Date and Time: 21-Sep, 2 p.m. – 3 p.m.
Location: Monument on Dam Square, Netherlands
Description of Activity:
Sunday 21 September 2025 is International Peace Day. This year’s UN theme is: act now for a peaceful world. Among other things, it concerns the importance of understanding and non-violence. That is why we will gather in silence from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Monument on Dam Square in Amsterdam. To commemorate the victims of the wars in Gaza, Ukraine and other wars worldwide, but also, and above all, to call for peace.
We are saddened by the horrific and ongoing violence in Gaza. The shocking images of children who are victims of the war in Gaza, aid workers and journalists who have been killed, haunt us. As does the fact that there have already been more than 66,700 deaths in Gaza, many of whom are women and children. The entire population of Gaza is being starved, hospitals have been bombed and there is no clean water, food or humanitarian aid. Large numbers of people are being driven into an ever-smaller area of land in the south of Gaza, including the Peace SOS Gaza team. There is no safe zone in Gaza; genocide is taking place. The images from 7 October are also horrific. However, even before that, (mostly) Palestinian children and other people were already being killed. See the UN reports Children in armed conflict.
As Salama from Gaza wrote on 8 September:
“We hope that this agreement [the negotiations] will succeed, that the war will stop, that the hostages will return, and that the suffering will end.”
We are also concerned about the many deaths, injuries and refugees in the war with Ukraine. And about its escalation. There are mainly plans to invest heavily in weapons, weapons and more weapons. Where is diplomacy? Where are the ideas on how we can achieve peace through peaceful means? It is already 89 seconds to midnight on the Doomsday Clock, with midnight symbolising the end of life on earth as a result of human actions. Closer to midnight than ever before…
Let us cherish life and care for each other: A World Where All Children Can Play.
We advocate:
- A global permanent ceasefire for peace negotiations.
- Humanitarian aid for people in need.
- Nuclear weapons out of the world.
Come to the Monument on Dam Square on Sunday 21 September from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. to take part in our circle of silence. Bring a peace sign or banner/cardboard sign with a peaceful message. National flags can stay at home.
Organizer/s:
- Kerk en Vrede
- Peace SOS
- Religies voor Vrede
- The Hague Peace Projects
Website: https://peacesos.nl/
