About International Day of Peace
The International Day of Peace, also called World Peace Day, is observed on 21 September every year, so in 2027 it falls on Tuesday, 21 September 2027. The UN General Assembly created it in 1981 and in 2001 fixed the date as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence. It is marked at the UN with the ringing of the Peace Bell and a minute of silence.
The General Assembly created the day through resolution 36/67 on 30 November 1981, after Costa Rica brought the proposal to the UN. The idea had come from Young Seek Choue, then president of Kyung Hee University in South Korea. The first observance was in September 1982, and for two decades the day moved, falling on the third Tuesday of September to match the opening of the Assembly's session.
That changed on 7 September 2001, when the Assembly unanimously adopted resolution 55/282 and fixed 21 September from 2002 onwards. The same resolution asked all countries to stop fighting for 24 hours, which is why the day is described as a period of global ceasefire and non-violence rather than only a celebration.
How is the International Day of Peace observed at the UN?
With a short ceremony in the Peace Garden at UN Headquarters in New York. The Secretary-General rings the Japanese Peace Bell, asks everyone present to keep a minute of silence for those killed in war, and reads a message for the year.
The bell itself has a history worth knowing. The United Nations Association of Japan gave it to the UN in June 1954, on an idea from Chiyoji Nakagawa. It was cast from coins and medals donated by people in more than 60 countries, including children, and its shelter was modelled on a hanamido, a small flower-covered shrine. It is rung only twice a year, on the first day of spring and on 21 September.
…to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind…
How is Peace Day marked in India?
Mostly in schools and colleges. Assemblies, peace marches, poster competitions, candle circles and interfaith prayer meetings are the usual form, and many schools tie the day to their value education classes. It is not a government holiday and there is no national programme.
India's strongest link to the day is its peacekeepers. More than 2.7 lakh Indians have served under the UN flag since peacekeeping began, and 179 Indian peacekeepers have died in service, according to the UN in India. Over 6,000 Indian personnel were deployed on UN missions at the time of that count. If you know a serving or retired peacekeeper, this is the day to say so out loud.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| 30 November 1981 | Resolution 36/67 creates the International Day of Peace |
| September 1982 | First observance, on the third Tuesday of the month |
| 7 September 2001 | Resolution 55/282 fixes 21 September and calls for a 24-hour global ceasefire |
| 2002 onward | The day is held on 21 September every year |
What do you write on the International Day of Peace?
Write to one person about one thing. Broad wishes for world peace read as filler, and on a day about real wars that can feel careless. Keep the wording simple enough to say out loud.
Thinking of your family today on the International Day of Peace. I hope you get good news from home soon.
On the International Day of Peace, thank you for the years under the blue helmet. Come home safe.
Happy International Day of Peace. The way you settle arguments in your classroom is where this actually starts.
Wishing you peace on 21 September. Different prayers, same hope, and a quiet year for both our families.
Happy Peace Day. Today's one job: say sorry to someone you had a fight with, even if you think you were right.
Sending this on the International Day of Peace. I would rather talk than keep score. Call whenever you are ready.
On the International Day of Peace, thank you for doing the work that has to be done while the shooting continues.
Do
- Name a person or a place if you can. A specific wish is worth more than a general one.
- Keep a minute of silence at noon if your school or office is marking the day; that is the UN's own practice.
- Use it to fix something small and close to home, which is the part of peace you control.
Avoid
- Don't post images of bombed buildings or wounded people with a peace greeting.
- Don't take a side in a live conflict in a greeting card. That is a different conversation.
- Don't send a cheerful "Happy Peace Day" to someone who has lost family to violence. Write to them as you would in a condolence note.
Related days include World Humanitarian Day, International Day for Tolerance and Gandhi Jayanti. The rest of the year is in the calendar.
How to wish someone on International Day of Peace
Peace Day messages go wrong when they are vague. The ones that work name something real: a colleague from a country at war, a friend in the armed forces or a peacekeeping mission, a teacher who breaks up fights in a school corridor, a family that has stopped speaking. Avoid war imagery and avoid taking sides in any live conflict. For someone who has lost a family member to violence, a quiet line is better than a slogan.
Write a few lines in your own words, pick a design and share it as one link on WhatsApp, Instagram or anywhere else. They open an animated card made just for them, with no app and no sign-up.
Language tip: English, Hindi + recipient language.
When is International Day of Peace in 2026 and 2027?
International Day of Peace is on 21 Sept every year. Only the weekday changes.
- 2026
- 2027
Frequently asked questions
When is International Day of Peace in 2027?
International Day of Peace 2027 falls on Tuesday, 21 September 2027.
Why is the International Day of Peace on 21 September?
The UN General Assembly fixed 21 September through resolution 55/282, adopted on 7 September 2001, and the date took effect in 2002. Before that the day moved each year, falling on the third Tuesday of September to match the opening of the General Assembly session.
What is the global ceasefire on Peace Day?
The 2001 resolution that fixed the date also asked all countries and armed groups to stop fighting for 24 hours on 21 September. It has no force of law, but the UN uses the appeal each year to negotiate short pauses, often to allow vaccination drives or aid convoys.
What is the Peace Bell at the United Nations?
The Japanese Peace Bell was given to the UN by the United Nations Association of Japan in June 1954 and was cast from coins and medals donated by people in more than 60 countries. The Secretary-General rings it on 21 September and on the first day of spring.
Is the International Day of Peace a holiday in India?
No. It is an observance, not a public holiday. Schools and colleges in India hold assemblies, peace marches and poster competitions, but offices and banks work normally.
What is the difference between the International Day of Peace and the International Day of Non-Violence?
The International Day of Peace is on 21 September and dates from a 1981 UN resolution proposed by Costa Rica. The International Day of Non-Violence is on 2 October, Mahatma Gandhi's birthday, and was created in 2007 on a proposal moved by India.
What should you write on Peace Day?
Write one specific line to one person: thanks to a peacekeeper, a note to a colleague whose home country is at war, or an apology to someone you have fallen out with. Avoid war imagery and avoid taking sides in any ongoing conflict.
Last verified by the Kehdoo team on .