NEW YORK, 10th September, 2026 (WAM) -- The UN Secretary-General appealed on Wednesday for world leaders to invest in peace as violence, division and conflict exacerbate suffering worldwide.

Antonio Guterres was speaking during the annual ceremony at the Japanese Peace Bell on the grounds of UN Headquarters in New York.

"Each year, the toll of the Peace Bell reminds us of the most important and consequential job we have: building peace," he said.

He stressed that "peace is never a passive achievement" and requires hard work as well as action, yet action for peace is faltering.

"Violence and division are tearing apart communities," he said. "Conflicts are widening and deepening. People are suffering. And the dialogue and solidarity that solutions require are missing in action."

The Secretary-General's appeal comes ahead of the International Day of Peace on 21 September, which is being celebrated under the theme of 'Investing in Peace: For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day."

He highlighted the volunteers, advocates, civil society leaders, peacekeepers and peacemakers across the world who are bringing this theme to life.

He noted that "where governments are failing to deliver peace, people are showing another way" by raising their voices, bridging divides and healing communities.

The Secretary-General urged world leaders preparing to gather at the United Nations in the coming weeks to follow their lead by investing in health, education, nutrition and social protection, as well as by building institutions and systems that people can trust.

They also must safeguard human rights and dignity, recommit to "the proven tools of peace - diplomacy, dialogue, negotiation and peacekeeping, and end wars and conflicts.

"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."