UN Resident Coordinator's Remarks at the International Day of Peace Celebration

Good morning friends, colleagues, and partners in peace.

It is an honor to stand with you today on the International Day of Peace. This year, we are reminded — once again — that peace cannot wait. Peace is not a passive idea or a distant dream. It is a daily act, a shared commitment, and, very often, a difficult choice.

But make no mistake: Peace, even when challenging, is always better than war. Because war — in any form — brings misery, loss, and destruction as we see in Ukraine, in Gaza, in Soudan and in too many places. Because there is no sustainable development without peace. There is no human rights without peace. And because there is no future in violence — only pain.

All around us, we see the signs of a world in distress: conflicts raging, civilians suffering, international law being ignored, and millions of people forced to flee their homes, caught in battles they did not choose.

The Call to Action

The message this year — “Act Now for a Peaceful World” — is a call to every one of us. Peace doesn’t only come from treaties signed by leaders. It comes from communities standing together, from young people raising their voices, from women, teachers, volunteers, mothers, and students refusing to give in to hate or fear.

The Philippine Story of Hope

Here in the Philippines, we have our own story to tell — a story of hope. For decades, the people of Mindanao lived through armed conflict. But they never gave up the belief that something better was possible.

Today, in Bangsamoro, we are witnessing a peace in the making — not perfect, but real. A peace built with dialogue, with courage, and with the will to heal.

I congratulate the Government of President Marcos, the MILF, the BARMM Government, civil society and all promotors of peace, of its dividends and the peaceful resolution of conflicts.

The United Nations is proud to walk alongside our partners:

• Supporting former combatants in rebuilding their lives

• Strengthening local governance

• Empowering women and Indigenous Peoples

• Ensuring education, health, and livelihoods reach those most in need

This is what peace looks like — not just the silence of guns, but the presence of opportunity and dignity.

An Inclusive Peace

We know that peace cannot be partial. It must be inclusive. We cannot build peace by excluding women. We cannot sustain it if young people are ignored. And we cannot call it justice if it leaves behind Indigenous Peoples, the poor, or the voiceless.

That is why the UN in the Philippines supports:

• Joint Peace and Security Teams

• Women peacebuilders

• Laws that protect children from online abuse

• Communities displaced by disaster and violence

We are here not just to respond, but to build the foundations of peace — together.

Closing Reflections

Let me leave you with this thought: Peace is not only about political will — it is also about personal will. About how we treat one another. About how we speak. About what we choose to stand for.

So today, let us stand for peace. Let us teach it, build it, live it — in our homes, our schools, our workplaces. Because peace is not something we wait for. It is something we must create, protect, and defend — every day.

Thank you, and may peace begin with all of us.

Maraming Salamat po!