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World Peace and Understanding Day on February 23 emphasises dialogue and respect for global harmony. Linked to Rotary International, it promotes empathy and cross-cultural understanding.
World Peace and Understanding Day 2025 is observed annually on February 23. (Image: Shutterstock)
World Peace and Understanding Day 2025: Observed annually on February 23, World Peace and Understanding Day highlights the importance of dialogue and mutual respect in fostering global harmony. Closely associated with Rotary International, this day serves as a reminder of the power of collaboration and a call to action for promoting empathy, communication and cross-cultural understanding.
Founded in the early 20th century, Rotary International has played a pivotal role in advancing peace, supporting humanitarian efforts, and strengthening international relationships. On this occasion, let’s explore its theme, history, significance, and some inspiring quotes.
World Peace and Understanding Day 2025: History
World Peace and Understanding Day also marks the anniversary of Rotary International’s foundation. On February 23, 1905, Illinois-based attorney Paul P. Harris convened a meeting with three friends — Gustavus Loehr, Silvestor Schiele, and Hiram Shorey — in a Chicago office.
This gathering laid the foundation for what would become the first Rotary Club in 1910. The name Rotary was inspired by the group’s initial practice of rotating meeting locations across cities like Seattle, San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles.
The club’s core vision was to create a professional network that transcended political and religious barriers. As the organisation grew internationally, its name evolved—first to the International Association of Rotary Clubs, and later, in 1922, to Rotary International.
Today, Rotary International has a global presence with over 1.4 million members across 46,000 clubs in 200+ countries and regions.
World Peace and Understanding Day 2025: Significance
On this day, people from all walks of life come together to spread the values of compassion, tolerance, and harmony on this day. World Peace and Understanding Day is commemorated to emphasise the need for mutual understanding, global unity, and collaboration in creating a more peaceful and harmonious world where all can live and prosper together. Moreover, this day also provides people an opportunity to promote understanding, dialogue, and cooperation as a means to address differences and conflicts.
World Peace and Understanding Day 2025: Quotes
- “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” – Albert Einstein
- “The real and lasting victories are those of peace and not of war.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind.” – Mahatma Gandhi
- “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” – Martin Luther King Jr
- “When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” – Jimi Hendrix
- “People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.”– George Orwell
- “Peace comes from within. Do not seek it without.”– Buddha
- “Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.”– Ronald Reagan
- “God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.”– C. S. Lewis
- “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” – Mother Teresa.
