Shaping peace together

This year's International Peace Day is celebrated under the theme "Shaping Peace Together". This phrase challenges each and every one of us, but primarily it challenges the governments of all countries in the world to find a way to build a future together where there is no war and where all human beings are respected, regardless of their skin colour, religion or social status.

This day has been celebrated since 1981, that is to say that we have been fighting for 39 years so that the inhabitants of our planet can live peacefully, however we have not yet achieved it.

The words that led to the celebration of the International Peace Day are written in Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and are as follows "Everyone has the right to life, liberty and security of person".

Based on this article, no one should suffer the devastating effects of war, everyone should live in freedom. However, this is not respected. There are those who believe they have the right to decide about the lives of others, or who simply do not care about taking a person's life if it is in their interest to do so.

Will we ever be able to live in a world where there is peace, poverty does not exist and people can express their beliefs and their ways of understanding life in complete freedom and coexist among their differences?

It seems to be a utopia, because if we base it on history, since man appeared on earth there have been conflicts, either to obtain land or to have more power. We know that human beings have many positive feelings, but also many negative ones, so it may be impossible to achieve such an ambitious goal.

But there is something we can do individually and collectively to force change in different areas such as education, health, gender equality, climate change... We can try to improve all those aspects that bring us closer to that ideal world we all long for.

This year, a little bug called "COVID-19", has managed to get many countries to cooperate with each other in order to find medicines and develop vaccines to eliminate it. Most people have shown their solidarity with those in need of help, some have played music during the hours of confinement and others have contributed in one way or another to get us through the pandemic as best as possible.

The virus makes no distinction of race, it affects both rich and poor, presidents and citizens; in short, the bug cares very little about who we are and in order to exist it is only interested in our bodies.

So let's use this Day to revise our ideals of peace, i.e. how we want our world to be, what things need to be changed and improved in order to have a better future.

There are many aspects of our society that need to be reviewed and improved. Although we cannot change the human condition, we can strive for small victories, which together bring us closer to that ideal world.

Let us hope that those who govern us will reflect on this International Peace Day, and instead of creating conflicts, they will start talking and solving problems. Happy International Peace Day!