Celebrated every year on January 1, Global Family Day starts the new year with a positive message of unity to the world. Yes, believe it or not, we are all one! Cultures and religions across the world may be different but, the truth is, all of mankind is a large family that can survive and succeed only if united. And yes, this is a goal that can be achieved — all that is required is spreading the message of peace and unity.

HISTORY OF GLOBAL FAMILY DAY

Global Family Day, also known as World Peace Day, is celebrated every year to promote the concept of harmony and unity in the world. Furthermore, it emphasizes the idea of the world as a global village in which we are all family, regardless of citizenship, borders, or race.

It all started in 1997 when the United Nations General Assembly launched the International Decade for the Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World — on the first day of the new millennium. Linda Grover was a key figure in promoting this in the U.S. and other efforts to promote it included books such as “One Day in Peace – January 1, 2000”. This book revolved around the concept of a day in the future when there is only peace and no war.

However, this was just the beginning of a new peaceful world and, in 1999, all U.N. member states received an invitation to formally dedicate the first day of that particular year to develop strategies towards peacebuilding. Seeing the positive impact of the day, Global Family Day was declared an annual event by the U.N. in 2001.

HOW TO OBSERVE GLOBAL
FAMILY DAY

• Arrange an informative webinar for your community

Find intellectual academics and hold an hour-long webinar on peace and its importance. The webinar should have a discourse regarding methods that can be adopted to influence the next generation towards peacebuilding.

• Create a petition to stop wars/conflicts

Here’s what you need to do: Pick a specific ongoing conflict, research it, reveal the atrocities being committed, and ask people to join in on the cause. A petition with a large number of signatures can actually convince influential peace-building organisations to take a stand.

• Study peacebuilding

Watch a movie or documentary on peacebuilding or read up on it in the library or on the internet.

WHY GLOBAL FAMILY DAY IS IMPORTANT:

• It reminds us that we are one big family
  No matter which part of the world we reside in, the fact is, we are all human beings with hearts flooded with love. Our differences have been created by politicians and it’s days like Global Family Day that remind us how connected we are.
• It works towards ending discrimination
  Global Family Day is essential since it highlights that people of all races, religions, and countries are one. By celebrating it every year, we ingrain a message of peace in the younger generation.
• It can ensure World War III never takes place
  By constantly drumming the message of peace into the youth, we are raising leaders who will oppose war and, in effect, ensure the mistakes of the past are never repeated.