Today we celebrated International day of peace at Botanical Gardens where we have Japanese Peace Ball. This one of my favorite days. The Event organized by Turkish Japanese foundation. There were talks by president of TVJ and UN coordinator in Turkey. International Day of Peace was celebrated at a ceremony to be jointly organized by the United Nations in Turkey and Turkish Japanese Foundation. last ten years I organized presentation installation of peace end scout and youth action totalling 1000 service hours. To commemorate the International Day for Peace, Peace Bell Ringing Ceremony was organized on 21 September at 11.00 o’clock at the Botanical Gardens in Ankara. UN Resident Coordinator Kamal Malhotra, Ambassador Hiroshi Oka of Japan and President of the Turkish Japanese Foundation made speeches to mark the international day. Participants rang the bell to invite world leaders to establish sustainable peace for all. Students, members of the diplomatic corps and NGO representatives attended the ceremony. Prof. Sadıklar, emphasized the importance of peace and thanked everybody who attended the peace bell ceremony. Ambassador Oka said that around the world cruel conflicts ravage the world and people but seeing the size of the participants, especially the students at the peace day event gives him an optimistic view for the future. Malhotra made the below speech at the event: “Each year the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on 21 September. The General Assembly has declared this as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Today, we are gathered to commemorate this very important event at a time when violent conflicts devastate nations, especially in our neighborhood. The volatile conflicts in many countries in the region demonstrate how their effects cannot be confined to only those regions since the whole world is impacted by their consequences. Today, people around the world fear the next storm of terrorist attacks or outbreak of disease. Around the world, conflict is forcing families from their homes; depriving children of an education, and subjecting people to abuse and exploitation. But this is also a time of opportunity to set the world on a better path. Ceasefires are vital. But peace is about far more than putting weapons aside. It is about building a global society in which people live free from conflict, and poverty and share the benefits of prosperity. It is about growing together and supporting each other as a universal family. To enforce this ideal, today we should re-commit ourselves to doing everything in our power to give the world hope for a better future. Global leaders demonstrated this vision last year, when they agreed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the United Nations in New York exactly one year ago. Based on that agreement, the theme of this year’s Peace Day highlights the 17 Sustainable Development Goals as Building Blocks for Peace, because conflict often starts when people compete over limited resources. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is both the UN’s and our common our blueprint to prevent such conflicts from arising by making sure no one is left behind. Distinguished guests, You know very well that Peace is something we must all work for, every day, in every country. Analogously, the founder of modern Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk decades ago famously said that we should work for peace at home and peace in the world for an equitable, just, moral and inclusive future which all of humanity deserves. Those words remain as true today as they were when he spoke them. And by ringing the Peace Bell today, we once again appeal to people throughout the world to join the United Nations in this effort, and do their part for peace both by expressing their commitment to peace and by becoming champions of the Sustainable Development Goals and their full implementation”. International Day of Peace In 1981, the General Assembly of the United Nations declared that the opening day of its regular session in September “shall be officially dedicated and observed as the International Day of Peace and shall be devoted to commemorating and strengthening the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples”. Every year, people in all parts of the world honour peace in various ways on the 21st of September. The World Peace Bell “The World Peace Bell Association” was established by Mr. Chiyoji Nakagawa in 1954 to eradicate war and all nuclear weapons from the earth, to provide assistance for countries whose people are suffering from hunger, and to develop World Peace by promoting cultural and educational cooperation internationally. The World Peace Bell which is located in front of the United Nations building in New York is made from coins and medals donated by 65 member countries of the United Nations in the hope everlasting world peace will be realized. As of September 2004, the number of countries contributing coins to the World Peace Association totaled 106. Today, 19 countries host the peace bell in their capitals. Additionally, 25 more countries are considering hosting the Peace Bell. Turkey is among the countries hosting the Peace Bell. her e is photos from ceremonies and other peace activities on may facebook