September 9, 2014—Each year on September 21, individuals, organizations, and communities all around the world mark the International Day of Peace, a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace and highlighting the work of reducing violent conflict round the world.

On this International Day of Peace, join us in affirming the role and power of young people in building a more peaceful world!

With a global population bulge of young people, today's youth comprise the largest generation in history—a generation that has the potential to lead the effort to reduce violent conflict around the globe unlike ever before.

All over the world and far removed from mainstream news headlines, young people are taking steps to make change, to educate and mobilize their peers, and to advance nonviolent solutions to conflict. Their efforts illustrate that by working to equip more youth with the knowledge and skills of conflict management, we can enable societies around the world to prevent, manage and resolve conflict through nonviolent means.

For the 2014 International Day of Peace, we recognize that PEACE TAKES EVERYONE: not only policymakers, practitioners, and global leaders, but also the young people that will one day lead efforts to address conflict in their communities and beyond.  Get involved in the following ways:

• On the International Day of Peace, join our Thunderclap campaign to affirm the power of young people as peacebuilders! On September 21 at 12:30pm, we will use social media to call attention to the important role youth play in managing conflict and building peace. Help our message travel farther byjoining your social media voice to ours now!
• In honor of the International Day of Peace, join us for aTwitter chat on “Engaging Youth in Building Peace” on Tuesday, September 16, at 4 pm EST! We will chat about why the International Day of Peace matters, what youth are doing for that day, and ways young people are building peace. To join the conversation on Tuesday, tweet with the#PeaceDayChat hashtag and follow us at @buildingpeace. For more information, contact Megan Chabalowski at mchabalowski@usip.org. 
• Mark the International Day of Peace in your school or community!  We’re joining a local Maryland high school for their Day of Peace festivities; organize your own Peace Day activities to promote peace and nonviolent conflict resolution in your own community. Check out some of the ways you can join the work of peacebuilding. Educators: check out ourPeacebuilding Toolkit and other resources. Andshare your story about your activities!
• For a more in-depth introduction to resources and guidelines for bringing peacebuilding into the classroom, join us for a webinar for educators the week after the International Day of Peace!  The webinar will take place Thursday, September 25 from 4-5 pmEST.

Peace Takes Everyone! What will you do to champion the call to peace and nonviolent conflict resolution this International Day of Peace?