International Day of Peace: Sanctioned by the United Nations in 1981, the International Day of Peace is observed around the world on September 21 and serves as a call to action that we all have an individual and collective responsibility to foster peace. 

This year’s theme is “Cultivating a Culture of Peace,” and marks the 25th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Declaration and Programme of Action on a Culture of Peace. 

As defined by the United Nations, “Culture of Peace” is a “set of values, attitudes, modes of behavior and ways of life that reject violence and prevent conflicts by tackling their root causes to solve problems through dialogue and negotiation among individuals, groups and nations.”

The following University of Notre Dame experts are available for comment:

Richard (Drew) Marcantonio, assistant professor of environment, peace and global affairs at Notre Dame’s Keough School of Global Affairs, is available to comment on environmental peacebuilding. He can address the issue of toxic pollution and the violence it causes on the environment and human health (killing 9 million each year and disabling many others). Newswise/SP