UN Resident Coordinator delivers Secretary-General's remarks at Bell of Peace Ceremony in Bangkok

Bangkok, 21 September 2026 - As the world marked the International Day of Peace with Peace Bell ceremonies across the world, members of the faith community gathered on Monday at Benjasiri Park to commemorate the day in a spirit of unity and solidarity.

Representatives of diverse faith traditions offered prayers before ringing the Peace Bell, expressing their shared hopes for peace, harmony and understanding worldwide.

During the ceremony, Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator in Thailand, delivered the message of the UN Secretary-General.

Read the full message of the UN Secretary-General below:

Each year, the toll of the Peace Bell reminds us of the most important and consequential job we have: 

Building peace. 

Peace is never a passive achievement. 

Peace is hard work. 

Peace is action.  

But in our world today, action for peace is faltering. 

Violence and division are tearing apart communities.

Conflicts are widening and deepening. 

People are suffering. 

And the dialogue and solidarity that solutions require are missing in action. 

But where governments are failing to deliver peace, people are showing another way. 

Around the world, volunteers, advocates, civil society leaders, peacekeepers and peacemakers are doing the heavy lifting of peace. 

Raising their voices.

Bridging divides. 

Healing communities. 

Through their actions, large and small, they are bringing to life the theme of this year’s International Day of Peace: “Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day.” 

As world leaders prepare to gather at the United Nations in the coming weeks, I urge them to follow the lead of these champions of peace. 

By investing in sustainable development — in people’s health, education, nutrition and social protection. 

By building institutions and systems that people can trust. 

By safeguarding the human rights and dignity that belong to every person. 

By re-committing to the proven tools of peace — diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping. 

And by ending wars and conflicts. Now.  

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. 

This is the last time I will ring the Peace Bell. 

But I will always stand with the champions of peace around the world. 

Thank you.

António Guterres
9 September 2026