For a change, some good news from Afghanistan: The United Nations International Day of Peace (Sept 21) seems to have been widely observed there.
In 1981, the U.N. designated September 21 as an Int’l Day of Peace to allow humanitarian relief efforts and evacuation of wounded and dead to be carried out safely. In 2001, they made it an annual event.
First, a brief story from the SF Chronicle News Digest, followed by links to related stories.
Peace Day Quiets Guns in Afghanistan
SF Chronicle, September 22, 2008
KABUL, Afghanistan — The United Nations said guns fell silent across much of Afghanistan on Sunday for an International Day of Peace that saw pledges by the U.S., NATO, the Afghan government, and the Taliban to halt attacks.
The U.N. said tens of thousands of international and Afghan soldiers, as well as Taliban militants, “all stood down from offensive military operations in support of the biggest International Peace Day effort that Afghanistan has known.”
Government officials around the country reported no violence, and several credited Peace Day efforts.
September 25, 2008 at 1:10 pm |
How heartening to see that even in the most testing of circumstances the desire and demand to work for peace is still evident.
Far too often the Un is critized for our common international failings. Efforts such as this remind us why the Un was created and will always be needed.
Bravo!