U.N. Day of Peace Conference

The official International Day of Peace took place on Sept. 21, helping the United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, in building up his campaign to get civil society and specifically youth, involved in promoting peace through nuclear disarmament.

In the 100 days leading up to International Peace Day, his campaign used modern technological means of communication such as Twitter, Facebook and Myspace to communicate the message of We Must Disarm (WMD).

“I really want to reach out to young people by modern technologies, but that does not mean we are not using conventional forms of media. All possible means must be used,” Secretary General Ki-Moon told reporters at a press conference.

The conference took place after the opening ceremony of the 62nd annual UN DPI/NGO Conference entitled, “Disarm Now! for peace and development,” which took place from September 9-11 in Mexico City.

Amidst his busy schedule during the conference, Ki-Moon met with eager youth volunteers and student journalists at Mexico City’s renowned Museo de Arte Popular (Popular Art Museum).

The official conference logo is a sculpture of a grenade that opens up into a palm tree. During the meeting, Ki-Moon along with student volunteers painted and hung the remaining palm tree leaf to go on it.

This symbolic moment resonated with the youths of the conference to keep pushing for the goals of peace and nuclear disarmament.

“I am inspired by the demonstrable respect the Secretary General has for my generation and his hopes for what we can do for world peace,” said student journalist Isaac Toussier, a Mexican native studying at the Interdisciplinary Center in Israel.

Ki-Moon expressed his eagerness to involve the youth due to the potential impact young people can have on a future free of nuclear weapons and the threat of nuclear war. He further stressed that human rights and safety are basic human needs, which the young generation has the potential to secure.

He challenged the young generation to invite their professors, parents and friends to become involved in the effort toward global nuclear disarmament.  “Challenge the friends you meet daily and ask accountability of your leaders. Let your voices be heard,” he urged. “Without these efforts, nuclear disarmament is not possible.”

In accordance with the Secretary General, Maria Luisa Chavez, United Nations Chief of Non-governmental Organization Relations, urges youth to work for the goal of nuclear disarmament.

“The whole idea is that if you really believe in disarmament, and as Ki-Moon said, ‘you need the courage,’ it’s for you to do the work wherever you go.”

Although youth were a large focus of conference, Ki-Moon is urging governments of all nations to get involved in the effort. “Not one nation, no matter how powerful, no matter how resourceful, can solve this problem alone,” he said.

The United States and Russia have agreed to work towards nuclear disarmament, he pointed out. On Sept. 24, President Barack Obama chaired a meeting on nuclear non-proliferation.

In May 2010, the United Nations will host a five-year review conference involving the parties of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).  Such a review may require a change of the treaty to insure full participation.

He further noted that disarmament is not only a human rights issue, but also a fiscal problem, with arms expenditures being excessive and unnecessary. 

Each year, a total of $1 trillion worldwide is spent on war efforts. Such excessive spending, he emphasized, should be ceased and the money used instead to help those around the world in need of health care as well as those suffering from poverty.   

Ki-Moon’s comments made his adamancy clear about creating a world in which people do not live in constant fear of nuclear war and his hopes that with the efforts and collaboration of governments, grassroots organizations and youth initiatives.

Ki-Moon acknowledged, however, that nuclear disarmament will not be easy in this era of technological advances where growth in the sciences have prompted the creation of more nuclear arms around the world.