Guterres urges leaders to invest in peace as conflicts deepen
UN chief calls for renewed investment in peace as global conflicts intensify
Qinilo.com – With wars, social divisions and humanitarian suffering worsening in many parts of the world, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres has appealed to governments to treat peacebuilding as an urgent investment rather than an abstract ambition.
Speaking at the annual Japanese Peace Bell ceremony at UN Headquarters in New York on Wednesday, the Secretary-General said lasting peace depends on deliberate choices, sustained work and practical commitments from leaders.
“Each year, the toll of the Peace Bell reminds us of the most important and consequential job we have: building peace,” he said.
The event came shortly before the International Day of Peace, observed on 21 September. This year’s theme, “Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day,” focuses attention on the resources and policies needed to prevent violence, strengthen communities and protect human dignity.
Peace requires active commitment
Guterres warned that peace cannot be maintained through inaction. He said the international community is falling short at a moment when many people need protection, dialogue and hope.
“Peace is never a passive achievement,” he said.
His remarks pointed to a world in which disputes are becoming more entrenched and divisions are damaging social cohesion. Communities facing violence often also confront interrupted education, weakened health services, food insecurity and the loss of confidence in public institutions. Building peace, therefore, involves more than ending armed confrontations; it also means creating conditions in which people can live securely and resolve differences without fear.
“Violence and division are tearing apart communities,” he said. “Conflicts are widening and deepening. People are suffering. And the dialogue and solidarity that solutions require are missing in action.”
The Secretary-General highlighted the work of volunteers, civil society advocates, community leaders, peacekeepers and mediators who are already applying the International Day of Peace theme in their daily efforts. Their work can include connecting people across political, religious or social divides, supporting those affected by conflict and helping communities recover from trauma.
He said people are demonstrating alternatives when governments do not provide peace.
“Where governments are failing to deliver peace, people are showing another way,” he said.
A message for leaders gathering at the United Nations
As world leaders prepare to convene at the United Nations in the coming weeks, Guterres urged them to match public commitments with concrete investment. He called for greater attention to health, education, nutrition and social protection, describing these areas as essential foundations for stable and resilient societies.
He also stressed the need for institutions and systems that earn public trust. When people believe they are treated fairly, can access essential services and can make their voices heard, communities are better placed to withstand crises and settle disputes peacefully.
Protecting human rights and dignity must remain central to that effort, he said. Guterres urged governments to return to established methods for preventing and resolving conflict, including diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping. His call was ultimately for leaders to bring wars and conflicts to an end rather than allowing them to become permanent sources of suffering.
“Today, I call on world leaders to stand with us: take action; invest in solutions; and do the hard work of building lasting, sustainable peace.”
A bell created as a symbol for the world
The Japanese Peace Bell has held a distinctive place at the United Nations since it was presented by the UN Association of Japan on 8 June 1954. It was made from coins contributed by delegates from 60 nations, together with donations of different metals from individuals.
Housed in a wooden structure inspired by a traditional Shinto shrine, the bell represents an appeal for shared responsibility across national borders. At the time of its presentation, Japanese observer Renzo Sawanda described its meaning in universal terms.
“The bell embodies the aspiration for peace not only of the Japanese but of the peoples of the entire world. Thus, it symbolized the universality of the United Nations.”
The bell is traditionally rung twice each year: on the first day of spring, at the vernal equinox, and again to mark the International Day of Peace. Its sound is intended as a reminder that peace is not solely the responsibility of diplomats or international institutions. It also depends on the daily choices of governments, communities and individuals.
A final ringing by Guterres
This year’s ceremony carried additional significance for Guterres, who is due to leave the United Nations at the end of the year. He said this would be his final opportunity to ring the Japanese Peace Bell as Secretary-General.
“This is the last time I will ring the Peace Bell,” said Mr. Guterres, who stressed that “I will always stand with the champions of peace around the world.”
His message placed the bell’s symbolism alongside an immediate challenge for governments: peace must be funded, defended and built through institutions that serve people. In a period of deepening conflict and fractured dialogue, the Secretary-General’s appeal was for leaders to make that commitment every day, in every region, for everyone.
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