7 February 2024 - Around the globe, “peace is the missing piece” as conflicts rage, divisions grow and polarization deepens, the UN Secretary-General said on Wednesday.
Addressing the General Assembly with a list of priority areas for action, António Guterres underscored that the UN was founded on the pursuit of peace.
“Peace is our raison d’être. Yet, as I scan the landscape of today’s world, the one thing missing most dramatically is peace,” he said.
From the conflict in Gaza to the war on the environment and in combating toxic disinformation and hate speech to forging sustainable, inclusive practices, peace is the thread that weaves through the world’s common fabric, he emphasized.
“Peace is the way out of these interlinked crises; it is a rally cry…and a call to action,” he added, outlining a path forward to meet shared goals that, despite the turbulent times, offers reasons for hope.
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