[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 82 Introduced in House (IH)]

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115th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 82

              Recognizing the International Day of Peace.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 28, 2017

  Mr. Lewis of Georgia submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
 which was referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
              Recognizing the International Day of Peace.

Whereas, on November 30, 1981, during the 77th plenary meeting, the United 
        Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution to declare the third 
        Tuesday of September as the International Day of Peace;
Whereas nearly 20 years later, the United Nations General Assembly adopted A/
        RES/55/282, which officially designated September 21 as a global day to 
        recognize and celebrate international cease-fire and nonviolence;
Whereas, on September 21, all United Nations Member States, organizations, 
        regional and nongovernmental organizations, and individuals are 
        encouraged to celebrate and recognize global peace efforts;
Whereas the United States Institute of Peace coordinates an annual Peace Day 
        Challenge, an international effort to reaffirm peace as an authentic 
        alternative to violence and war;
Whereas, according to the United States Institute of Peace, since 2015 the Peace 
        Day Challenge has reached 104 million people in 148 countries;
Whereas, in 2015, the USIP Global Peacebuilding Center developed an inaugural 
        USIPEACE Teachers program which selected educators to incorporate 
        peacebuilding into curricula and activities with students across the 
        country;
Whereas peace education programs help break the cycle of violence and conflict 
        by developing active communities committed to peace scholarship and 
        instruction;
Whereas the 2017 Global Peace Index found that peacefulness improved in 93 
        countries, but declined in 68 countries of those studied;
Whereas the 2017 Global Peace Index also noted that for the past 10 years there 
        has been a decrease in the world's peacefulness and that global violence 
        cost $14.3 trillion in 2016;
Whereas these reports and actions underscore the importance of strengthening and 
        supporting domestic and global efforts to study, discuss, teach, and 
        develop techniques and methods to encourage and augment global peace 
        efforts; and
Whereas the theme for the 2017 International Day of Peace is ``Together for 
        Peace: Respect, Safety and Dignity for All'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the importance of celebrating the 36th 
        anniversary of the International Day of Peace; and
            (2) urges all citizens of the United States to reflect upon 
        the importance of peace, tolerance, cease-fire, and 
        nonviolence.
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