HE Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs

Esteemed Kawther Al-Jouan
President of Women’s Institute for Development and Peace

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Excellencies,
Distinguished guests,
Ladies and gentlemen,

I am pleased and privileged to be part of such a special event to mark the International Day of Peace.

We gather today to raise our voices with our hearts to promote peace. And, at no time since the Second World War has there been greater need for our solidarity, shared vision and loud voices.

Today, across the globe, there is more chaos and brutality, conflicts, degraded climate, inequalities, emergencies that send millions fleeing their homelands in search of safety.

In fact, the history of humanity is also the history of wars and destructions. The quest to end human suffering has, therefore, made peace and tolerance the greatest longing and the highest ideal of humanity.

That’s why, the International Day of Peace, which is the expression of this longing, has a great meaning and importance.

However, as history and today's bitter experiences have taught us, peace does not come with wishes. Peace does not happen by accident, either. It is not achieved in isolation. Everyone should take an active role.

Peace is dependent upon and interlinked with our capacity to promote sustainable development and human rights for all people. For this reason, peace is one of the three core pillars upon which the UN was founded, together with development and human rights.

There will be no prosperity without peace, and there will be no peace without prosperity. Hence, all people should benefit equally from the blessings of the world, regardless of language, religion, race or gender. Everyone should have equal rights and freedoms. Only then will it be possible to establish global peace and a prosperous world.

Dear friends,

In a globalizing world, where the culture of violence and conflict threatens the ideals of peace more than ever, one of the basic conditions for people to live in peace and prosperity is the cooperation and solidarity against terrorism and violence. Taking a common stance against violence and terrorism has become a prerequisite for peace on a national, regional and global scale.

Located in a geography affected by active, frozen and potential conflicts, human losses, forced migration, economic destruction, the deterioration of cultural heritage and environment, Turkey pursues the goal of eliminating these.

Within this framework, Turkey plays a pioneering role at the global level in raising awareness and creating capacity for mediation to achieve sustained peace, stability and prosperity in her neighborhood and beyond.

Turkey carries out this role with a multi-layered and diverse architecture of initiatives including mediation efforts in the field, co-chairmanship of Groups of Friends at the UN, the OSCE and the OIC, hosting international Mediation Conferences and the “Mediation for Peace” Certificate Programme.

These initiatives of Turkey have gone beyond raising awareness and have resulted in concrete outcomes in the development of mediation as a peaceful method of conflict resolution.

Defending the principle of “Peace at home, peace in the world”, put forward by the founder of Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, at all times and on all grounds, Turkey will continue to be an element of peace and stability in its region and in the world.

On the other hand, as President Erdogan continues to emphasize, lastly in his recent book “A Fairer World Is Possible”, the UN that reflects multiculturalism and multipolarity is needed to provide a just and sustainable global peace.

I would like to use this opportunity to underline that we highly appreciate Kuwait’s efforts for the settlement of the issues in and around the region. The unity among the Gulf countries is important to ensure peace and stability in the Middle East. I hope that Kuwait’s stance will lead to further improvement of the relations among the countries in the region as well as to easing tensions and stabilization.

Distinguished guests,

As we heal from the COVID-19 pandemic, the theme of this year’s Peace Day becomes increasingly relevant, as we focus on “recovering better for a more equitable and peaceful world".

Actions for peace extend to many fronts. We see attacks on women human rights defenders, stigmatization, xenophobia and a rise in all forms of violence against women and girls.

The pandemic hit the underprivileged and marginalized groups the hardest. People caught in conflict are especially vulnerable in terms of lack of access to healthcare.

The pandemic has been accompanied by a surge in stigma, discrimination, and hatred. To be able to recover from the devastation of the pandemic, we must make peace with one another.

The pandemic reminds us how connected we are, and highlights the need to recognize and respect one another’s humanity.

Peace is not only the absence of war; it is the creation of the conditions of harmony in the way people live with each other.

It is not only about peace among people, it is also about peace between people and nature. Pandemic did not put climate change on pause. We need green and sustainable global economy that produces jobs, reduces emissions, and builds resilience to climate impacts.

Women have been at the core of the COVID response. Women historically play an important role in the quest for peace, too. I stand with all the women, including young women, around the world upholding peace.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In our increasingly connected world, we can no longer be satisfied with peace at home, we must raise our voice and promote peace beyond our borders.

Therefore, international efforts to promote tolerance are extremely important in terms of establishing a deep-rooted peace in the world.

I congratulate the International Day of Peace with the wishes of success in these efforts and a prosperous future for all.

I thank the organizers as well as the participants for making the event happen.

Thank you.