THE United Nations has designated September 21 as International Day of Peace or what is commonly referred to as World Peace Day. The day is observed throughout the world to strengthen the ideals of peace and human dignity, usually by observing 24 hours of non-violence and ceasefire.

The theme for this year’s observances is ‘Recovering better for an equitable and sustainable world’. This theme is most apt considering the high levels of global inequity and the growing income gap between the rich industrialised countries and those in the underdeveloped world. Poverty still continues to be a major issue facing mankind despite breathtaking advances in science and technology. Nearly one-fifth of the world’s population is condemned to a life of poverty and indignity, having been forced to live on an income of less than US$2 per day.

Guyana has scored 2.114 in this year’s Global Peace Index which is a composite index measuring the peacefulness of countries. The Index consists of 23 quantitative and qualitative indicators each weighted on a scale of one to five. The lower the score, the more peaceful the country.

Topping the list of peaceful countries is Iceland with a score of 1.1 followed by New Zealand and Denmark with scores of 1.253 and 1.256 respectively. At the extreme bottom is Afghanistan with 3.631 followed by conflict-ridden Yemen and Syria with scores of 3.407 and 3.371. Interestingly, Guyana with a score of 2.1 is ranked higher than that of the United States which has a score of 2.337.The Index is compiled by the Institute of Economics and Peace (IEP) and provides an analysis on trends in global peace and its impact on economic and social development.

Peace is much more than the absence of war. It is also about the socio-economic and political conditions under which people live and the state of their mental and physical well-being. Regrettably, there are still millions of people in the world today who live in an environment of fear and economic insecurity, a condition that could have been ameliorated with more enlightened policies and with democratic forms of governance. Too many resources are diverted globally to ‘beef-up’ military institutions which could have been better spent in terms of the creation of architecture of peace and human development.

Guyana, it has to be said, is a relatively peaceful and harmonious society despite our cultural and ethnic diversity. We have our moments of tension and stress due in part to the adversarial nature of our politics but we never allowed politics or religion to divide us as a nation. We have created institutions to protect us from any form of hostility and our Constitution remains the supreme law of the land. Our biggest threat to peace is the territorial claim to our land by neighbouring Venezuela, a matter which is now before the International Court of Justice.

The current PPP/C administration is committed to a peaceful and multi-racial society, one in which no Guyanese will be left behind. This assurance was reinforced by President Mohamed Irfaan Ali at his recent inaugural address to the United Nations General Assembly when he pledged Guyana’s commitment to greater political inclusion and to enacting institutional reforms to ensure that democracy, the rule of law and constitutional rights are respected. Guyana, he said, recognises the dignity and worth of the human person and is determined to secure for the country’s citizens a higher standard of living.

It is significant that the United Nations General Assembly is meeting at a time the entire world is observing International Day of Peace. In fact, the Charter of the United Nations commits to ending the scourge of war, fostering respect for human rights, promoting the dignity of the human person, securing equality for men, women and nations; defending the principles of international law and advancing human freedoms and social progress, all of which Guyana as a country has fully embraced.

The United Nations has a key role to play in the preservation and maintenance of world peace which, sadly still remains fragile. Indeed, the United Nations itself was formed 75 years ago amid the scars of war and the promise of a peaceful and prosperous world.