16 September 2009 - Up to seven million students are going to hear a special ‘Peace Message’ as part of this year’s major Peace Day campaign in Afghanistan.

The Ministry of Education has declared its support to Peace Day on 21 September 2009 by crafting a special 'Peace Message' that will be promulgated to almost seven million students in 12,600 schools across Afghanistan.

"This message will go to every school in Afghanistan. We will also send it to many news agencies. We have asked the principals and teachers to read it out to the students in class during Peace Week. A message such as this will help the children to think about the importance of peace," said Asif Nang, Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education.

"One of our biggest priorities is peace building. Our students are the future of the country and we would like them to grow up in a peaceful environment. They must learn how to tolerate each other, different cultures and different religions," he added.

The special message recognizes that "education is an effective partner for the peace campaign."

Haji Abdul Qadir High School in Kabul is due to broadcast the message to its 6,200 pupils today.

According to the school's director, Mohammad Suleiman Zahib, this initiative by the Ministry will have a "positive effect" on his students.

He feels that there is no time better than this for the country to embrace peace, that will, in turn bring improvement in society and raise the number of students who will attend schools. "If we have a peaceful situation, even more people will go and study," Mr Zahib added.

An Afghanistan National Development Strategy (ANDS) report released in August, noted a 10 per cent rise in enrolment of students in the past year, underscoring the link between security and education and social development.

Twenty-first September is observed as Peace Day, world-wide, each year.

It began in 2001, when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution establishing an annual day of global ceasefire and non-violence.

The United Nations and many Afghan organizations are leading efforts to campaign for peace by organizing and supporting events throughout the month of September.

On Monday, with one week to go until Peace Day, the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) called on all parties to "silence their guns" and declare a ceasefire on 21 September.

By Aditya Mehta, UNAMA

Website: Afghanistan Ministry of Education

Website: Special UNAMA Peace Day website