IIMSAM Official Dr. Naseer Homoud Marked International Day of Peace

IIMSAM Middle East Director & Goodwill Ambassador Dr. Naseer Homoud message on International Day of Peace. He advocated for planned confidence building measures among youths and to promote tolerance in society so that real essence of peace could be accomplished. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) September 21, 2010 - Observing International Day of Peace, Dr. Naseer Homoud, Goodwill Ambassador and Director of Middle East office for the Intergovernmental Institution for the use of Micro-algae Spirulina against Malnutrition (IIMSAM), the Permanent Observer to the United Nations Economic and Social Council called for global peace and disarmament said "It is high time when world civilization should come forward with determined motive of non violence. IIMSAM is proud to participate in the United Nations International Day of Peace, which takes place annually on September 21st.

For commemorating and strengthening the ideas and principles of peace within and among all nations and people, the General Assembly of the United Nations in 2002 adopted the resolution to mark September 21, every year as International Day of Peace. The General Assembly further called upon all member states, UN family and related bodies to observe this day as a day of global ceasefire and for spreading non violence and requested individuals and member states to support UN to adopt the principle of spreading non violence and disarmament in the world.

In September 2001, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, beginning in 2002, the International Day of Peace would be observed on 21 September each year. People around the world are encouraged to observe the day as a global ceasefire and a celebration of non-violence, a call to all nations and people to honor a cessation of hostilities.

"This year Peace day is coinciding with World Summit on United Nations Millennium Development Goals (UNMDGs). It is very important occasion when world leaders are assembled in New York for the summit and I am of the firm opinion that leaders would surely emphasize on the fact that without building confidence and bringing global peace it is certainly an impossible mission wherein we should dream to accomplish MDGs" said Dr. Homoud. The theme of this year celebration is Peace, Youth and Development. in this context, Dr. Homoud asserted that youths are those valuable assets on which future has to be passed on and it is vital to underline importance of youths towards confidence building to accomplish peace and development as a direct consequence.

The fight for right should be aimed at continued global peace and this is a must prerequisite for sustained development. Over the past 25 years, there have been at least 80 wars around the world. While the places may vary, today's violent conflicts have some striking similarities: almost all are civil wars and the majority of victims are civilians, not combatants. Most of these internal conflicts have taken place in poor countries, impeding their development. "

In fact, more than half the countries where international development agencies currently operate are affected by war. Unfortunately, the majority of these conflicts are ongoing events, not temporary emergencies and many more people are killed in conflicts by hunger and disease than by actual fighting." Dr. Homoud said. Today's civil wars are also far more likely to affect other countries. Not only does fighting frequently spill across borders and draw in foreign forces, but neighboring countries often face the burden of contending with refugees, disease outbreaks and increased military presence. Civil wars disrupt trade, discourage investment and depress economic growth across entire regions and heighten the risk that other countries will fall into civil war as well. Even distant, developed countries are affected by other countries' conflicts since insecurity breeds a number of growing global problems, such as terrorism, HIV/AIDS and illegal arms and drug trafficking, asserted Dr. Homoud while speaking on aftermath of wars.

While highlighting the vicious cycle which world gets as byproduct of wars particularly its hazardous effects on children and youths, he said that even after the guns fall quiet, children suffer from the effects of war. Many are displaced, and those who return home may find themselves the new head of the household. Some suffer permanent disabilities caused by land mines or are traumatized by abduction, detention, sexual abuse or the brutal murder of family members.

"In every nation, and between every nation, we must work to promote unity based on our common humanity and that's should be the first concern", he urged. The nature of today's conflicts underscores the urgent need to understand their causes and consequences - and develop new ways to handle them. Post-conflict reconstruction is not enough. Endemic instability demands more long-term solutions, and conflict prevention and management are essential parts of the equation, said Dr. Homoud

"Problems facing humanity such as global warming, ecological disasters can only be solved through the concerted efforts of all nations and world peace is an essential prerequisite for such efforts to bear fruit. I appeal to all powers to settle all inter-state and intra-state conflicts through peaceful negotiations so that pressing problems such as poverty and underdevelopment could be solved rapidly", he appealed.

Dr. Homoud while stressing on need to promote greater tolerance and understanding among the peoples of the world asked "how boring would it have been if the world had only one type of people, or if a garden only had one kind of flower or if the world had only one type of music". Nothing can be more dangerous to our efforts to build peace and development than a world divided along religious, ethnic or cultural lines. In each nation, and among all nations, we must work to promote unity based on our shared humanity, he asserted.

Engaging youths in the efforts to bring peace and stability in the world can be the most welcome step as without their participation no efforts will yield fruitful results. Youths are believed to be the future pillars of a nation and society who can turn events to their own and finally to humanity's upliftment. Empowering them by giving them platforms to organize and act in the interests of present concerns will undoubtedly give a brilliant and bright insight into the future. We should firmly hold them on the right path to their eventual destiny of progress and prosperity and then we can easily claim to the victories we are now aspiring for, underlined Dr. Homoud.

Dr. Homoud asserted that failure to address global hunger not only leads to needless suffering and loss of life, but also threatens world security and international political stability. Hunger and famine leading to political unrest and insecurity is not new. He stressed on a famous saying of John F Kennedy 'food is strength and food is peace, and food is freedom, and food is a helping hand to people around the world whose goodwill and friendship we want'. Dr. Homoud asserted that armed conflicts are enemies of food security and there is a well established correlation between the exposure of countries to external or internal conflicts, and the deterioration or long-term stagnation in their food security. Most conflicts, and especially the internal conflicts that have now become the dominant model of mass violence, mainly affect rural areas and their populations.

###

space

Other Related Press Releases