Message of OIC chief on the occasion of the International Day of Peace

Jeddah (IINA) – On the occasion of the International Day of Peace, observed around the world on September 21 each year, Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Iyad Ameen Madani urged all people to demonstrate commitment to peace in all viable ways.
In his message on this occasion, Madani reiterated the OIC’s principled position that people, regardless of their ethnic, religion, national or racial identities, who suffer in their homes and homelands because of the scourge of conflicts, wars, violence, occupation and oppression, deserve and have right to peace and life in dignity.
“In line with the theme of this year’s commemoration; “Partnerships for Peace – Dignity for All”, the OIC is resolved to continue working together with its partners, most notably the United Nations and other regional and sub-regional organizations, and mobilizing its member states as well as civil society, including private sector, non-governmental organization and faith-based groups to disseminate and strengthen the culture of peace, in tandem with its efforts to promote sustainable development, human rights and good governance,” the OIC chief’s message read.
However, the man-made perils of our time such as humanitarian tragedies caused by armed conflicts, ethno-religious and sectarian violence and hate crimes indicate that there is much more to do in partnership in order to realize and protect the ideals of peace, it continued.
Let all of us remember once again, and never forget, the very rationale, which gave birth to the International Day of Peace. As clearly stated in the preamble of the General Assembly resolution 36/67, which established this momentous day, “it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed, that a peace based exclusively upon the political and economic arrangements of governments would not be a peace which could secure the unanimous, lasting and sincere support of the peoples of the world, and that peace must therefore be founded, if it is not to fail, upon the intellectual and moral solidarity of mankind.”
On this occasion, I also wish to cherish the most pleasant and meaningful coincidence of both the International Day of Peace and the Eid al-Adha being observed in the same week and call for non-violence and ceasefire in full respect of these two special occasions. The Eid al-Adha, the Holy Day of Sacrifice, is a blessing for the whole humanity to show their desire to sacrifice for sake of the love of Allah the Almighty. In a similar way, let us sacrifice disagreements, enmities, hatreds, greediness, stereotypes, and prejudices in order to strengthen our intellectual and moral solidarity toward attaining and protecting peace.
AB/IINA

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