is possible,” he added.