18 September 2009 - Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has one message for all as the world marks the International Day of Peace: we must disarm!
"As long as such weapons exist, no one is safe. The International Day of Peace is a global call for ceasefire and non-violence. It is a time to reflect on the horror and cost of war, and on our duty to resolve disputes peacefully. On this day, I remind all of them that there is another way. A better way. The path of peace", said Secretary-General Ban. (
Full message)
The International Day of Peace is a global day when individuals, communities, nations and Governments highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace. Established by a General Assembly resolution in 1981, the International Day of Peace has grown to include millions of people around the world who create and participate in all kinds of practical acts of peace.
UNODC is custodian of the Protocol against the Illicit Manufacturing and Trafficking in Firearms, Their Parts and Components and Ammunition, which supplements the United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime. The protocol entered into force in 2005 and is the first legally binding instrument on small arms that has been adopted at the global level.
The objective of the protocol is to promote, facilitate and strengthen cooperation among States parties in order to prevent, combat and eradicate the illicit manufacturing of and trafficking in firearms, their parts and components and ammunition.
United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime
International Day of Peace events around the world
