Ombudsman issues statement on Declaration of “Peace Month” to honor International Day of Peace
Baku, August 21, AZERTAC
Sabina Aliyeva, Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Republic of Azerbaijan, has issued a statement on the Declaration of the “Peace Month” to honor the International Day of Peace.
The statement reads: “On November 30, 1981, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly established the International Day of Peace by its relevant resolution. In addition, on September 28, 2001, by another resolution, September 21 was declared as a day of global ceasefire and non-violence to be observed annually.
Ongoing armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, forced displacement, violence, discrimination, and emerging hate crimes in various parts of the world once again show the special importance of ensuring and promoting sustainable peace and its values more broadly within societies.
The theme set by the UN for the 2026 International Day of Peace, "Invest in Peace – for everyone, everywhere, every day," highlights that peace is not merely the absence of war and violence, but that respect for human rights and freedoms, the protection of human dignity, justice and equality, along with mutual trust, dialogue, and cooperation, form the vital foundation of sustainable peace. In this sense, every initiative directed toward the protection of human rights, legal awareness, and the strengthening of social solidarity and mutual trust represents an investment in sustainable peace.
Azerbaijan prioritizes promoting regional and global peace, security, dialogue, and cooperation. On August 8, 2025, in Washington, DC, Azerbaijan and Armenia initialed the agreed text of the “Agreement on the Establishment of Peace and Interstate Relations between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic of Armenia” and signed the Joint Declaration on the outcomes of the meeting held there. These actions became a significant milestone toward normalizing relations between two countries and establishing lasting peace in the region.
Continuing to actively engage in international peace initiatives and strengthen global peace and security in 2026, Azerbaijan joined the Board of Peace as a founding member state. President Ilham Aliyev signed the Charter of the Board during the ceremony in Davos on January 22, 2026. Participation in this international organization is a vivid reflection of Azerbaijan’s contribution to promoting regional and global peace and stability.
To achieve sustainable peace, it is essential to eliminate humanitarian consequences of war, including the threats posed by landmines and explosive remnants of war, to protect the rights of conflict-affected people and civilian populations, to clarify the fate and whereabouts of missing persons, and to ensure safe and dignified return of displaced populations.
In the modern era, it is important to promote a culture of peace across all segments of society, particularly among children and youth, to foster respect for human rights, equality, tolerance, diversity, and a culture of dialogue. It is equally vital to prevent all forms of discrimination, xenophobia, hate speech, violence, and intolerance. Sustained and targeted efforts in this direction serve further strengthen mutual trust and peaceful coexistence.
The established practice initiated by the Azerbaijan Ombudsman of declaring annually August 21 to September 21 as “Peace Month” and launching various awareness-raising activities across the country to honor the International Day of Peace serves as an important institutional mode for promoting a culture of peace and human rights. So, recognizing the importance of continuing this practice in alignment with this year’s UN call, and on the occasion of the upcoming International Day of Peace on September 21, we hereby proclaim the period from August 21 to September 21 of the present year as “Peace Month” nationwide.
The main purpose of this month-long campaign is to raise public awareness regarding the interconnection between peace and human rights, strengthen a spirit of mutual respect and trust in society, expand opportunities for dialogue and understanding, as well as to encourage the participation of state bodies, local self-government authorities, civil society organizations, and the general public in activities implemented in this direction.
In this regard, we invite state bodies, municipalities, CSOs, including non-governmental organizations (public associations and foundations), media entities, and trade unions, educational, scientific, cultural, healthcare, and social service institutions, international and local organizations, as well as other relevant entities and the general public, to undertake conferences, roundtables, seminars, trainings, public discussions, competitions, exhibitions, awareness campaigns, and other educational events and initiatives within the framework of the Month in line with this call. These efforts should be directed toward reinforcing respect for human rights and human dignity, strengthening values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence, preventing discrimination, hate speech, and violence, and educating children and youth in a spirit of a culture of peace.
It is recommended that activities conducted throughout the Month be widely covered in media and shared across social media platforms using the hashtags #SülhAylığı and #PeaceMonth.
We believe that the upcoming events and initiatives will serve to further enhance respect for human rights and human dignity, strengthen mutual understanding and solidarity, reinforce a culture of peace in our society, and enable everyone to contribute to the preservation of peace”.
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