United Nations (UN) Secretary-General, António Guterres, has urged people everywhere to act now to silence guns, heal divisions and build hope.
Guterres said that the warring world was crying out for peace, so there was the need for the global communities to act now.
He gave the advice as world leaders gather in New York, the United States (U.S.) for the 80th Session of UN General Assembly.
”Lives are being ripped apart, childhoods extinguished and basic human dignity discarded, amidst the cruelty and degradations of war,” Guterres said in a message.
”All they want is peace,” he stressed as leaders from 193 UN Member States and two observers gather for one of the most consequential annual gatherings in recent memory.
The UN General Assembly’s annual high-level week, is when world leaders gather in New York to debate global challenges, from wars and climate disruption to gender equality and the transformative risks and opportunities posed by artificial intelligence.
The UN Secretary-General stressed that conflict today was not confined to battlefields as its impacts ripple across borders, fueling displacement, poverty and instability.
According to him, we must silence the guns, end the suffering, build bridges and create stability and prosperity.
Guterres underscored the link between peace and sustainable development, noting that nine of the 10 countries struggling most with development were also suffering conflict.
He also warned against racism and dehumanisation, calling instead for “the language of respect” and dialogue.
The Secretary-General said the timing of this year’s high-level event underlined the need for a concerted international push for peace, as divisions widen and instability grows.
”Where we have peace, we have hope. Peace cannot wait; our work starts now,” Guterres said.
